Creamy Lemon Chicken (in 30 Minutes & One Skillet)

This Creamy Lemon Chicken is a deliciously comforting meal. With its decadent citrus sauce, it’s perfect for the summertime. It’s rich, flavorful, and has just a hint of heat to pep up the dish. Since it’s packed with protein and veggies, it’s perfect for meal prep during the week.

Overhead image of creamy lemon chicken with garnish.

This creamy lemon chicken is great for weeknight dinners, like my Creamy Chicken with Mashed Potatoes Recipe. The dish comes together relatively quickly and won’t likely require a grocery store trip, as most ingredients are kitchen staples. The leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to three days, so you’ll have at least an extra meal or two (depending on the size of your family).

You can make this dish more nourishing by pairing it with a vegetable side dish, like my Easy Caesar Salad, Fresh Green Bean Casserole with Bacon, or Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Creamy – The heavy cream and parmesan cheese help create a delicious, creamy, addicting lemon garlic cream sauce.
Simple – This recipe uses many pantry staples you likely already have in your kitchen.
Perfect for family dinners – This filling dish is great for family dinners since it’s flavorful and relatively quick.
Decadent – With its rich, creamy sauce, this recipe helps satisfy cravings for a hearty meal.
Summery – While it’s creamy, the citrus helps cut the dish’s richness, so it’s light enough to enjoy during summertime.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Overhead image of creamy lemon chicken ingredients.

Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
White Wine: Generally, chicken breast pairs well with dry white wines like chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Or, you can add chicken broth instead of white wine if you prefer a non-alcoholic alternative. For this swap. use a 1:1 ratio.
Greek yogurt: If you want a slightly less decadent dish (or forgot to grab heavy cream from the store), use Greek yogurt and milk in a 1:1 ratio to replace the cream. It will add a creamy consistency to the sauce.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.

How to Make Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts

Quick Overview

Mix spices and toss chicken.
Pan-fry chicken.
Remove chicken.
Sauté aromatics and spices.
Cook flour.
Deglaze the skillet.
Add heavy cream, parmesan, and lemon juice/zest.
Add chicken.

Step by Step Instructions

A 6 photo collage showing the beginning assembly of creamy lemon chicken.

Always insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken.

Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic, paprika, and black pepper. Season both sides of each chicken breast with the spice mixture. Press the rub into the chicken breasts firmly.

Step 2: Heat the butter over medium heat. Fry each side for 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts). The internal temperature should be almost 165 degrees.

Step 3: Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until softened.

Step 4: Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper. Sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant.

Step 5: Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. The mixture will be dry.

Step 6: Deglaze the skillet with the white wine, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce until most of the wine has evaporated.

A 4 photo collage showing the final assembly of creamy lemon chicken.

Remove the chicken once cooked to avoid drying it out.

Step 7: Slowly stir in the heavy cream.

Step 8: Add the parmesan and stir until melted.

Step 9: Finish the sauce by stirring in the lemon juice and zest.

Step 10: Add the chicken back into the sauce (along with any juices from the plate). Bring to a light boil and coat the chicken in the sauce. Remove from the heat once the chicken is warmed back up. Serve with lots of sauce on top.

Recipe Serving Suggestions

While this creamy lemon chicken recipe is great on its own, you can turn it into a more satisfying meal by adding a side dish like Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes. Below, you’ll find a few of my favorite recipes to make with this tasty dish (along with a few garnish options!).

Garnishes:

Fresh parsley
Lemon slices
Lemon zest

Sides:

Easy Pesto Orzo Salad
Creamy Zucchini Risotto Recipe on the Stovetop
Roasted Mashed Cauliflower
Pasta (any variety)
Oven Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes

Expert Tips

Use a meat thermometer. It can be challenging to figure out when chicken is fully cooked. Don’t guess; use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Cooked chicken should read between 165°F and 175°F on the thermometer.
Pound the chicken to flatten if needed. If you’re short on time, you can flatten the chicken so it cooks more quickly. You’ll need to adjust the cooking time to account for thinner pieces of protein.
Serve over mashed potatoes or pasta. This creamy lemon chicken pairs well with mashed potatoes or pasta. Adding the chicken and sauce over potatoes or pasta gives you a more filling meal.

