Lemon Pepper Chicken – Easy Griddle Chicken Recipe

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If you’re looking for some new Blackstone chicken recipes, then you’ve got to try this lemon pepper chicken on the griddle! With a simple shallow fry technique and a fantastic citrusy sauce, this easy griddle grilled chicken breast recipe is a delicious meal for the whole family!

Okay, confession time… my first attempt at making lemon pepper chicken was disastrous. So much so, that the wife and I didn’t even want to finish eating it.

The difference in a good lemon chicken and a GREAT lemon pepper chicken comes down to the seasoning, and not over-seasoning your chicken because most store-bought lemon pepper blends are ZESTY, to say the least. The citrus flavor in some is way too sharp and almost fake tasting, while others are too salty.

So tasting your seasoning in advance will serve you well when making this lemon chicken dish.

But other than that, this easy chicken recipe is flavorful and juicy, with a fantastic pan sauce that’s perfect for spooning over cooked pasta, white rice, or roasted potatoes.

Here’s my rendition of juicy, citrusy lemon pepper chicken on the griddle:

More of a visual learner? Watch me make this lemon pepper chicken recipe on my griddle cooking YouTube channel:

Ingredients for Lemon Pepper Chicken

This citrusy chicken breast recipe consists of two main components – the actual chicken breasts that are coated in a light dusting of flour and seasoning, and the lemon sauce that gets reduced in a skillet as the chicken finishes cooking.

Here are the ingredients needed to make our griddle version of this iconic lemon chicken recipe:

For the Chicken:

• boneless skinless chicken breasts – Or you can substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken tenders, if you wish. Adjust cooking time accordingly as thighs may require a bit longer to cook through.
• all-purpose flour
• lemon pepper seasoning – This can make or break your finished chicken dinner! We used Sure Shot Sid’s Lemon Pepper Seasoning – for our first go at this Blackstone recipe, we used a generic, grocery store brand of lemon pepper and it was much too acidic.
• high-heat cooking oil – You will need this to shallow fry the lightly floured chicken breasts on the griddle or in a skillet.

*TIP – Be sure to taste your lemon pepper seasoning before using. If you find that the flavor of your seasoning is very tart or sharp, then use less. Remember, the chicken will be finished in the lemon sauce, so you definitely don’t want to use too much seasoning.

For the Sauce:

• chicken stock – We actually used chicken bouillon and water, because that’s what we had on hand.
• lemons – Or if you don’t have fresh lemons on hand, you can substitute lemon juice.
• garlic – Thinly sliced or minced. I prefer to use fresh garlic cloves, but you can substitute the jarred minced garlic if you wish.
• butter
• fresh parsley – For added color and garnish.

How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken on the Griddle

As with most griddle chicken recipes, this Blackstone lemon pepper chicken is very easy to make. Here’s a closer look at each step in this griddle dinner recipe:

Prepare the Chicken

To start, cut the chicken breasts in half length-wise, similar to butterflying, to create two thinner pieces. As you’re cutting the chicken, do your best to make sure each piece is even in thickness so that it cooks evenly on the griddle. If needed, you can use a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet to pound out the breasts so they are even thickness.

You can also cut off any excess fat or gristle, if you wish.

Your chicken should look something like this:

Next, lightly season your chicken with lemon pepper seasoning. Then, lightly coat the chicken breast pieces with all-purpose flour.

*TIP – The first time we made this chicken recipe, we added the seasoning to the flour and then coated the chicken in that mixture. Most lemon pepper chicken recipes use this method, but we preferred seasoning the breasts with a light dusting of seasoning before adding the chicken to the flour. This way, we didn’t over-season the chicken.

Start the Lemon Chicken Sauce

Next, start making the sauce so that it has time to reduce. Add butter and minced garlic to the skillet and heat until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant. Then, add the chicken stock and the ends of the lemons.

Cook the sauce over medium heat until it has reduced by about half.

*TIP – I recommend that you add the ends of the lemons to the sauce at this point, because they will be in the hot sauce for longer as it reduces. The ends of the lemons have more integrity, so they aren’t as likely to break down and disintegrate as much as lemon slices. You can add the pretty lemon slices to the dish at the end for more visual appeal.

Cook the Chicken on the Griddle

While the sauce is reducing, you can go ahead and start cooking the chicken breasts on the griddle. Just add a small amount of high-heat cooking oil to the griddle surface and place the lightly floured breasts in the oil to start cooking.

When the first side has developed a nice crust and golden color, flip the chicken to the second side and continue to cook.

*TIP – Be sure to NOT overcook the chicken at this point. You only want to cook the breasts to an internal temperature of about 150°F, because they will continue to cook in the lemon sauce. This is where a good instant read meat thermometer comes in handy!

You chicken should look similar to this:

Add the Lemon Pepper Chicken to the Sauce

Next, add the chicken breasts to the skillet with the lemon sauce, spoon the sauce over the chicken, and continue to cook.

When the chicken is almost done cooking (almost to 165°F internal temperature), add the remaining lemon slices and fresh chopped parsley to the skillet like this:

And then your griddle lemon pepper chicken is done!

You’ll have a beautiful, bright and zesty sauce, perfect for serving over top your favorite pasta, some cooked white rice, or roasted potatoes.

*Pinterest User? Do me a favor and PIN this Lemon Pepper Chicken recipe to your griddle recipes board on Pinterest… This is a great way that you can support us!

FAQ’s

What if I don’t have lemon pepper seasoning?

If you don’t have a good lemon pepper seasoning, then you can definitely substitute fresh lemon zest and your favorite all-purpose seasoning in this recipe.

Can I use bone-in chicken for this recipe?

Thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts are best for Lemon Pepper Chicken, because they cook quickly and evenly. I would not recommend bone-in chicken for this recipe.

How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?

The best way to ensure that the chicken is fully cooked is by using a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast, and it should register at least 165°F (75°C) when fully cooked.