Step 1

Prep chicken by halving like a hamburger bun and trimming any extra fat or ligaments. (We save the extra meat and fat to render in the pan first to give to the doggies!) Pound to a thickness of about 1/2-inch using meat mallet

Step 2

Make brine by dissolving salt and sugar in warm water. Add chicken to brine for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to overnight. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Step 3

Mix cornstarch, flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow plate/bowl. Dip chicken in dredge to coat on both sides, shaking off any excess.

Step 4

Add olive oil to skillet over medium heat. (Depending on size of skillet, you may need to work in batches. I used a 12-inch Hexclad and had to do 2 batches.) When shimmering, pan-fry chicken breasts on both sides until golden and cooked through (remove from heat around 162F so it can continue cooking to 165F under foil). Remove to plate and tent with foil.

Step 5

Add chicken stock and lemon zest to skillet, scraping up any fond. Reduce by half, about 15-20 minutes of simmer time.

Step 6

Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and butter, stirring to emulsify the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 7

Plate chicken, then cover with sauce and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately. Enjoy!