Why do my lemons taste bitter?

That's normal for this recipe actually. The lemons are going to be bitter, especially if you really let them caramelize like shown in the picture in this post. With that in mind, you can use them just as a garnish (pretty!), or you can eat them if you like bitter things, or you can try to make them less bitter by boiling them for a few minutes before adding to the pan. I opted for the garnish.

How do I make the honey butter sauce?

For the honey butter sauce, I just melted the butter and honey in the hot pan after caramelizing the lemons and poured it over the chicken. This mixture definitely picked up some of the residual caramelizy-lemon flavor from the pan, so if that isn't your thing, just melt the butter and honey in a separate pan.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Sure can! We'd recommend using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.

How do I get the crispy bits out of the pan?

We got you! u003ca href=u0022https://pinchofyum.com/how-to-clean-a-cast-iron-skilletu0022u003eHere'su003c/au003e everything you need for cleaning a cast iron skillet.

5 Ingredient Lemon Chicken with Asparagus Recipe

Name: 5 Ingredient Lemon Chicken with Asparagus
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts; 1/4 cup flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning; 1-2 cups chopped asparagus; 2 lemons, sliced; 2 tablespoons honey + 2 tablespoons butter (optional, see FAQ notes); parsley for topping (optional)

Description

Juicy, pan-fried chicken with peppery lemon flavors and tender bites of asparagus with a honey butter sauce. A bright and fresh 5 ingredient dinner on the table in 20 minutes!

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1–2 cups chopped asparagus
2 lemons, sliced
2 tablespoons honey + 2 tablespoons butter (optional, see FAQ notes)
parsley for topping (optional)

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Instructions

Chicken: Cover the chicken breasts with plastic wrap and pound until each pieces is about a 3/4 of an inch thick. (NOTE: If your chicken breasts are really thick,you can just cut them in half horizontally to make thinner pieces rather than pounding. Works like a charm.) Place the flour and salt and pepper in a shallow dish and gently toss each chicken breast in the dish to coat. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat; add the chicken and sauté for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown, sprinkling each side with the lemon pepper directly in the pan. When the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, transfer to a plate.
Asparagus and Lemons: Add the chopped asparagus to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes until bright green and tender crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside. Lay the lemon slices flat on the bottom of the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side without stirring so that they caramelize and pick up the browned bits left in the pan from the chicken and butter. (NOTE: adding a tiny pat of butter in with the lemons also helps prevent sticking and promotes browning.) Remove the lemons from the pan and set aside.
Assembly: Layer all the ingredients back into the skillet – asparagus, chicken, and lemon slices on top.

Equipment

Meat Tenderizer

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Tongs

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Cast Iron Skillet, 6.5 in

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Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Category: Dinner
Method: Sauté
Cuisine: American

Keywords: lemon chicken, chicken with asparagus, chicken recipe