Skillet Lemon Chicken Breasts
Skillet Lemon Chicken Breasts deliver bright citrus over juicy, seared chicken with a whisper of cilantro, onion salt, and black pepper. The cast-iron sear adds light char and savory depth, letting the fresh lemon shine. Ideal for a quick weeknight dinner, it pairs well with simple sides like greens, rice, or roasted vegetables.
- Prep5 mins
- Cook15 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Skillet Lemon Chicken Breasts, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 53 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 16 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 52 / 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.
- 54
- Heart Health
- 61
- Metabolic
- 18
- Digestive
- 34
- Inflammatory
- 52
- Performance
- 38
- General Wellness
- 1
Coat a large cast iron skillet with cooking spray and warm it over low heat.
- 2
Pierce each chicken breast about 5 times with a fork and place them in the hot skillet.
- 3
Squeeze 1 lemon quarter over each chicken breast, leaving a little juice in each quarter.
- 4
Sprinkle each breast with some cilantro, onion salt, and pepper; cook until golden brown, about 7 minutes.
- 5
Flip, pierce again, and repeat the seasoning process.
- 6
Cook until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 5 to 7 minutes more; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
- Calories 588.33 kcal High 29%
- Protein 52.83 g Good Source 106%
- Carbohydrate 11.4 g 4%
- Total Fat 36.55 g High 47%
- Saturated Fat 2.14 g Moderate 11%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 140.75 mg High 47%
- Sodium 138.78 mg Moderate 6%
- Dietary Fiber 0.98 g Low Source 4%
- Total Sugars 0.95 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 10.33 mg Low Source 1%
- Iron 1.49 mg Low Source 8%
- Potassium 39.11 mg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin A 1.43 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 14.61 mg Moderate 16%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Skillet Lemon Chicken Breasts is made with 6 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 20 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Chicken Breast, Cooking Spray, and Dried Cilantro. Each serving provides about 588.33 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Skillet Lemon Chicken Breasts made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Chicken Breast, Cooking Spray, Dried Cilantro, Lemon. The full list of 6 is above.
- How long does it take to make Skillet Lemon Chicken Breasts?
- About 20 mins in total: 5 mins to prepare and 15 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 588.33 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Skillet Lemon Chicken Breasts easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 6 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Skillet Lemon Chicken Breasts healthy?
- Skillet Lemon Chicken Breasts has an easyChef Pro health score of 45/100. Per serving, it provides 588.33 calories and 52.83 g of protein, or 106% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 138.78 mg (6% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 2.14 g (11% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus 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