We all have those rinse and repeat meals that we can make with our eyes closed and just know that they will always turn out delicious. For my mom, that meal was garlic lemon chicken strips and rice. As I kid, I remember it being incredibly comforting and flavorful. However, as an adult, I understand why my mother made it once a week – it’s a meal that you can prepare in very little time, without turning on the oven and is always a crowd-pleaser. And, no matter how many times I make it, the taste still brings me back to my mom’s kitchen.
The chicken is tender with a smooth, savory sauce that has a bit of tanginess from the lemon. The sauce makes a wonderful gravy for the rice (or mashed potatoes, if you’re so inclined). I make long grain rice in my instant pot and keep it on warm while I cook the chicken for a fast and seamless transition to the dinner table.
Ingredients
Some notes about ingredients. (Full list of ingredients with measurements in the recipe card below.)
CHICKEN: I buy chicken breasts and cut them on an angle into strips. You can definitely use chicken tenders. You don’t have to tenderize them unless they are very thick or uneven in their thickness.
BROTH: If you have homemade….definitely use it! It really contributes to the depth of flavor.
WINE: I buy mini bottles or boxes of chardonnay to use for cooking. Any dry white wine is great! And if you prefer not to use wine, you can just add a little more lemon juice.
How to Make Easy Garlic Lemon Chicken Strips
Step One: Prepare and Cook Chicken
- Dry chicken complete with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dredge with flour.
- Drizzle 2-3 TBSP of olive oil into a skillet. Make sure the pan is hot and then add the chicken.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes until it is golden brown and then flip it.
- Cook for about 2 more minutes until completely cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate covered with plastic wrap.
Step Two: Make the Sauce
- Add a few TBSPs of the chicken broth to the pan and scrape up the brown bits in the pan so they don’t burn.
- Place butter, minced garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest in the pan until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant.
- Pour in the rest of the chicken broth and let simmer.
- Add wine and continue to simmer until liquid begins to reduce.
- Add salt and pepper.
- Take a small portion of sauce out of the pan and stir in about 1 tsp of all-purpose flour until incorporated.
- Pour this liquid back into the pan and stir into the sauce. Continue to simmer until the sauce is thickened.
- Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper to your preference.
STEP THREE: RETURN CHICKEN TO PAN
- Return chicken to the pan and turn it over so both sides are coated.
- Let it simmer on low heat until it warms up.
- Serve over rice, cous cous or mashed potatoes and garnish with fresh parsley and cracked pepper.
Easy Garlic Lemon Chicken Strips with Rice
Description
Garlic Lemon Chicken Strips is a wonderful go-to meal to have up your sleeve for busy weeknights. It’s delicious and flavorful and comes together quickly on the stove.
Ingredients
- 2–4 chicken breasts cut into strips
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 cups chicken broth (homemade preferred)
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
(Bowl of long-grain cooked rice set aside)Â
Instructions
PREP AND COOK CHICKEN
- Trim chicken breast into strips and dry completely with paper towel.Â
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and coat in a thin layer of flour.
- Drizzle 2-3 TBSP of olive oil in a hot skillet.
- When the oil has heated, add chicken strips (they should sizzle when you add them) and cook for about 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip to the other side and cook for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown and cooked all the way through.Â
- Once cooked, remove chicken to a plate and set aside.Â
MAKE SAUCE
- Pour a small amount (about 3 TBSP) of chicken broth to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the brown bits in the pan so they don’t burn.
- Add butter, minced garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.Â
- Add wine and let simmer for a few minutes.Â
- Add the rest of chicken broth and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes. Sauce will reduce in volume and deepen in flavor.
- Remove a small portion of chicken broth and add one tsp of flour and mix. Add back to the skillet and continue to simmer for a couple minutes to thicken sauce.Â
- Add ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper to taste
- Add chicken back to pan and turn it to coat on both sides.Â
- Plate over rice and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and cracked pepper.
Matriarch Muse
My mother, Santina Palmeri Lonergan, is my forever muse in areas far beyond her kitchen. She was a history teacher for 35 years, an avid volunteer in the community and a Jeopardy champion. She loved to travel, shop, laugh, and above all, spend time with her family and friends.
Her cooking style was eclectic and she loved swapping recipes with family and friends. Unlike her own mother, she had a fierce sweet tooth and loved to bake. When I was a kid, playdates at our house always involved baking – from homemade fortune cookies, to popcorn balls, to chocolate dipped pretzels and cupcakes with thick pink frosting. While I miss cooking beside her at the holidays, it is my heart’s delight to share some of her favorite recipes.
