10 Minute Lemon & Butter Sauce (For Chicken, Fish & More!)

User Reviews

4.0

3 reviews
Good
  • Prep Time

    3 mins

  • Cook Time

    3 mins

  • Total Time

    10 mins

  • Servings

    4 to 6

  • Calories

    83 kcal

  • Course

    Condiments

  • Cuisine

    French

10 Minute Lemon & Butter Sauce (For Chicken, Fish & More!)

Whether you feel like your meal needs an extra little something, or you need a super quick and tasty pasta sauce or simple dip, this lemon & butter sauce is a great option! It takes just 10 minutes and 3 main ingredients - lemon, broth/stock and butter - to make it. An incredibly versatile sauce, you can tweak it by adding fresh herbs, garlic, shallots and more.

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Ingredients

Servings
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice From 1 small lemon. Reduce the amount to just 2 tablespoons for a more subtle citrus flavor.
  • 1 cup chicken broth /stock (or vegetable broth if preferred)
  • 3 tablespoons butter Cold from the fridge and cut into 3 pieces. For a slightly thicker, more buttery sauce, feel free to increase the amount.
  • 3 tablespoons fresh herbs e.g. thyme, basil, parsley, tarragon, cilantro/coriander (substitute with 1 teaspoon dried herbs)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt Or to taste.
  • teaspoon pepper Or to taste.
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Instructions

  1. Pour the lemon juice and broth/stock into a large saucepan or skillet/pan. Then cook on a medium high heat until reduced by about half.
  2. Now turn the heat down to medium low. Add the cold pieces of butter one at a time, swirling around until fully incorporated into the sauce.
  3. Stir in the fresh herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Serve spooned over chicken, steak or seafood, stirred through pasta with parmesan, or as a dip.

Notes

  • Optional: Start by gently sautéing a crushed or chopped garlic clove or shallot in a little of the butter for extra depth of flavor. 
  • When to add the herbs: I usually add fresh herbs such as basil, parsley or coriander at the end, just before serving the sauce. If using dried herbs or a more hardy herb such as thyme, add them at the beginning with the lemon and broth.
  • Adding the butter: Make sure to use cold butter straight from the fridge. Add it tablespoon by tablespoon, swirling in until fully combined. The sauce will become rich, creamy and slightly thickened.
  • If you'd like to thicken the sauce more, simply add a little more cold butter. Keep the heat on medium low to reduce the risk of the sauce separating (although it will still taste fine if this happens). 
  • Variations: Try adding a few capers or chopped olives to the sauce (great with fish), a splash of cream, or a teaspoon of mustard. You can also experiment with different herbs. Thyme, parsley, basil, coriander, dill or Italian seasoning are all great options. 
  • Serving suggestions: Serve over chicken, steak, fish or another protein. The sauce is especially delicious if you first cook meat or fish in a pan, then make the sauce in the same pan with the cooking juices. As in this recipe for spinach and feta stuffed chicken breasts. 
  • This sauce is also great drizzled over vegetables, served as a simple dip, or even tossed through pasta (add plenty of parmesan cheese and add a little of the pasta cooking water to loosen up the sauce a little). 

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 83kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.3g Cholesterol 24mg (8%) Sodium 481mg (20%) Potassium 43mg (1%) Fiber 0.2g (1%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 518IU (10%) Vitamin C 8mg (9%) Calcium 10mg (1%) Iron 0.3mg (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4to 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories 83 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 83kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.3g 15%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 481mg 20%
Potassium 43mg 1%
Fiber 0.2g 1%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 518IU 10%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0.3mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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