Lemon Pepper Chicken

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Lemon pepper chicken breasts are one of the easiest ways to get a flavorful chicken dinner on the table fast. Only a few ingredients add great flavor to boneless skinless chicken breasts, and dinner can be ready in less than 30 minutes, which is a big old selling point.

I like to serve these lemon pepper chicken breasts sliced. They go beautifully with Roasted Carrots with Creamy Cilantro Sauce and a simple spinach salad (the Spinach Salad with Roasted Fennel would be great). For a starch you could go for anything from simple quinoa or Bulgur Wheat with Caramelized Onions and Parsley.

Leftover lemon pepper chicken is great used in wraps, sliced for sandwiches, cubed and tossed into soups (perfect for Avgolemono Soup).

What is Lemon Pepper?

Lemon pepper is in fact basically a combination of finely grated and minced lemon zest and ground pepper.  The crushed peppercorns help release the natural oils in the lemon zest, creating a burst of flavor in this blend.

Fact is, though, many blends do contain additional ingredients.  Many contain salt, so you’ll want to adjust any additional salt to your recipe with that in mind.  Other ingredients that might be part of a blend are citric acid, lemon oil, garlic, sugar, and possibly some anti-clumping ingredients and coloring.  If you are a spice purist, be sure to take a close look at the ingredients and find a brand that meets your comfort level with additives.

When I was a wee lass we always had lemon pepper in the spice cabinet.  It was one of the basics, but at the time kind of a new hip classic, right next to the basil and the oregano, the cinnamon and the ginger.  A total staple, as was lemon pepper chicken breasts, the most common way to make use of this assertive spice blend.  It was a real thing in the 80s, and it stands up today.

Ingredients

Justy a handful of ingredients turn chicken breasts into the easiest dinner.

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• Brown sugar – adds a hint of sweetness to balance the spicy pepperiness; you cause light or dark brown sugar.
• Lemon pepper seasoning – I prefer to use salt free lemon pepper seasoning and add my own salt so the level of salt is up to me!
• Garlic powder
• Cayenne pepper– if you want more heat, add more than a pinch!
• Unsalted butter – melted butter allows you to make the spice blend into a little sauce which gets brushed onto the chicken before baking. It adds flavor and helps keep the chicken moist as it broils.

Variations and Tips

• This recipe is for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can definitely use it on skin-on bone-in pieces of chicken. Roast bone-in chicken instead of broiling it to avoid burning it. Bone-in chicken breasts or thighs will take about 40 minutes in a 400 degree oven, depending on their size. 

• You can also cook these chicken breasts in an air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees and cook them for 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. You can follow the instructions for Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Chicken Breasts.
• Line the pan with oil or parchment paper before adding the chicken for easy clean up.

How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken

1. Preheat the broiler.  Line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, lemon pepper, garlic powder, salt and cayenne. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.
3. Brush the chicken with the butter mixture.

4. Broil for about 5 minutes until the top is starting to turn golden brown, then flip the chicken and broil the other side for 5 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Let sit for a couple of minutes and slice.

Lemon Pepper Chicken: The classic spice blend mixed with a bit of butter, brown sugar, garlic powder and cayenne makes a great seasoning for chicken breasts.

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What to Serve with Lemon Pepper Chicken:

• Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
• Greek Tabbouleh Salad
• Pasta Aglio e Olio
• Fresh Green Beans
• Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Other Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Recipes:

• Creamy Italian Chicken Skillet
• Chicken with Tomato and Leek Pan Sauce with Jasmine Rice 
• Grilled Chicken Breasts with Lime, Roasted Garlic, and Fresh Herb Marinade
• Crispy Chicken Strips with Apricot Mustard Dipping Sauce 
• Chicken With White Wine, Leek, Spinach, and Arugula Pan Sauce

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