A Glug of Oil

Easy and delicious recipes including midweek dinner ideas, English and world cuisine.

Pan Fried Chicken Breast

Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

A quick and easy way to cook juicy chicken fillets.

Pan fried chicken with lemon and thyme.
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*Post updated February 2023

By mixing a chicken stock cube with a little olive oil and making it into a smooth paste, you then coat the chicken with the paste before pan-frying

I got the idea at the Marco Pierre White One Pot Cooking Masterclass.

This is a great way to pan-fry chicken and keep it moist. Marco used a skin-on chicken fillet, but I couldn't get one with skin on.

So I gave it a go anyway and the result was just the same. I thought the chicken might go dry but it didn't.

How long to cook pan-fried chicken breast

The exact time will depend on the thickness of your chicken fillets. Plus it's important not to cook them straight from the fridge cover them with cling film and leave them for 20 minutes before cooking.

Once cooked, always leave poultry or meat to rest - this will ensure the juices are sucked back into the chicken (or meat) and the result will be tender and juicy. Just cover it with kitchen foil and leave for at least 5 minutes.

A whole chicken or joint of beef can be left covered this way and left for an hour or so, honestly, it will stay hot.

15-minute meal

Simple, skinless chicken fillets, pan-fried and ready to serve in about 15 minutes, and that includes making the paste and heating up your pan!

Of course, you don't have to use a Knorr stock cube, you can use your favourite brand of stock cube instead.

Ingredients

  • olive oil
  • 2 skinless chicken fillets
  • freshly picked thyme
  • 1 unwaxed lemon

Other easy chicken recipes you might like:

Mediterranean Pan-fried Chicken 

Chicken Parmentier

Chicken and Chorizo Pasta

Chicken with Butternut Squash

Spanish Roast Chicken - Jamie Oliver recipe

Cajun Stuffed Chicken

Chicken Tagine

The list goes on! 

What can you serve with pan-fried chicken?

  • My favourite way to serve this is with boiled rice, stirring a handful of washed and dried spinach through it immediately after draining. It's a good way to get more veg! 😉
  • A simple salad
  • Chips or fries 

Recommend equipment

Just a good non-stick frying pan nothing else is needed.

Pan fried chicken breast with lemon and thyme.

Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!

pan fried chicken breast, pan fried chicken recipe, easy chicken recipe, pan fried lemon chicken,
main, chicken, dinner
English
Yield: 2
Author: Jan Bennett
Pan Fried Chicken Breast

Pan Fried Chicken Breast

Tender, juicy chicken!
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

Ingredients

  • olive oil
  • 2 skinless chicken fillets
  • 1 Knorr chicken stock cube
  • freshly picked thyme
  • 1 unwaxed lemon - remove the zest and set side and then cut the lemon in half

Instructions

  1. Mix the Knorr chicken stock cube to a smooth paste by mixing it with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
  2. Pick and chop some fresh thyme leaves, and add them to the paste with the lemon zest. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon. *Keep the other half of the lemon for later.
  3. Massage half of the paste evenly over one side of both chicken fillets.
  4. Heat up your pan till it's nice and hot, put the chicken into the pan with the paste side down and turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 4-5 minutes.
  5. Turn the chicken over and spread over the remaining paste.
  6. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets.
  7. Check they are cooked through - if not return to the heat (but lower it) and drizzle over a bit of oil and continue to cook.
  8. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the heat and cover them loosely with kitchen foil. Leave to rest for a few minutes.
  9. Squeeze the juice from the remaining half of the lemon over the top and serve.
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4 comments

  1. Oh Jan... this fried chicken definitely is really a mouth watering one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Any chicken dish that cooks ip so quickly from start to finish has to be on my list of must haves.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Juicy and succulent - looks yummy

    ReplyDelete
  4. How clever to make a paste with the stock cube, the chicken looks delicious.

    ReplyDelete

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Cheers
Jan