30+ Perfect Lemon Chicken Recipes to Celebrate Spring

March 10, 2021
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

The bright, citrusy flavors of lemon pair perfectly with both warmer weather and tender, succulent chicken.  Whether braised, grilled, roasted, baked, or fried, lemon chicken is a delightful dish for just about any occasion.  From Apricot Lemon Chicken and Italian-inspired Meyer Lemon Chicken Piccata to our Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner and Asian-inspired Orange Lemon Chicken, these delicious recipes showcase the versatility of matching lemon's tart, irresistible flavor with juicy chicken for the ultimate springtime dish.  

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Meyer Lemon Chicken

Credit: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl
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If you can't find Meyer lemons, you can use a regular lemon. It will have more of a bitter bite, which you can counter with a pinch of sugar. If you don't like olives, just leave them out; the dish is still tasty.

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Orange Lemon Chicken

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Jeffrey Larsen
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This is a light version of the battered and fried "lemon chicken" found on many Chinese take-out menus. Adding the citrus segments at the end of cooking helps keep the flavors fresh.

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Charred Lemon Chicken Piccata

Credit: Justin Walker; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
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Lightly charring the lemon slices intensifies their flavor and creates a gorgeous look for this delicious chicken dinner. Be sure to include any of the sweet, tangy liquid the lemons give off in the bowl; it adds incredible depth to the sauce.

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Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner

Credit: Justin Walker; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
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It doesn't get much easier, or more satisfying: a complete dinner in one pan in half an hour.

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Tangy-Sweet Lemon Chicken

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
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Mediterranean flavors meld deliciously in this chicken dish. Bone-in breasts are meaty and cook perfectly in the moist heat of the braise.

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Lemon Chicken with Olives

Credit: Con Poulos
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Salty olives balance the zesty, citrusy lemon flavors in this dish.  Serve atop pasta or rice with a side of steamed veggies or a green salad.  

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Senegalese Lemon Chicken

Credit: Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell
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This chicken stew, called yassa in Senegal, is a delicious introduction to West African fare.  

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Honey-and-Lemon Baked Chicken

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Top flattened chicken breasts with a warmed honey-butter sauce and fresh lemon slices, then bake for about 20 minutes and garnish with fresh rosemary. Serve with wilted spinach and mashed sweet potatoes.  

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Meyer Lemon Chicken Piccata

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr
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Freshen up a classic chicken dish by using Meyer lemons for the sauce.  These lemons have a great tangy aroma and are sweeter and less acidic that regular lemons.  

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Grilled Lemon Chicken with Feta Rice

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
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A light lemony dressing plus crumbles of salty feta transform packaged rice into an elegant side dish.

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Lemon Chicken with Currants and Pine Nuts

Credit: Oxmoor House
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Pine nuts and currants create the perfect tasty combination of flavor in this easy sauce that is drizzled over the chicken breasts. Serve with couscous so you can soak up more of the sauce.

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Apricot-Lemon Chicken

Credit: Oxmoor House
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Start with an apricot fruit spread to concoct a sauce that transforms simply prepared chicken breasts into this elegant dish.

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Grilled Lemon Chicken with Tomato Salad

Credit: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Lindsey Lower
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Colorful halved baby heirloom tomatoes, tossed with feta cheese and a light homemade dressing, are the perfect complement to this simple lemon chicken dish.  

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Lemon Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl

Credit: Justin Walker; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
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Chicken, broccolini and rice: What more could you ask for? Our top-rated Asian chicken bowl is flavorful, healthy and comes together quickly for busy weeknights. Pro tip: Double the soy sauce mixture for added flavor.

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Lemon-Grilled Chicken Breasts

Credit: Greg DuPreeFood Styling: Rishon HannersProp Styling: Thom Driver
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This is a perfect basic grilled chicken recipe, simple and versatile enough to meal prep, whip up on a hectic weeknight, or serve to company. Make sure to cook the chicken breasts until the internal temperature reaches a safe 165 degrees—about six minutes on each side. Save three of these grilled chicken breast halves to make our Hearts of Romaine Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken. Garnish the plate with grilled lemon slices.

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Chicken with Preserved Lemon

Credit: Justin Walker; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
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Whole lemons preserved in a salty brine are a flavor powerhouse. Look for preserved lemons at specialty stores, or order online from rakuten.com. They work wonders in dishes that can use a tangy, salty punch: Try chopping a little into a grain salad, or mix into a simple pasta dish with parsley, garlic, and grated cheese. 

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Chicken and Carrots with Lemon Butter Sauce

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
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Stir in the butter with a whisk or wooden spoon, shaking the pan as it melts to help the sauce emulsify. For the best sauce-to-bird ratio, cut the chicken into slices before finishing the dish with the sauce.

