Lime Glazed Chicken

This chicken breast dinner runs on a classic French-inflected technique: dredge, sear, then build a quick pan sauce from the fond. The lemon pepper in the flour does double duty, seasoning the crust and pulling a citrus note that echoes the lime glaze poured over at the end.

The double-dredge is the trick. Flour, egg, flour again. The first coating dries the surface, the egg gives the second flour layer something to cling to, and the result is a thicker crust that holds the glaze instead of slumping off it.

After the chicken finishes browning, the pan is loaded with caramelized flour bits, sticky chicken juice, and peanut oil. That’s the flavor base. Pour in chicken broth and scrape the bottom hard while it reduces by half. Add the lime juice in last so its bright acid doesn’t cook off into bitterness.

Serve the chicken with that lime-amber glaze drizzled over, garnished with fresh lime slices and parsley.

Chef Tips

• Pound the chicken breasts to even ½-inch thickness before dredging. Even thickness means even cook time. Thick ends stay raw while thin ones overcook.
• Don’t crowd the skillet. Chicken needs space to brown. Two batches with a clean dredge each time beats four pieces steaming in their own juices.
• Pat the chicken dry before salting. Wet skin won’t take the dredge and the crust falls off in the pan.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of honey to the pan sauce for a sweet-tart glaze.
• Swap lime for lemon for a more classic piccata-style finish.
• Stir in a tablespoon of capers and a knob of butter to the sauce at the end for a richer, brinier version.