Chicken with Lemon-Olive Pan Sauce
Chicken with Lemon-Olive Pan Sauce pairs crispy-skinned chicken breasts with a bright, briny blend of green and Kalamata olives, lemon zest, and a hint of cumin. A quick butter swirl finishes the sauce silky and rich, balancing tang and savory depth. Serve for a weeknight dinner or a casual dinner party when you want big flavor with minimal fuss.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook20 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chicken with Lemon-Olive Pan Sauce, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 66 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 5 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 15
- Heart Health
- 84
- Metabolic
- 37
- Digestive
- 21
- Inflammatory
- 55
- Performance
- 49
- General Wellness
- 1
Season the skin sides of the chicken with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper; flip and season the skinless sides with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and herbes de Provence. Flip again so the skin sides are facing up; let rest for 10 minutes.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down; lower the heat to medium-high and cook until the skin is well browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until just browned, about 2 minutes; transfer to a plate.
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallots; cook, stirring, until just softened and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the olives; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- 4
Add the chicken broth; bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add 2 tablespoons reserved olive brine, the lemon juice, lemon zest, and cumin; increase the heat to high and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.
- 5
Lower the heat to low; return the chicken, skin-side up, to the skillet. Cover the skillet; cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer the chicken to a plate; cover with aluminum foil.
- 6
Stir the parsley and butter into the sauce, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the sauce is glossy. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.
- Calories 489.72 kcal High 24%
- Protein 56.46 g Good Source 113%
- Carbohydrate 13.78 g 5%
- Total Fat 24.95 g High 32%
- Saturated Fat 6.29 g High 31%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 159.86 mg High 53%
- Sodium 1172.83 mg High 51%
- Dietary Fiber 5.29 g Moderate 19%
- Total Sugars 1.16 g --
- Added Sugars 0.04 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 33.96 mg Low Source 3%
- Iron 2.36 mg Moderate 13%
- Potassium 98.23 mg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin A 71.72 mcg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin C 19.66 mg Good Source 22%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Milk 🥛
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chicken with Lemon Olive Pan Sauce is made with 13 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 35 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Breast, Chicken Broth, and Fresh Parsley. Each serving provides about 489.72 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chicken with Lemon-Olive Pan Sauce made of?
- The main ingredients are Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Breast, Chicken Broth, Fresh Parsley, Green Olives. The full list of 13 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chicken with Lemon-Olive Pan Sauce?
- About 35 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 489.72 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chicken with Lemon-Olive Pan Sauce easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 13 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Chicken with Lemon-Olive Pan Sauce healthy?
- Chicken with Lemon-Olive Pan Sauce has an easyChef Pro health score of 52/100. Per serving, it provides 489.72 calories and 56.46 g of protein, or 113% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1172.83 mg (51% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 6.29 g (31% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Milk and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required