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Skillet Night
Weeknight Mains 3 min read

One-Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken and Broccoli

One-pan lemon garlic chicken and broccoli in 30 minutes. Juicy thighs, crisp florets, and a bright lemon pan sauce from pantry staples. For busy weeknights.

Chicken cooking in a skillet

Chicken and broccoli is the weeknight default for a reason: both cook fast, both take a hard lemon-garlic hit, and you only dirty one skillet. This version sears boneless thighs, steams the florets in the same pan, then finishes with a short butter-lemon sauce that clings instead of pooling.

Chicken and broccoli plate
Photo: Daderot / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
  • 1 lb (454 g) broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

  1. Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear without moving for 4 minutes, until the underside is golden.
  4. Flip and cook 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate; it will not be fully cooked yet.
  5. Add the broccoli and 2 tablespoons of the broth to the skillet. Cover and cook 3 minutes, stirring once, until the florets turn bright green.
  6. Push the broccoli to the edges. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the center and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  7. Pour in the remaining broth and lemon juice. Scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
  8. Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet. Simmer uncovered 4–5 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and the sauce reduces by about half.
  9. Turn off the heat. Stir in the butter, lemon zest, and parsley until the sauce looks glossy. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
  10. Serve the chicken and broccoli with the pan sauce spooned over the top.

Cook’s note

Boneless breasts work if you pound them to even ¾-inch thickness; pull them 1–2 minutes earlier so they do not dry out.

What to serve with it

Rice, buttered noodles, or crusty bread. The pan sauce wants something to land on.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Season the chicken in the morning. Cooked leftovers keep 3 days; slice the chicken and reheat with a splash of broth so the broccoli does not go army-green. Not a great freezer meal.

Troubleshooting

Chicken steaming instead of browning? The pan is crowded. Cook in two batches. Sauce pooling? You skipped the butter-off-heat step, or the broth did not reduce. Broccoli mushy? It cooked uncovered too long — lid on for 3 minutes, then get out.