American · main

Skillet Lemon Butter Chicken with Asparagus

Skillet Lemon Butter Chicken with Asparagus reads richness 7.1, citrus 6.0 and umami 5.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 21 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 7.1 · Citrus 6.0 · Umami 5.3 · Salinity 4.8 · Sourness 4.7 · Allium 3.6 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Fruity 1.5 · Floral 1.4 · Nutty 1.4 · Sweetness 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Heat 0.8 · Earthy 0.8

What's in it (13)

• boneless chicken — 680 g
• salt — 4 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• all-purpose flour — 40 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• unsalted butter — 54 g
• asparagus — 454 g
• garlic — 9 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 237 g
• lemon juice — 59 g
• lemon zest — 5 g
• capers — 30 g
• parsley — 7 g

Time & effort: about 21 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 83 kcal, 14.1 g protein, 4.3 g fat, 3.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Pat the chicken dry. Slice each breast horizontally into two thin cutlets, then season both sides with the salt and pepper. Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess.
2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, sear the chicken cutlets until deeply golden on the first side, 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165F, 3-4 minutes more; transfer to a plate.
3. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and the asparagus to the same skillet; season lightly with salt. Saute over medium-high heat, tossing occasionally, until bright green and crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the skillet and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
6. Bring the broth to a boil and simmer until reduced by half, 3-4 minutes.
7. Stir in the lemon juice and zest; simmer 1 minute more.
8. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the remaining 3 tbsp butter, one piece at a time, until the sauce turns glossy and slightly thickened.
9. Stir in the capers, then return the chicken and asparagus to the skillet, spooning the sauce over both, and warm through, about 1 minute.
10. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve directly from the skillet.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Skillet Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Pan Sauce — American
• Skillet Chicken Piccata — Italian-American
• Grilled Skirt Steak with Garlic Butter — American
• Veal Piccata — Italian-American
• Chicken Piccata Pasta — Italian-American

Keep reading: what richness, citrus, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.