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Lemon-Rosemary-Garlic Chicken and Potatoes

Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford
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Nicknamed "Anytime Chicken" by Test Kitchen Specialist Vanessa McNeil Rocchio, this winner of a chicken dinner is our new favorite roasting-pan supper for weeknights or easy entertaining with friends.

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Grilled Lemon Chicken With Fresh Parsley Sauce

Credit: Leigh Beisch
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A simple sauce made from fresh herbs transforms simple grilled chicken into a weeknight masterpiece.

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Lager and Lemon-Grilled Chicken

Credit: Jan Smith
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Beer brings out the fresh citrusy flavor of lemon. Lime juice would work just as well. Double this easy recipe to enjoy zesty chicken strips over mixed salad greens, in warm corn tortillas with salsa, or as the basis of a cool chicken salad.

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Lemon and Oregano-Rubbed Chicken Paillards

Credit: Howard L. Puckett; Melanie J. Clarke
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Chicken breasts are pounded thin with a meat mallet or rolling pin to create paillards; the increased surface allows you to use even more of the flavorful rub.

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Lemon-Ginger Fried Chicken

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
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Giving the chicken a double coat of flour mixture creates a golden crust (without the skin) when pan-fried. We use lemon rind instead of the lemon extract called for in the original recipe.  Carefully pour in the broth so you don't wet the crispy brown coating on the chicken. The broth mixture turns into a glazey sauce that can be served with the chicken.

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Lemon-Parsley Chicken with Corn and Tomato Salad

Credit: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Cindy Barr
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For a quick, light weeknight meal, serve Lemon-Parsley Chicken with Corn and Tomato Salad. This meal is ready in just 40 minutes.

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Chicken with Lemon-Caper Sauce

Credit: Oxmoor House
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This simple chicken recipe features chicken breasts browned in a skillet then topped with a flavorful sauce of lemon juice, capers, parsley, and vermouth. If you don't want to use vermouth, substitute 1/3 cup of chicken broth.  Round out the meal by serving the chicken over pasta with a side dish of steamed asparagus.

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Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Breasts

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
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A former personal chef, Wendy Collett discovered ways to create tasty meals using fresh ingredients. Adding fresh asparagus and creamy polenta makes an easy and elegant dinner for company.

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Lemon Chicken Pita Burgers with Spiced Yogurt Sauce

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You can also serve the chicken patties with couscous tossed with golden raisins.

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Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
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A wet rub of crushed lemon sections, herbs, and black pepper is the key to this dramatic spin on baked chicken. Serve the golden-brown bird with rice or another side of your choice.

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Zaatar and Lemon Grilled Chicken

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Kevin Crafts
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Season grilled chicken thighs with a Mediterranean spice blend called zaatar that's composed of sesame seeds, thyme, marjoram and sumac.  Look for it in the spice section of your supermarket or in a Middle Eastern market.

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Braised Chicken with Honey-Lemon Leeks

Credit: Stephen Devries; Styling: Cindy Barr
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Lemon is a bright partner for the caramelized leeks, which cook twice: They are sautéed, then roasted to meld with the honey and lemon.

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Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
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Saltimbocca means "jump in the mouth"–apt for a fast dish that marries woodsy sage, bright lemon, and salty prosciutto.

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Roasted Chicken with Lemons and Thyme

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
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Paprika, lemon, and thyme lend this simple roast chicken traditional Sephardic flavor. Substitute oregano for thyme, if desired. Garnish with fresh lemon slices or roasted lemon wedges. (To roast, add lemons to the roasting rack during the last 20 minutes of the cooking time.)

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Grilled Lemon-Dijon Chicken Thighs with Arugula Salad

Credit: Randy Dausch; Styling: Lindsey Lower
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This light, quick main is perfect for warmer months. If you have 5 extra minutes, grill some vegetables to toss into the salad; try asparagus or red onion.

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Lemon-Herb Chicken Kebabs

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos
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These light and summery kebabs are made with chicken thighs, which won’t dry out on the grill. Cut the chicken into strips and thread it, accordion-style, onto the skewers along with thinly sliced lemons and asparagus. The tangy herb and lemon marinade also tastes great with pork or lamb.

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Roast Lemon Chicken with Shallots and Potatoes

Credit: James Carrier
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The chicken and veggies roast together in the oven in this weeknight-friendly, yet perfect-for-company dish. Large roasting chickens tend to have more flavor than smaller "fryers"; many meat departments will order them. Kosher chickens larger than 4 pounds can be difficult to find. You can order them online, or you can roast two 3- to 3 1/2-pound chickens side by side in a large roasting pan (in step 3, divide half the spice mixture evenly between the two chickens).

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