Spinach Lemon Butter Chicken (Printer-Friendly)

Golden chicken cutlets in bright lemon butter sauce over wilted baby spinach. An elegant weeknight dinner ready in 35 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each), pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend for dredging

→ Spinach

05 - 14 ounces fresh baby spinach
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - Pinch of salt

→ Lemon Butter Sauce

09 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
12 - Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
13 - 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
17 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish
18 - Lemon slices for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess to ensure even coating.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken in a single layer, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Pour in chicken broth, lemon juice, and zest, using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Stir in Dijon mustard and capers. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened.
04 - Return chicken cutlets to the skillet, turning to coat thoroughly in the sauce. Simmer gently for 2 minutes until heated through and sauce clings to the chicken.
05 - While sauce simmers, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add spinach and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, tossing frequently, just until spinach wilts but remains vibrant. Remove from heat immediately.
06 - Arrange a bed of wilted spinach on each serving plate. Top with chicken cutlets and spoon generous amounts of lemon butter sauce over both. Garnish with chopped parsley and fresh lemon slices. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together so quickly you'll feel like you pulled off a magic trick
  • Everything cooks in one pan (well, two if you count the spinach), making cleanup almost unfairly easy
02 -
  • Don't be tempted to move the chicken around while it sears—letting it develop that golden crust is crucial for both texture and flavor
  • The sauce will look thin at first but will thicken beautifully as it simmers and reduces
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly, so take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you start cooking
  • Zest your lemon before juicing it—it's so much easier to handle when it still has its structure
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