If you think of a lemon butter sauce, you might picture a sweet and sour dessert sauce made with fresh lemon juice that is served over vanilla ice cream or pound cakes. However, this is a savory recipe for lemon reduction sauce served with roasted chicken.
Chicken and lemon is a classic flavor pairing that never seems to go out of style. The bright, tangy taste of lemon cuts through the richness of chicken, creating a balanced flavor profile that appeals to a wide range of palates. While lemon chicken dishes often rely on just a spritz of lemon juice, making an actual lemon sauce allows you to infuse tons of lemon flavor into your chicken. Drizzled over seared chicken breasts or used as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders, lemon sauce makes any chicken dish feel bright and fresh.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the entire process of making lemon sauce from start to finish using simple ingredients you likely have on hand. From key tools and essential ingredients to easy step-by-step instructions, you’ll learn tips and tricks for making a lemon sauce that perfectly complements chicken. After reading, you’ll be able to effortlessly whip up a batch of lemon sauce anytime those cravings for tangy chicken strike. Let’s get started!
Essential Tools for Making Lemon Sauce
Having a few simple tools on hand will make the process go more smoothly, but you don’t need anything fancy to make lemon sauce.
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Saucepan – Choose a small to medium sized saucepan with a thick bottom The even heat distribution will prevent your sauce from burning Stainless steel or enamel coated pans work well,
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Whisk—Use a regular whisk to mix the ingredients together quickly and thoroughly to make an emulsified, smooth texture.
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Citrus juicer – A handheld citrus juicer makes quick work of juicing lemons. They efficiently extract more juice vs. squeezing by hand.
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Fine mesh strainer – Use a strainer to remove any pulp or seeds, resulting in the silkiest sauce possible.
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Garlic press – The quickest and easiest way to mince garlic is with a garlic press. Just insert the clove and squeeze to release the minced garlic.
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Measuring cups & spoons – Precise measurement ensures your sauce ingredients are properly portioned out.
Essential Ingredients for Lemon Sauce
The beauty of lemon sauce lies in its simplicity. You can make a flavorful sauce with just a few simple ingredients:
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Chicken broth – Provides a savory base and moisture. Can sub vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.
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Lemon juice—For bright flavor, use lemon juice that has just been squeezed. Reserve the zested peel too.
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Garlic – Minced or pressed garlic adds a layer of aromatic flavor.
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Butter – Adds a richness and luxurious mouthfeel as it melts into the sauce.
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Heavy cream (optional) – Adds a creamy body without dulling the lemon brightness.
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Herbs & seasonings – Liven up the sauce with fresh herbs like parsley, basil, tarragon or spices like black pepper.
With this simple foundation, the possibilities are endless for customizing the sauce to your tastes. Now let’s get to the fun part – actually making it!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Lemon Sauce
Follow these simple steps for fresh, homemade lemon sauce in about 10 minutes:
1. Cook aromatics
- Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and shallots and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant and softened. Season lightly with salt.
2. Deglaze pan with lemon juice
- Pour freshly squeezed lemon juice into pan. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth & white wine
- Pour in chicken broth and white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. Simmer 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat & stir in cream
- For a creamy sauce, add heavy cream and reduce heat to low. Stir constantly as it thickens slightly.
5. Whisk in cold butter
- Turn heat off and gradually whisk in cubes of cold butter until glossy and emulsified.
6. Season & finish with herbs
- Season with salt, pepper, lemon zest. Stir in fresh herbs right before serving.
And that’s it – you now have a bright and luscious lemon sauce ready to take your chicken to new heights of flavor! For a smoother sauce, you can optionally strain it after cooking. Use right away or refrigerate up to one week.
Serving Suggestions for Lemon Chicken Sauce
A quick lemon sauce can transform a multitude of chicken recipes. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
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Pan seared chicken breasts – Spoon lemon sauce over chicken breasts for an easy skillet dinner.
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Baked chicken tenders – Use lemon sauce as a dip for crunchy baked chicken strips.
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Grilled chicken – Drizzle over grilled chicken thighs or legs for a tangy twist.
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Chicken piccata – Sauté chicken cutlets and mix into buttery pan sauce for chicken piccata.
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Chicken & pasta – Toss with hot cooked pasta and shredded chicken for a quick one-pan meal.
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Chicken rice bowls – Ladle over chicken and rice bowls for an easy 30-minute dinner.
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Chicken sandwiches – Spread on chicken sandwiches in lieu of mayo for flavorful chicken salad.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless when you have a basic lemon sauce recipe in your repertoire. It can be used as a sauce, marinade, topping, or dip – wherever you want bright, tangy lemon flavor. Adjust the thickness of your sauce depending on how you plan to use it. Now let’s go over some key tips for lemon sauce success.
Tips for Making the Best Lemon Sauce for Chicken
With any recipe, technique is just as important as ingredients. Follow these tips when making lemon sauce:
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Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the brightest, boldest citrus flavor. Bottled juice lacks the same punch.
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Zest lemons before juicing to get double the flavor. Mix zest into sauce at the end.
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Crush garlic before mincing to activate its flavorful compounds. Then mince finely or use a press.
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Cook over medium-low heat to prevent the sauce from breaking or curdling.
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Add cream at the end, just heating through so it doesn’t curdle. Don’t let it boil.
