Easy Continental Chicken Recipes For Lunch: Lemon Butter,

Mushroom Chicken

, And More

Roasted Parmesan Chicken 

One of the simplest continental chicken recipes, roasted parmesan chicken or chicken parmigiana, features chicken breasts coated in a Parmesan cheese and breadcrumb crust. This is oven-baked at a high temperature until golden and cooked well. All you need is a cast-iron skillet or stainless-steel baking pan.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• Grated Parmesan cheese (divided)

• Panko breadcrumbs

• Whisked eggs

• Garlic powder

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Olive oil or melted butter

• Fresh parsley, for garnish

Method:

• First, preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a baking sheet. Pound each chicken breast using a meat mallet to an even thickness and brush them with olive oil or melted butter.

• Mix half of the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Dip each chicken piece into the egg wash, then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture on both sides. Arrange on the baking sheet. 

• Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the chicken. Bake for 25 minutes and garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

French Onion Chicken

If you like French onion soup, you should try this French onion chicken lunch recipe, made with chicken stock and molten cheese, all cooked in a skillet. The chicken breasts are seared, then nestled in a rich onion sauce and finished under the broiler with a generous topping of melted cheese.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• Thinly sliced yellow onions

• Unsalted butter

• Olive oil

• Light brown sugar

• Minced garlic cloves

• Fresh thyme leaves

• Chicken broth mixed with some Worcestershire sauce

• Gruyère cheese

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• All-purpose flour, for dredging

Method:

• Melt butter in an oven-safe skillet; add onions, brown sugar, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook covered for 10 minutes, then uncovered for another 5 minutes. Set aside the onions. 

• Add remaining butter and olive oil to the skillet. Dredge seasoned chicken cutlets in flour and sear both sides. Transfer to a plate. 

• Return onions to the skillet. Add chicken broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Add the chicken to the onion mixture. 

• Top generously with Gruyère cheese. Broil on high for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly and spotty. Serve immediately with sides.

Tomato Basil Chicken

Bring Italian flavours to your lunch table with the tomato basil chicken, which is a mildly flavoured continental chicken recipe which requires minimal effort. For this lunch recipe, pan-seared chicken breasts are smothered in a buttery garlic sauce made with blistered tomatoes and a generous handful of fresh basil.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper (for seasoning)

• Olive oil

• Unsalted butter

• Minced garlic cloves, minced or thinly sliced

• Halved cherry tomatoes

• Chicken broth

• Italian seasoning or dried oregano

• Torn fresh basil leaves

• Chilled butter (to finish the sauce)

• Optional: heavy cream (for a creamy version), fresh mozzarella slices

Method:

• Give the chicken breasts the same treatment as the roasted parmesan chicken, pounded to an even thickness. Then season chicken with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 

• Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet and sear the seasoned chicken on both sides until cooked. Transfer to a plate. 

• In the same pan, saute the garlic until fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes, until they blister and release their juices. Add chicken broth and Italian seasoning. Scrape the pan and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced. 

• Add the chilled butter for a glossy sauce and mix. Scatter the basil leaves. Return the chicken to the skillet. Spoon the tomato basil sauce generously over each piece. Simmer for a bit and serve immediately.

Lemon Butter Chicken 

Lemon butter chicken is the epitome of easy continental chicken recipes, and it requires just a handful of ingredients and is on the table in 30 minutes. Thin chicken breasts are lightly coated in seasoned flour, pan-seared in butter, and then bathed in a buttery sauce made with lemon juice, chicken broth, and garlic.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (to make cutlets)

• All-purpose flour, for dredging

• Unsalted butter (divided)

• Olive oil

• Garlic cloves, minced

• Chicken broth

• Lemon juice

• Mustard sauce

•  Salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley to taste

Method:

• Pound the chicken breasts into even thickness first, then season them with salt and pepper. Dust with flour, shaking off excess. 

• Heat most of the butter and olive oil in a pan and sear the chicken on both sides until cooked. Set aside. 

• Sauté the garlic in the same pan and then add the chicken broth and mustard; scrape the pan too. Let the sauce simmer and take it off the heat. 

• Add lemon juice and remaining butter. Add back the seared chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with parsley, and serve immediately.

Mushroom Chicken

A universally loved continental chicken recipe, mushroom chicken has seared chicken breasts with a rich, garlicky mushroom sauce. You can prepare the creamy version with heavy cream or a lighter version using just chicken broth and a bit of butter. This dish is deeply satisfying and ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (halved)

• All-purpose flour

• Cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

• Butter (divided)

• Olive oil

• Minced garlic cloves

• Chicken broth

• Heavy cream

• Italian seasoning

• Lemon juice

• Salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley to taste

Method:

• Season the chicken and dust the pieces in flour. Melt most of the butter in a pan and then add olive oil, frying the chicken on both sides. Set aside. 

• Melt the remaining butter in the pan and let the mushrooms fry undisturbed for a few minutes. Season them, then toss and cook for a few more minutes. 

• Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for a few seconds, then deglaze with chicken broth, scraping up the flavourful bits. 

• Add heavy cream and lemon juice, and simmer until slightly thick. Add back the chicken to the pan and simmer again. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Continent Chicken Recipes for Lunch

All of these recipes are perfect with herbed rice, mashed potatoes or a side of vegetables. You can also choose to add a substantial amount of broth to make a gravy dish that you can enjoy with your roti or paratha. But make sure you try them for your lunch this weekend or on a slow weekday.