Additions & Variations

Pasta – Make this recipe more filling by cooking pasta with it. Serve the chicken and creamy lemon sauce over the pasta, and enjoy. Gluten-free pasta can also be used with this recipe.
Spicy – Create a spicier dish by adding more red pepper flakes. Be careful not to be too heavy-handed with this ingredient, as it can overpower the other flavors.
Tofu – If you want to create a vegetarian version of this dish, swap out the chicken for baked or pan-fried tofu.

Up close image of creamy lemon chicken with garnish.

Recipe FAQs

Can you add cream to lemon chicken?

Yes, you can combine cream and lemon juice/zest to create a delicious, decadent sauce over chicken (like my creamy lemon chicken recipe above).

What is lemon chicken sauce made of?

Most lemon chicken dishes have a sauce that features lemon juice, fresh garlic, seasoning (like garlic powder), heavy cream, and white wine. However, each recipe differs, so some ingredients may be absent.

What does lemon juice do to raw chicken?

Lemon juice is dual purpose when combined with raw chicken; it tenderizes the raw chicken and adds a delicious flavor. It’s best not to leave raw chicken sitting in lemon juice for too long as it can alter the texture as it breaks the protein down.

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If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or comment! I always appreciate your feedback. Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.

Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken

Brianna May

This Creamy Lemon Chicken is a deliciously comforting meal. With its decadent citrus sauce, it's perfect for the summertime. It's rich, flavorful, and has just a hint of heat to pep up the dish. Since it's packed with protein and veggies, it's perfect for meal prep during the week.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Equipment

Shallow Dutch Oven
Squeezer
Microplane Grater

Ingredients

2 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt*
1 teaspoon EACH granulated garlic & smoked paprika
fresh ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 pounds
1/2 yellow onion, diced finely
7-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine*
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
1 small lemon, zested & juiced

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic, paprika, and black pepper. Season both sides of each chicken breast with the spice mixture. Press the rub into the chicken breasts firmly. 2 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt*, 1 teaspoon EACH granulated garlic & smoked paprika, fresh ground black pepper
Heat the butter over medium heat. Fry each side for 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts). The internal temperature should be almost 165 degrees. 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 pounds
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until softened. 1/2 yellow onion, diced finely
Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper. Sauté for about 1 minute or until fragrant. 7-8 cloves garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. The mixture will be dry. 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
Deglaze the skillet with the white wine, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce until most of the wine has evaporated. 1/2 cup dry white wine*
Slowly stir in the heavy cream. 1 cup heavy cream
Add the parmesan and stir until melted. 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
Finish the sauce by stirring in the lemon juice and zest. 1 small lemon, zested & juiced
Add the chicken back into the sauce (along with any juices from the plate). Bring to a light boil and coat the chicken in the sauce. Remove from the heat once the chicken is warmed back up. Serve with lots of sauce on top.

Notes

Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
White Wine: Generally, chicken breast pairs well with dry white wines like chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Or, you can add chicken broth instead of white wine if you prefer a non-alcoholic alternative. For this swap. use a 1:1 ratio.
Greek yogurt: If you want a slightly less decadent dish (or forgot to grab heavy cream from the store), use Greek yogurt and milk in a 1:1 ratio to replace the cream. It will add a creamy consistency to the sauce.
Use a meat thermometer. It can be challenging to figure out when chicken is fully cooked. Don’t guess; use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Cooked chicken should read between 165°F and 175°F on the thermometer.
Pound the chicken to flatten if needed. If you’re short on time, you can flatten the chicken so it cooks more quickly. You’ll need to adjust the cooking time to account for thinner pieces of protein.
Serve over mashed potatoes or pasta. This creamy lemon chicken pairs well with mashed potatoes or pasta. Adding the chicken and sauce over potatoes or pasta gives you a more filling meal.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Creamy Lemon Chicken (in 30 Minutes & One Skillet)

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ingredients & Substitutions