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Whisk in cubes of cold butter at the end. Melting it in will make the sauce greasy.
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Season judiciously with salt and pepper. Acidity dulls seasoning, so taste as you go.
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Finish with fresh soft herbs like parsley, basil, cilantro, dill, or tarragon.
With its clean, citrusy flavor, lemon sauce is guaranteed to be a new favorite for chicken dishes. Start with this easy recipe and then get creative adapting it with different herbs, spices, wines, or cream additions. Before you know it, you’ll have a signature lemon sauce to impress dinner guests and satisfy those lemon chicken cravings any night of the week.
Why I Love Lemon Reduction Sauce
I love having a large family and growing healthy food to feed them on our homestead.
We are so blessed to raise our own chickens, preserve our own fruits and veggies, and make our own dairy products.
Rising inflation costs make feeding a large family a challenge; beating inflation at the grocery store and preparing for food shortages is essential to our way of life.
We harvest vegetables from the garden and can food all day some days, so I will stick to my seasonal meal plan and make this simple lemon reduction sauce to go with garlic roasted chicken or whole roasted chicken for dinner.
It’s so enjoyable to prepare meals with my children. Not only are we making memories together, but I am also teaching them valuable skills that are becoming a lost art.
Josh and I are teaching our children the benefits and importance of growing, farming, preserving and preparing healthy food. Our desire is for our children to grow into productive adults that contribute to family and community.
We hope that one day they will teach their children, and these traditions will carry on for generations. I am so intrigued by our forefathers’ practices that they passed down generationally, and we aspire to do the same with our family.
Roast Chicken with Lemon Reduction Sauce Directions
- Preheat Oven to 350°F.
- Clean the chicken on the outside and inside, and then use paper towels to dry it.
- Cut onions into quarters and then cut again into eighths. Put the onion pieces in the Dutch oven’s bottom.
- On top of the onions, put the whole chicken, breast side up. Sprinkle it with a lot of salt.
- Put enough water in the Dutch oven to cover the onions and chicken on the bottom. Cover only a few inches of the bottom of the chicken. Don’t cover the whole thing.
- Add a sprig of fresh thyme to the water to make it taste better.
- When the oven is hot, put the chicken in it and cover it with the lid if you have one.
- Lower the heat in the oven to 275°F and cook for another hour.
- Take off the lid and let the chicken brown for 30 minutes. Take the chicken out of the oven and set it on a plate. A homesteading tip is to let the chicken rest on a large platter for at least ten minutes. This will let the juices soak back into the chicken, keeping it nice and moist.
- Take the cooked onions out of the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon and put them around the chicken.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Sauce (柠檬鸡酱）
FAQ
How to make easy lemon chicken sauce?
directionsIn saucepan bring chicken stock to a boil and then add lemon juice, sugar and zest. Return mixture to a boil. Blend together cornstarch and cold water and stir into the lemon sauce. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently and adjust seasoning to taste.
How to make a simple lemon sauce?
DirectionsIn large saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg. Gradually stir in boiling water, then simmer over low heat until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon zest and lemon juice and serve.
What are the ingredients of lemon chicken?
Ingredients required for Lemon Chicken300 gms chicken boneless breast. 2 tbsp oil. 2 tsp ginger. 2 tbsp lemon juice. 1/4 tsp salt. 1/4 tsp lemon zest. 3/4 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder. 1/3 tsp turmeric.
How do you make lemon sauce?
Quick and easy savoury lemon sauce to serve with roast chicken, turkey or to accompany vegetables. Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks with the lemon juice, zest and cream in a bowl. To temper the egg yolks, add the hot stock and stir. Then, put the pan back on medium heat and add the liquid back in.
How do you make lemon chicken sauce?
When making lemon chicken sauce, be sure to use fresh lemon juice for the brightest flavor. Adjust the amount of lemon to suit your taste preferences. These sauces are very flexible. You can use them to dip vegetables or serve them over pan-seared chicken breasts. Pair with rice, pasta, or vegetables for a complete meal.
How do you make lemon chicken sauce with white wine?
For an elegant sauce: The white wine adds depth and complexity to the lemon flavor. When making lemon chicken sauce, be sure to use fresh lemon juice for the brightest flavor. Adjust the amount of lemon to suit your taste preferences.
Is lemon sauce good for chicken?
Easy Lemon Sauce for Chicken – Quick & Delicious Meal Idea! When it comes to adding a burst of flavor to your chicken dishes, lemon chicken sauce is a classic choice that never disappoints. When you mix the sour, fresh lemon with salty chicken, you get a delicious flavor that will please any palate.
What is Chinese lemon chicken?
Chinese-Style Lemon Chicken is a popular Chinese-American takeout dish, typically made with chicken breasts that are either filleted or cut into chunks. The chicken is coated in a dry or wet batter, deep-fried (sometimes double-fried) until crispy, then tossed in a sweet-tangy lemon sauce made with lemon juice, sugar, water, and starch.
Does lemon sauce go with roast chicken?
This lemon sauce is best for roast chicken but also is ideal to accompany any leftover turkey over the holiday season. Serve with stuffed mini pumpkins as a side dish too. Quick and easy savoury lemon sauce to serve with roast chicken, turkey or to accompany vegetables. Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a saucepan.