Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Parmesan Zucchini Ribbons

Golden pan-seared chicken finished in a bright lemon-garlic butter sauce, served with delicate Parmesan zucchini ribbons. A simple weeknight dinner elevated through careful searing, balanced acidity and a restaurant-inspired presentation. Cook together using our Kitchen Co-op approach.

10 minPrep

25–30 minCook

2 + leftoversServings

Your Kitchen Co-op

Chef 1

Chicken & Lemon-Garlic Sauce

Season and sear the chicken in two batches. Control the induction heat, check doneness, and finish the sauce with lemon and butter.

Chef 2

Zucchini & Plating

Prepare the zucchini ribbons and diced cores, measure the Parmesan, cook the vegetables, and coordinate the final presentation.

Equipment

Chef 1Henssler pan, IKEA induction hob, paper towels, raw-chicken board and knife, clean tongs, instant-read thermometer, clean holding plate and wooden spoon

Chef 2Second frying pan, vegetable peeler, separate vegetable board and knife, fine grater, bowls, measuring spoons and tongs

SharedTwo serving plates, serving spoon and container for any reserved leftovers

Ingredients

Tick each ingredient as you prepare it. Quantities are for the complete recipe.

Chicken & Sauce

800 g chicken breast ministeaks 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml) for chicken 3 garlic cloves, finely minced 1 lemon — 2 tbsp juice for sauce; zest divided between zucchini and chicken finish 20 g unsalted butter 2 fresh thyme sprigs 4 tbsp water (60 ml), for sauce Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Parmesan Zucchini Ribbons

2 medium zucchini (about 400 g total) 2 tsp olive oil (10 ml), for zucchini 20 g finely grated Parmesan, for ribbons 10 g Parmesan, for final garnish Fresh parsley, finely chopped (about 5 g) Salt and black pepper, to taste

Mise en Place

Chef 1

Prepare the Chicken — 4 min

Pat 800 g chicken dry with paper towels. Divide into two 400 g batches. Season both sides evenly with salt and pepper. Keep the chicken chilled until cooking.

Chef 2

Prepare the Zucchini — 5 min

Trim both zucchini. Using a vegetable peeler, shave long ribbons from the firm outer flesh, rotating the zucchini as you work. Stop when you reach the soft seeded center. Dice the remaining cores into small pieces rather than discarding them.

Both Chefs

Prepare the Aromatics — 3 min

Chef 1: Mince 3 garlic cloves, strip or prepare the thyme, and measure 4 tbsp water and 2 tbsp lemon juice.

Chef 2: Finely grate 30 g Parmesan, dividing it into 20 g for zucchini and 10 g for plating. Zest the lemon and divide the zest equally between the zucchini and chicken finish; chop the parsley.

Both Chefs

Ready to Cook?

Chicken is dry, seasoned, and divided into two batches. Zucchini ribbons and diced cores are separated. Garlic, lemon juice, water, thyme, butter and Parmesan are measured. Both pans, thermometer and serving plates are ready.

Start the coordinated cooking timer once both chefs are ready.

Coordinated Cooking Timer

Follow the timeline together. Tap a stage to jump directly to that point.

00:00

Start Pause Reset

Ready to cook.

Preheat chicken pan Chef 1 · Induction 7/9 00:00 Chicken batch 1 — first side Chef 1 · Induction 7/9 02:00 Chicken batch 1 — second side Chef 1 · Reduce to 6/9 06:00 Chicken batch 2 — first side Chef 1 · Induction 6–7/9 10:00 Chicken batch 2 — second side Chef 1 · Induction 6/9 14:00 Check chicken & make sauce Chef 1 · 74°C internal temperature 18:00 Sauté zucchini cores Chef 2 · Induction 6/9 22:00 Cook zucchini ribbons Chef 2 · Induction 5–6/9 26:00 Heat off · Add Parmesan Chef 2 · Residual heat only 28:00 Plate & serve Both chefs 29:00

Timeline is approximate. Chicken thickness and pan temperature affect cooking time. Always verify 74°C internal temperature before serving. Selecting a stage skips the clock forward; it does not mean previous cooking is complete.

Let's Cook Together

Chef 1

Preheat the Chicken Pan — 2 min

Set IKEA induction to 7/9. Preheat the Henssler pan for 2 minutes. Add 1 tbsp olive oil in total across both batches: start with half and reserve half for batch 2. Swirl to coat.

