Our new favorite weeknight meal is this Lemon Pepper Chicken and Veggies! This dish is made in one pan and is full of bright, bold flavors that everyone loves!
Lemon chicken is a refreshing dish that combines tender bites of chicken with the bright, tangy flavors of lemon. Boneless chicken breasts are marinated in lemon juice and flavorful seasonings, then cooked to perfection. My variation of lemon chicken includes fresh cauliflower and broccoli which balances well with the savory and succulent chicken.
The dish can be served as a complete meal since it includes protein and vegetables. Alternatively, it pairs well alongside a variety of side dishes such as rice, zoodles, pasta, or a fresh salad.
Overall, this lemon chicken is a versatile and flavorful dish that showcases the vibrant taste of lemons while highlighting the tender and juicy qualities of chicken. You will love how quick, easy, and refreshing this dish is!
Ingredients for Lemon Pepper Chicken
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you will need for this dish. I’ve also provided some suggestions for alternative ingredients if you need to make substitutions. To make this simple chicken dish you will need:
- Chicken Breast: other cuts of chicken such as chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work.
- Vegetables: you will need broccoli, cauliflower, and fresh garlic. If you prefer to use only broccoli or cauliflower instead of mixing the two that will also work.
- Oil: any neutral oil such as olive oil or avocado oil works in this recipe.
- Lemon: you will need fresh lemon juice, bottled can work in a pinch.
- Spices: lemon pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and fresh parsley
- White Wine: a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc. Alternatively, if you prefer not to use wine chicken or vegetable broth will also work.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken
This recipe is super easy to make, but it does have a few different steps. There is marinating and browning the chicken, then seasoning and cooking the vegetables, then adding everything together. To make this super easy to follow I’ve documented the entire process so you can see each step. To make this chicken and broccoli you will need to follow the steps below:
Marinate the Chicken
Cut the chicken into small bite sized 1 inch cubes. Add the chicken to a bowl with part of the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings. Mix everything together & let sit for 15 minutes to marinade. You want to be sure those spices are spread evenly over the chicken so each bite is loaded with flavor!
Season and Cook the Vegetables
In a large bowl, toss broccoli and cauliflower with lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned broccoli & cauliflower. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes until veggies begin to soften. Uncover and continue to cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl or plate and set aside. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Brown the Chicken
Keep the now-empty pan on the stove (no need to clean it). Pour the wine into the pan and use your mixing spoon to scrape off any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. This method is called deglzing the pan. Next, add the marinated chicken to the hot skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 15-18 minutes, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through and registers about 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Combine
Push the cooked chicken pieces to one side of the pan, and add the vegetables back to the other side of the pan. Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low for 5 minutes, to rewarm the veggies.
Serve
Serve this chicken and vegetable dish immediately while warm. Garnish with fresh parsley and dig in! I serve this as a complete meal. However, if you’d like to stretch the dish further it works quite well with some of these side dishes:
- Low Carb Red Lobster Biscuits: just 2 net carbs each and will help you get your carb fix if you are following a keto or low carb diet.
- Wedge Salad: everyone loves a cool, crisp salad and it pairs so well with these flavors.
- Cucumber Salad: this dish also uses fresh lemon and herbs making it a perfect complement to the chicken.
- Cacio e Pepe Zoodles: a great way to add more veggies to this meal!
Storage
Before storing the chicken allow it to cool completely. Next, store in an airtight container up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing as the cauliflower and broccoli will have altered textures that may be unpleasant.
To reheat, simply microwave individual portions for 30-second increments at 50% power (which prevents the chicken from drying out). To reheat the entire dish, return to a skillet, cover, and warm on medium-low until heated throughout (stir occasionally to prevent sticking). You may want to add a splash of white wine to the skillet to add a bit of moisture and flavor to the dish.
Tips for the Best Lemon Chicken
- Choose fresh lemons: Opt for juicy and ripe lemons to get the most vibrant flavor. Squeeze the lemons just before using them to retain their freshness.
- Marinate the chicken: Marinating the chicken in lemon juice and other seasonings will infuse it with flavor and help tenderize the meat.
- Uniform size: be sure to get the chicken and broccoli as close to the same size as possible so everything cooks through in a timely manner.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, other vegetables that pair well with these flavors are green beans, zucchini, and asparagus.
Sure, shrimp is a great option for this recipe.
No, chicken broth or vegetable broth will also work.
Bottled lemon will work in a pinch.
One Pan Chicken Recipes
- One Pan Jalapeno Chicken: the perfect cheesy comfort food with just 5 net carbs per serving!
- Easy Butter Chicken: This recipe is perfect for beginners and includes step-by-step photos!
- Pesto Chicken Bake: This easy dish has just 2.5 net carbs per serving, making it a low carb, keto-friendly dinner that is impressive enough for guests!
- Creamy Garlic Chicken: Seasoned, pan-seared chicken is cooked in a rich, creamy, garlic sauce you will love!
- Crock Pot Crack Chicken: This easy chicken recipe is loaded with ranch, bacon, and cheese, making it perfect for salads, wraps, sandwiches, and more!
Lemon Pepper Chicken and Veggies
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1” cubes
- 4 cups broccoli florets (1 medium head broccoli)
- 4 cups cauliflower florets (1 small head cauliflower)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup lemon juice divided
- 3 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon EACH onion powder, garlic powder, and kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ¼ cup white wine or broth
Instructions
- Place chicken cubes in a medium bowl and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Mix everything together and let sit for 15 minutes to marinade.
- In a large bowl, toss broccoli and cauliflower with 1 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned broccoli and cauliflower. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes until veggies begin to soften. Uncover and continue to cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer the vegetables to a bowl or plate and set aside. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Keep the now-empty pan on the stove (no need to clean it). Deglaze the pan with the wine and use the mixing spoon to scrape off any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Add the marinated chicken to the hot skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 15-18 minutes, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked through and registers about 165°F.
- Push the cooked chicken pieces to one side of the pan, and add the vegetables back to the other side of the pan. Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low for minutes, to rewarm the veggies. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley as garnish.
Notes
fridge 10 minutes before cooking! This recipe makes 6 servings (about 1 1/2 cup each), and each serving has 6.7 net carbs.
