The Lemon Butter Brief

Pan-seared chicken with lemon-white wine butter sauce and angel hair

A bright, buttery chicken-and-pasta dinner built around lemon, white wine, garlic, and pan drippings. It deliberately leaves out capers and olives while keeping the lively lemon-butter character that makes this style of dish work.

Equipment Needed

• Large skillet
• Large pot
• Colander
• Meat mallet or rolling pin
• Instant-read thermometer

The Lemon Butter Brief

A bright, buttery chicken-and-pasta dinner built around lemon, white wine, garlic, and pan drippings. It deliberately leaves out capers and olives while keeping the lively lemon-butter character that makes this style of dish work.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 2 Servings

Course: Entrees

Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Chicken

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 10 to 12 oz total) pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Lemon-Butter Sauce

• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional) optional

Angel Hair

• 6 oz angel hair pasta
• Kosher salt for pasta water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small garlic clove finely minced
• 1 tablespoon reserved pasta water plus more as needed

Method

 

1. Bring a pot of salted water toward a boil while you prep the chicken. Mix 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Lightly dredge the two pounded chicken breasts and shake off the excess.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and 165°F. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce the skillet to medium. Add 1 minced garlic clove and cook 30 seconds. Pour in 1/4 cup white wine and scrape up the browned bits; simmer about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon zest, and optional 1/2 teaspoon Dijon. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until slightly reduced.
4. Meanwhile, cook 6 ounces angel hair until just shy of al dente. Reserve at least 1/4 cup pasta water, then drain. Toss the pasta with 1 tablespoon butter, 1 small minced garlic clove, and 1 tablespoon pasta water; add another splash if needed.
5. Take the sauce off the heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon cold butter until glossy. Stir in 1 tablespoon parsley. Return the chicken to the skillet for 1 minute, spooning sauce over it.
6. Divide the angel hair between two plates, top with the chicken, and spoon the lemon-butter pan sauce over both.

How to Know It's Done

• Chicken: 165°F in the thickest part. Sauce: lightly reduced but still spoonable and glossy after the cold-butter finish.

Cook's Notes

• This is intentionally not a traditional caper-forward piccata. The final recipe is built around lemon, white wine, garlic, butter, and pan drippings instead.