Chef 2: Finish organizing the zucchini, Parmesan and serving plates.

Chef 1

Sear Chicken — Batch 1, 8 min

Add the first 400 g chicken in a single layer. Sear undisturbed for approximately 4 minutes at 7/9.

Flip once. Reduce induction to 6/9 and cook another 4 minutes, adjusting between 3–5 minutes per side for thickness. Check the thickest pieces have reached 74°C before transferring to a clean holding plate. Use clean tongs for cooked chicken.

Chef 1

Sear Chicken — Batch 2, 8 min

Add the reserved half of the chicken oil, then the remaining 400 g chicken. Cook approximately 4 minutes on the first side at 6–7/9, then flip and cook 4 minutes at 6/9.

Check the thickest pieces with an instant-read thermometer. Chicken must reach 74°C internally. If necessary, continue cooking in short increments before removing from the pan.

Chef 1

Make the Lemon-Garlic Sauce — 4 min

Reduce induction to 4/9. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves to the chicken pan and stir for 30 seconds, without browning.

Add 4 tbsp water, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and 2 thyme sprigs. Scrape the browned bits from the pan and simmer for 1 minute.

Turn the induction OFF. Remove the thyme sprigs. Whisk in 20 g cold butter using residual heat until glossy. Keep the sauce warm using residual heat without boiling. Apply it to the chicken once at plating step 3.

Chef 2

Sauté Zucchini Cores — 3–4 min

Heat the second frying pan at induction 6/9. Add 2 tsp olive oil. Add the diced zucchini cores and sauté for 3–4 minutes until lightly golden and tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Chef 2

Cook the Zucchini Ribbons — 1–2 min

Reduce induction to 5–6/9. Add the zucchini ribbons and toss gently for 1–2 minutes. Keep them slightly firm rather than soft or watery.

Turn the induction OFF. Toss with 20 g grated Parmesan and the zest of half a lemon using residual heat. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Both Chefs

Final Check & Plate — 3 min

Chef 1: Confirm the chicken has reached 74°C, then slice or arrange whole pieces. Apply sauce only once, following plating step 3 below.

Chef 2: Twist the zucchini ribbons into neat nests. Reserve the 10 g Parmesan, parsley and chicken zest for plating step 4.

Michelin-Inspired Plating

Use one matte neutral plate per diner, with the chicken as the focal point and a small elevated zucchini nest. Tap a thumbnail to enlarge it. Generated illustrations show one example portion; use your actual portion allocation.

Chef 2 · At plating

Build the zucchini nest

Picture 12 o’clock as the far edge of the plate. Place your share of diced zucchini cores at 10–11 o’clock, just above center. Use tongs to twist the ribbons into a small, stable nest over them. Keep the overall arrangement within the middle two-thirds.

Chef 1 · Chicken cooked to 74°C

Arrange the chicken

Slice the cooked chicken across the grain or use whole ministeaks. Fan your portion from the center toward 5–6 o’clock beside the zucchini, with golden surfaces up and a slight overlap. Balance the whole arrangement around the plate center.

Chef 1 · Just before serving

Spoon the lemon-garlic sauce

Use the warm sauce already made: spoon your allocated share around and lightly over the chicken. Keep the zucchini nest and plate rim clear. Do not add a second serving of sauce elsewhere.

Both · Serve immediately

Finish and clean the rim

Divide the reserved 10 g Parmesan, chopped parsley and remaining lemon zest between the plated portions and any reserved leftovers in the same proportions as the food. Give the zucchini a generous-looking, even sprinkle of your allocated Parmesan, scatter the parsley over both components and finish the chicken with fine lemon zest. Keep the golden crust visible; use the allocated garnish amounts rather than adding extra. Wipe the rim and serve.

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Nutrition & MyFitnessPal

Estimated full recipe: 1,440 kcal, including all added oil and sauce. Actual values may vary.

Customize Your Portion

Choose your cooked portion, including chicken, zucchini and sauce. Estimates assume a 1,000 g cooked batch; weigh yours for accuracy.

Larger · 550 g Smaller · 450 g 200 g 300 g 400 g

Selected portion: 450 g

648 kcal

83 Protein (g)

9 Carbs (g)

31 Fat (g)

Approximate full-recipe macros: 1,440 kcal · 185 g protein · 20 g carbs · 68 g fat. Rounded macro estimates may not reconcile exactly with estimated calories.

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