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Quick Sautéed Lemon and Garlic Chicken

ByElena Paravantes, MS, RD

Chicken tapasLooking for a boneless skinless chicken recipe that actually tastes good and doesn’t require a dozen ingredients? Well, I have the perfect recipe. I have been making this chicken for years. It is probably the most flavorful recipe I have come across using  boneless, skinless, chicken breasts. Inspired by a Spanish tapas recipe, this sautéed lemon garlic chicken is quick, easy to make and very tasty. And it has all those good-for-you Mediterranean ingredients: olive oil, lemon and garlic.

I’m not a big fan of boneless, skinless and I usually will roast a whole chicken or make Greek style chicken stew in tomato sauce using drumsticks and other whole pieces (with skin and bone), but I make the exception for this recipe. It is so good and the secret is the intensity of the lemon and the garlic. Although this is more of an appetizer, a meze or tapas, I often make it as a main course accompanying it with a salad or mixing it with pasta. The kids love it. There is no “raw chicken” smell or texture and the chicken is very moist and juicy.

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Quick Sautéed Lemon and Garlic Chicken

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 2 -3 as a main, 3-6 as an appetzer
Author: Elena Paravantes, MS, RD
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Ingredients

  • 3 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Rind or zest of 2 lemons
  • Lemon juice of two lemons
  • A handful of chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt/pepper

Instructions

  • Cut the chicken in very thin slices crosswise (widthwise)
  • In a pan, large enough to fit the chicken heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds.
  • Add the chicken and sauté for about 10 minutes until it starts to brown on the edges.
  • Add the lemon juice and half of the lemon zest, and bring to a boil, while deglazing the pan with a wooden spatula, scraping all the pieces stuck on the pan.
  • Remove from heat, add the parsley and blend.
  • Sprinkle with the rest of the zest, salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.

Photo by Elena Paravantes© All Rights Reserved

Elena Paravantes, MS, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist by the U.S. Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). She is an expert on the Mediterranean Diet. She has been active as a clinician, consultant, author and lecturer for 20 years, both in the U.S. and Greece. An expert on the Greek Mediterranean Diet, her interviews and articles have been published in many publications including CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Prevention, NPR, and Shape. Elena has collaborated with a number of organizations including Loyola University, Yale University, University of Missouri, Louisiana State University, and the American College of Greece. Elena earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and her Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds has a Master’s Degree of Science in Health Management.

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Recipe Rating




33 Comments

  1. Very tasty and summery chicken recipe! We loved it. I just had to cook the chicken longer as it wasn’t browning that quickly. I had it on medium heat.5 stars

    Reply

  2. Elena, in your cookbook you have “jarred red peppers” as an ingredient in a recipe. Exactly what peppers are these? I’m switching from Keto to Mediterranean and so glad I have found you. Thanks.

    Reply

  5. This was easy to make and delicious to eat on a warm spring day as today.
    Thanks, inspiring in its simplicity.
    I’ll surely be back for more (no threat, just a promise to myself 😉 )5 stars

    Reply

    1. I didn’t have parsley so I chopped up a handful of fresh spinach instead, and it worked very well! This recipe is excellent.

  9. I have just made this for Sunday supper it was so tasty will become a go to quick dish in our house! We are off to cephalonia this week so it’s getting us in the Greek mood! Loved it thank you

    Reply

  12. Tried this tonight. A delicious, summery and easy dish for a work night. Will be on the ‘regular’ meal list.

    Reply

  14. Elena, is there an error in the instructions or does the recipe only call for the zest of one lemon? The recipe calls for half of the zest, but I did not see where the other half was to be added. Looking forward to trying this . Thanks.

    Reply