Morgh va Gharch-e Limooei (مرغ و قارچ لیمویی) — Persian-Style Lemon Chicken & Mushroom Skillet

• 600 gChicken breast, boneless skinless (about 4 small breasts; pounded to 1.5 cm even thickness)
• 7 gFine sea salt (divided)
• 2 gBlack pepper, freshly ground (divided)
• 25 gAll-purpose flour (about 3 tbsp; for light dredging)
• 45 gUnsalted butter (divided)
• 15 mlOlive oil (1 tbsp; helps prevent butter scorching)
• 180 gYellow onion (finely sliced)
• 350 gCremini mushrooms (sliced 5 mm thick; button mushrooms also work)
• 8 gGarlic (2 cloves, finely grated or minced)
• 180 mlChicken stock, low-sodium (3/4 cup)
• 200 mlCooking cream (30–35% fat) (about 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
• 2 tspLemon zest (finely grated, from 1 large lemon)
• 45 mlLemon juice, freshly squeezed (3 tbsp, from 1 large lemon)
• 15 gFresh parsley (finely chopped, plus more to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the chicken: pat dry, then pound to an even 1.5 cm thickness for quick, juicy cooking. Mix 5 g salt and 1.5 g pepper, season both sides, then lightly dredge with flour, shaking off excess. Let rest 10 minutes at room temperature so the coating hydrates and browns evenly.

2. 2

   Sear: heat a large skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes. Add olive oil and 20 g butter; when the foam subsides, add chicken in a single layer. Sear 3–4 minutes per side until golden (not fully cooked). Transfer to a plate; tent loosely. Reduce heat to medium and keep the browned bits in the pan.

3. 3

   Build the base: add 15 g butter, then onions with a small pinch of the remaining salt. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly golden. Add mushrooms and spread them out; cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they release moisture and begin to brown. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. 4

   Deglaze and reduce: pour in chicken stock and scrape the pan well to dissolve the browned bits. Simmer 3–4 minutes until reduced by about one-third. Lower heat to medium-low, stir in cream, and gently simmer 4–6 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce coats a spoon and looks glossy.

5. 5

   Finish with lemon and cook through: return chicken and any juices to the skillet. Simmer gently 4–6 minutes, turning once, until the thickest part reaches 74°C/165°F. Off heat, stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and the remaining 10 g butter to enrich and smooth the sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

6. 6

   Serve: rest the chicken in the sauce for 2 minutes so the juices settle. Spoon mushrooms and lemon-cream sauce over each portion. Garnish with extra parsley and, if desired, a little extra lemon zest. Serve immediately while the sauce is velvety and the chicken is tender.