Zesty Lemon Chicken with Fluffy Couscous and Herbs

Lemon Chicken with Couscous

Chicken is my go-to for quick weeknight dinners, and this Lemon Chicken over couscous is flavorful and fast to prepare. There’s no marinating required: bite-sized pieces of chicken are tossed in seasoned flour and browned for a crisp exterior while cooking quickly. The pan sauce is a savory lemon-chicken reduction that thickens as it simmers, making a bright, tangy finish for the dish.

Skillet Lemon Chicken

This recipe shines in a skillet, coming together quickly and delivering great flavor. Keeping chicken breasts on hand in the freezer makes weeknight meals easier—just remember to thaw them in the fridge the night before. Cutting the breasts into chunks increases the surface area, allowing the pieces to brown nicely and absorb more flavor. The light seasoned flour coating adds a subtle crust and helps thicken the sauce.

What you need to make Lemon Chicken:

• • 3 lbs. chicken breasts, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 whole lemons
• For the Couscous:
• 1 1/2 cups dry couscous (or one box)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water, heated to a boil
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)

How to make Lemon Chicken:

1. Trim and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, mix the flour with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Working in small batches, toss 8–10 chicken pieces in the flour mixture until evenly coated. Place coated pieces on a plate and repeat until all chicken is prepared.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken in batches, turning once or twice, until golden brown on all sides. Transfer browned pieces to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set all browned chicken aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the chopped onion to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Return the chicken to the pan, sprinkle with ground ginger and the remaining salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 10–15 minutes.
4. While the chicken simmers, zest one lemon and set the zest aside for garnish. Squeeze the juice of one lemon through a strainer to remove seeds—you should have about 1/4 cup. Slice the second lemon for garnish, removing any seeds.
5. After the chicken has simmered, stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 10–15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is tender. Serve the lemon chicken immediately over hot couscous and garnish with extra lemon zest, chopped parsley, and lemon slices.
6. For the Couscous: In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth (or boiling water) to a boil. Add the dry couscous, stir constantly for about 1 minute, then remove from heat and let it absorb the liquid. Fluff with a fork right before serving.

Use a concentrated chicken base if preferred

A concentrated chicken base is a convenient, shelf-stable alternative to canned broth. If using a base, follow the manufacturer’s ratio to reconstitute it—typically about 1 teaspoon base plus 1 cup water per cup of broth called for in the recipe.

How to zest a lemon

This recipe benefits from both lemon juice and zest. Zest adds bright citrus oils without extra texture. Rinse and dry the lemon, then grate only the yellow outer peel with a microplane or fine zester, avoiding the bitter white pith. The finely grated zest disperses easily through the sauce.

More chicken recipes we love:

– Mushroom Asiago Chicken
– Chicken Broccoli Casserole
– Chicken Fried Rice