Spinach Lemon Butter Chicken (Printable)

Golden chicken cutlets finished in bright lemon-butter sauce with gently wilted spinach. Simple, elegant, and perfect for any occasion.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5.3 oz 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 oz 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, optional
15 - 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained, optional
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
17 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish
18 - Lemon slices for serving, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
03 - Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth, lemon juice, and zest while scraping up browned bits. Stir in Dijon mustard and capers if using. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until slightly reduced.
04 - Return chicken to the skillet, turning to coat in the sauce. Simmer gently for 2 minutes until heated through.
05 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add spinach and a pinch of salt; sauté 1 to 2 minutes just until wilted. Remove from heat.
06 - Arrange wilted spinach on plates. Top with chicken cutlets and spoon lemon butter sauce over. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant elegance in under 40 minutes with ingredients you probably already have.
  • The lemon butter sauce is so good you'll want to spoon it over everything on your plate.
  • It's naturally gluten free if you swap the flour, and still tastes indulgent.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip pounding the chicken—uneven thickness means some parts overcook while others stay raw, and nobody wants that.
  • Let the butter foam and settle before adding the garlic or it will burn and turn bitter in seconds.
  • If your sauce looks too thin, let it simmer an extra minute; if it's too thick, splash in a little more broth.
  • Spinach releases water as it wilts, so don't add extra liquid or you'll end up with a puddle on the plate.
03 -
  • Use a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan to pound the chicken evenly—it only takes a minute and makes all the difference.
  • Taste the sauce before plating and adjust with a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon, or an extra pat of butter until it's just right.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, sear all the chicken ahead of time and reheat it in the sauce just before serving.
  • Fresh lemon zest added at the very end, right before serving, gives a bright pop that wakes up every bite.
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