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Grab your best skillet because we are making marinated pan-seared chicken breasts with golden brown crusts and juicy, tender meat.

When you need a quick and delicious entree for dinner, these pan-seared marinated chicken breasts are the perfect solution to create great-tasting meals for your family.

top view of three chicken breasts in a skillet

Pan Seared Marinated Chicken Breast

I still get excited when I come across a new recipe that looks super tasty, and 95% of the time, it involves chicken. It's full of protein, and you can cook it 50 different ways without anyone complaining. And today’s recipe is one of the most popular ways to cook chicken: pan-searing.

When you sear or pan-fry chicken, you cook it on a hot surface until the edges develop a golden-brown crust, locking in moisture. It takes 15 minutes from start to finish, not including the 20-minute lemon marinade, which can be prepped ahead!

Ingredients

To make marinated chicken breasts, you’ll need olive oil (for the marinade and for cooking), lemon zest and juice, grated garlic, fresh or dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.

How to Sear Chicken Breasts

In the steps and video below, you can see how simple it is to make pan-fried chicken breasts on the stovetop. Grab your skillet and let's get cooking!

Make the chicken marinade by combining all the ingredients in a large zip bag. Add the chicken and refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight.
Cook the chicken in a hot skillet. You want to hear a sizzle when the meat makes contact with the hot surface. Cook for 6 minutes on one side, or until the bottom is golden and crispy. Flip and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Work in batches if necessary.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving or slicing.

Best Pan for Searing Chicken

For searing chicken and meats, both a cast-iron and a stainless steel pan are ideal because they do a great job of distributing heat, which helps the chicken cook evenly and develop those bronzed, slightly crisp edges.

Tips for Juicy Pan Fried Chicken Breasts

Below are additional tips to help you perfect the art of pan-searing chicken:

Butterflying chicken breasts is the easiest way to avoid uneven cooking, ensuring both sides are the same thickness and creating deliciously juicy chicken.

Make sure the skillet is hot for a perfect sear. To check it, I add a few water droplets: if they sizzle on the skillet's surface, you're ready to roll.

Cook according to the internal temperature. One to two minutes before the end of the recipe’s specified cook time, use a meat thermometer to check the fillet’s thickest part. Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F, it's ready to be removed from the heat.

Don’t touch the chicken for 6 minutes after placing it in the skillet. If you try to move it, the chicken will stick to the pan and disrupt the cooking process.

Keep the heat at medium-high. If the temperature is too high, the oil will burn and the chicken's surface will be cooked and the center still raw, which results in dry, bitter-tasting chicken.

What to Serve with Seared Chicken Breasts

You can top it over a salad, like this Winter Salad, over a bed of cooked couscous, turn it into this incredible recipe for Margarita Chicken, or pair it with one of these tasty side dishes: lemon roasted asparagus, cilantro lime rice, or sweet potato salad.

three sliced chicken breasts in a shallow bowl

Juicy Pan Seared Chicken Breasts with Quick Marinade

serving bowl with three sliced pan seared chicken breasts

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 30

Grab your best skillet because we are making marinated pan-seared chicken breasts with golden brown crusts and juicy, tender meat.

5 from 35 votes

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves grated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano, or 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

Marinate:

In a large zip bag, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken breasts, seal, and refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight.

Cook the chicken:

In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts into the skillet and cook for 6 minutes.
Once the bottom has developed a golden surface and easily lifts from the skillet, flip and cook for an an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
Remove the chicken from heat and allow it to rest 5 minutes before serving or slicing.