Extra tender pan-fried chicken breast coated with a tasty coating, then served warm with a honey lemon dressing.

I can’t do it – taking a reasonably artistic photo of a piece of raw chicken?! I have tried many times with different lightings, angles and settings. I.Just.Can’t.Do.It!

Honey Lemon Chicken

There are so many raw chicken photos in my computer now. None of them are pleasantly presentable, at least I don’t think so. Chicken can taste superb when cooked right. The original raw meat of chicken, however, is just by no means appetizing looking at all! You know what I am saying.

Honey Lemon Chicken

You might be wondering why on earth I wanted to take photos of a raw chicken at the first place. Well, in order to make this juicy and delish Honey Lemon Chicken, we will apply a handy kitchen technique – butterflying a chicken breast. I thought the photos were going to be extra explanatory (My intention was good, right?)…but for the above reason, I have decided to try my best to show you the technique through words only. Hope it’s equally helpful.

Honey Lemon Chicken

Why Will You Want To Butterfly A Chicken Breast?

  1. You can get a very thin and evenly cut piece of chicken that you can cook up quickly in all sorts of ways on the grill or in a sauté pan.
  2. You can also butterfly a breast if you intend to stuff it.

Note: Butterflying is best done with a boning knife.

Honey Lemon Chicken

How To Butterfly A Chicken Breast?

  1. Starting with the thicker side of the breast, hold a sharp knife parallel to the cutting surface. Slice the meat almost completely in half, stopping about 1/4 inch from the other side.
  2. Open the breast like a book. Pat the new surface to make the cutlet evenly thick.
Honey Lemon Chicken

Now let’s start manipulating our chicken breast by marinating it and coating it with a layer of tasty goodies to make that superb taste by itself, even without the honey lemon dressing. How about with the dressing? Oh man, that’s another good story. 😀 Shall we start?

Honey Lemon Chicken
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Honey Lemon Chicken

  • Author: Sharon Chen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Description

Extra tender pan-fried chicken breasts with a tasty coating and served with a delicious honey lemon dressing.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 boneless and skinless chicken breast (about 6 oz), butterflied
  • 3 tablespoons Canola oil

For the chicken coating:

  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For honey lemon dressing:

  • 1 1/2 lemons (1 juiced, 1/2 sliced for garnishing)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon corn starch
  • 1/4 teaspoon water

Instructions

  1. Lay the butterflied chicken breast on a plate. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt on both sides. Marinate the chicken with as much as egg white you can separate from 1 egg for 30 minutes. Flip once in between. Leave the egg yolk with the rest of the egg white in a bowl for coating.
  2. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the chicken coating and the honey lemon dressing. For the chicken coating, add flour, sea salt, ground black pepper and oregano into the bowl that contains the egg. Beat until even.
  3. For the dressing, stir corn starch with water in a small bowl until melted and set aside. Warm up lemon juice in a pan over medium heat and then stir in honey until even. Add the melted corn starch and stir until the dressing is slightly thickened. Remove the dressing from heat and set aside.
  4. After the chicken is marinated, place it into the coating and make sure the entire piece is coated.
  5. In a nonstick pan, heat up oil over high heat. Slowly place the coated chicken in it and cook for 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and transfer the chicken into a plate. Let it sit until cold before cooking again. Together with marination, this step will make the chicken extra tender and juicy. You can facilitate the process by putting the chicken into the fridge for 15 minutes. (Also, you can follow the above steps to prepare for more chicken breasts and freeze them for later. Just remember to let the chicken thaw naturally before cooking.)
  6. In the same pan, heat up the remaining oil in the pan, put the cooled chicken back in. Cook each side for 1-2 minutes or until the coating turns into golden brown.
  7. Remove the chicken from heat to a cutting board. Let it cool down for a bit and then soak up the oil on the surface by using a paper towel. Cut the whole piece into smaller pieces and transfer them to a serving plate.
  8. Pour the honey lemon dressing on top of the chicken and garnish with a few lemon slices. Serve immediately.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2

Keywords: honey lemon chicken

About the Author

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and a sous vide fanatic who believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she's on a mission to help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.