Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon

 

I confess I eat a lot of chicken.  It is my protein of choice most of the time, and that is for a few reasons. 

One, its higher in protein and lower in fat than most other animal sources of protein. Chicken breast in particular is a great for people who are seeking to lower the fat in their diet and up their protein.

Two, its incredibly versatile, mixing well with a multitude of other flavors and textures.  It also used to be cheaper than other proteins, but lately its gone up quite a bit in price. I'm not sure what is behind that.

Finally, I like chicken.  I love all of the bird.  The legs, thighs, breasts, and especially the wings.

 

 

This recipe I am sharing with you today is one of my favorite ways to prepare chicken breasts. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but its delicious.

Because you cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally, it is also a great way to make chicken breasts stretch further and feed more people.

For me that is a win/win situation all around! 

One thing I really love about this recipe are the flavors.  Earthy herby fresh sage. Tart acidic lemon. Creamy, nutty garlic.  Rich butter  . . . 

All wonderful flavors and when combined with the mild flavor of chicken, its a fabulous taste combo that can't be beat!

Just think of your favorite roast chicken with stuffing . . . this has the same flavors for the most part, but with an almost instant gratification factor involved! 

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PAN FRIED CHICKEN WITH SAGE, GARLIC & LEMON

Simple ingredients. Nothing very out of the ordinary here, unless you consider fresh sage to be exotic.

• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast fillet
• 1 TBS plain all purpose flour
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and bruised
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 TBS olive oil
• the juice of half a lemon
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Buy the best chicken breasts you can afford. There really is a difference in taste. I prefer air chilled, and anti-biotic free. Organic and free range if I can get it, but there is only one of me to please.  I can appreciate how a larger family cannot afford to be so picky.

I grow my own sage in the summer months. Fresh sage is also readily available at most grocery stores year round. If you have difficulty finding it, you can use some dried crumbled sage (not powdered).  Just add about a teaspoon and go from there. The dried form of sage is much more pungent than fresh.

If you cannot get the sage, you can use fresh thyme in its place. A few sprigs should do the trick beautifully!

Use the freshest lemon and garlic you can find. If you happen to grow your own garlic, so much the better!

 

You will need to cut your chicken breast into cutlets. This is very easy to do. Just lay your chicken breast flat out on a cutting board. 

You will need a nice sharp knife for this. Don't attempt it with a dull knife, you might cut yourself.

Hold the chicken in place with the heel of your hand and beginning at the thickest end, slice the breast horizontally through the middle.

One thing this also does is to render the meat really tender. I am not sure how that works, or the science behind it, but it's true.

The quantities for this recipe are to feed two people, but can very easily be doubled to feed more.

 

HOW TO MAKE PAN FRIED CHICKEN WITH SAGE, GARLIC & LEMON

Using a sharp knife, cut your chicken horizontally into two equal cutlets. (see above.)

Place your chicken cutlets between two sheets of cling film and bash them gently to flatten them out a bit and make them the same thickness. Season them with some salt and pepper and then dust them lightly with flour, patting it on and shaking off any excess.

 

Heat the oil and 1/2 of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Once it begins to foam, add the chicken, and brown lightly on both sides. Cook until the juices run clear.

Add the garlic and the sage to the pan along with the remaining butter. Squeeze in the lemon juice and let it bubble up a minute. Serve immediately with some of the lemony juices spooned over each cutlet.

 

That's it really. It is that simple. If your chicken breast is really large you might even get three cutlets from it.  The thinner the cutlet the quicker it cooks.

If your garlic or sage start to burn, lift them up onto the pieces of chicken.  I love how nice and crisp the sage leaves become in this.

And the garlic gets really mellow and buttery.

 

The lemon juice, chicken juices and butter make a fabulous sauce that is so delicious spooned over those tender pieces of chicken.

As I said, the flavors in this are simply beautiful.

I enjoy it on its own with a salad on the side (ideally low carb), but if you are wanting a carb to serve it goes well with pasta, rice or potatoes.  Steamed broccoli and asparagus are also very nice with this.

This is a beautiful chicken dish that I would serve to company without any hesitation on my part.  Everyone always loves it!

If you are a keen chicken eater as I am, you may be interested in these other quick, easy and delicious chicken breast recipes:

PAN ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH THYME -I have used boneless, skin-on chicken breasts for this, but thighs would also work well. You can also use bone in or boneless skinless chicken, but the cook times would need adjusting. These are simple to make, moist and delicious with a crisp skin and beautiful flavour. 

GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE - Chimichurri Sauce may not be a sauce you are familiar with. Its a lovely lush and spicy sauce which hails from Argentina.  In this case it goes perfectly with tender juicy grilled chicken breasts.  A fantastic combination! The chicken is marinated in some of that delicious sauce prior to cooking as well. Delicious!

Pan Fried Chicken with Sage, Garlic & Lemon

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Cook time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min

This tender moist chicken is a real favorite in my kitchen. The pan sauce is flavored with sage, garlic and lemon and is delicious spooned over top of the chicken cutlets.

Ingredients

• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast fillet
• 1 TBS plain all purpose flour
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and bruised
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 TBS olive oil
• the juice of half a lemon
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Using a sharp knife, cut your chicken horizontally into two equal cutlets.
2. Place your chicken cutlets between two sheets of cling film and bash them gently to flatten them out a bit. Season them with some salt and pepper and then dust them lightly with flour, patting it on and shaking off any excess.
3. Heat the oil and 1/2 of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Once it begins to foam, add the chicken, and brown lightly on both sides. Cook until the juices run clear.
4. Add the garlic and the sage to the pan along with the remaining butter. Squeeze in the lemon juice and let it bubble up a minute. Serve immediately with some of the lemony juices spooned over each cutlet.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

 Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!

 Follow me on Bloglovin