This Easy Lemon Chicken Chicken Is the Only Way I'm Making Chicken Right Now

If you’re on a mission to break out of your chicken rut, I’ve got you covered! This saucy one-pan lemon-dill chicken checks all the boxes and has quickly become my family’s most requested dinner. What really seals the deal for me is that it comes together in a single skillet with a short ingredient list and minimal upfront prep, and it cooks in just 20 minutes. It starts with a package of budget-friendly boneless chicken thighs that gets seared and simmered in a bright, super-flavorful lemon-dill sauce. The sauce is the star here, so I recommend serving this with fluffy steamed rice or roasted potatoes to mop up every last drop and rounding out dinner with a green vegetable like roasted broccoli or sautéed green beans.

Why You’ll Love It

• The sauce is the MVP. The juicy pieces of chicken are great, but the sauce is what will keep you coming back for more. Between the lemon and fresh dill, this sauce is light, bright, and fresh.

• It’s an easy 30-minute meal. From start to finish, this one-pan dinner comes together in 30 minutes, with a straightforward three-step cooking process.

Key Ingredients in One-Pan Lemon Dill Chicken

• Chicken thighs: Flavorful boneless, skinless thighs are the best choice for this recipe.

• Lemon: You need just a single lemon. And it might be hard to believe, but a mere two tablespoons of the juice is enough to make a bright, tangy sauce with a big lemon flavor. I don’t recommend adding more than that (or the zest), as it can make the sauce bitter.

• Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable, if that’s what you have on hand) makes up the bulk of the sauce.

• Fresh dill: One of those small clamshell containers is just the right amount. Some of the dill is mixed into the sauce, while the remainder gets sprinkled over the chicken for serving.

How to Make One-Pan Lemon Dill Chicken

1. Sear the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and be sure the pan and oil are hot before adding the chicken so it doesn’t stick. Sear until nicely browned on both sides.

2. Simmer the sauce. Cook garlic in melted butter, then stir in flour, followed by broth, lemon juice, and chopped dill. Bring the sauce to a simmer.

3. Finish cooking the chicken in the sauce. Return the chicken to the skillet in a single layer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and chicken is cooked through.

One-Pan Lemon Dill Chicken Recipe

You’ll want to eat this lemon-dill sauce on everything.

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 20 minutes to 25 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6)

• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 medium lemon)

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill (from 8 sprigs), divided

Instructions

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1. Pat 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear until browned, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate (it will not be cooked through).

3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the skillet. When melted, stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour evenly over the garlic and cook until the flour begins to brown, about 30 seconds.

4. Stir in 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the finely chopped fresh dill, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a rapid simmer, stirring regularly.

5. Return the chicken to the pan in a single layer and pour in any accumulated juices on the plate. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and the chicken is just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.

6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill. Taste the sauce and season with more kosher salt as needed.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

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