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pan-seared-chicken-breast-lemon-mustard-sauce-skillet

Pan Seared Chicken Breasts with Lemon Mustard Sauce

Juicy pan seared chicken breasts finished in a bright lemon Dijon mustard pan sauce. Paleo, gluten-free, and Whole30 compliant — ready in just 20 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 3 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup chicken broth or chicken stock, or water plus chicken base
  • 5 cloves garlic fresh
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning start with half and add more to taste
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot starch or potato starch, cornstarch, or all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp water for the starch slurry
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Meat thermometer
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Tongs
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
  2. Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the chicken breasts and garlic cloves. Sear for about 5 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove chicken and set aside.
  3. In the same skillet, pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  4. Stir in the lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and Dijon mustard. Let the sauce simmer over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot starch and 1 tablespoon of cold water to make a slurry. Slowly stir it into the simmering sauce and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
  6. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet. Spoon the lemon mustard sauce generously over each breast and serve immediately.

Notes

Start with half the Italian seasoning and add more to taste — some blends are stronger than others. Arrowroot starch can be swapped with potato starch for Whole30, or cornstarch and all-purpose flour if not. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of chicken broth.