Lemon Chicken
This Creamy Lemon Chicken dish is simple to make, but it’s packed with flavor! The lemon sauce is velvety and delicious, and the chicken is cooked to perfection. Serve it over some pasta, broccoli, or your favorite sides!
There are a million different ways you can cook and flavor chicken. This versatile protein can be grilled, baked, or even fried. But one of our favorite ways to make chicken is by frying it in a pan and pairing it with a creamy lemon sauce.
Lemon compliments the flavor of chicken perfectly, and the addition of heavy cream creates a sauce that takes this dish to the next level. This Creamy Lemon Chicken is made with simple comforting ingredients that you can find anywhere. Plus, the entire dish comes together in less than an hour.
So if you’re looking for an easy yet impressive chicken recipe to get out of your chicken rut, learn how to make creamy lemon chicken using the easy steps below!
How To Make Creamy Lemon Chicken
- Place one chicken breast in a Ziploc bag or between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound the thicker sides with a kitchen mallet until it’s around the same thickness. Repeat with the remaining chicken until all chicken breasts are the same thickness.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
- Add each piece of chicken breast in the flour mixture until completely coated on both sides.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the thyme sprigs and 2 pieces of dredged chicken. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining chicken and place on a waiting plate until all chicken is cooked.
- Pour the remaining oil into the pan. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk until it turns a light golden brown to make a roux. Slowly add the chicken broth and lemon juice making sure to whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Then, pour in the heavy cream and continue whisking until it starts to bubble and thicken again.
- Turn the heat down to low-medium then add the chicken back to the pan. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the gravy has thickened and reduced significantly.
- Serve with fresh thyme and lemon wedges and serve with your favorite side dishes!
Recipe Tips
- Pounding out the chicken to the same thickness is important because it helps the chicken cook evenly. If you don’t have a kitchen mallet, you can also use the back of a heavy spoon to pound out the chicken.
- Make sure to use fresh lemon juice for this recipe as it really makes a difference in flavor!
- If you want your sauce to be extra thick, continue cooking it down until it reaches your desired consistency.
- If you want a gluten-free version of this recipe, you can use gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
Serving Suggestions
Check out these delicious side dish recipes that pair well with this lemon chicken dish:
Storing and Freezing
Storing: To store leftovers, make sure the chicken is completely cool. Then, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to three days.
Freezing: Let the chicken cool completely then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it overnight in the fridge then reheat it in the oven, on the stovetop, or in a toaster oven.
More Chicken Recipes to Try:
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided (may substituted with another neutral oil)
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 lemons, large in size, about ½ cup, juiced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Place one chicken breast in a Ziploc bag or between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound the thicker sides with a kitchen mallet until it’s around the same thickness. Repeat with the remaining chicken.4 chicken breasts
- Whisk 1 cup of the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper together in a shallow bowl. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture until completely coated.1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon onion powder1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat (save the remaining oil for a later step). Then add the thyme sprigs and 2 pieces of chicken.2 tablespoons cooking oil2 thyme sprigs
- Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Remove the chicken to a waiting plate.
- Pour the remaining oil into the pan. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk until it turns a light golden brown.
- Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice. Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Pour in the heavy cream and continue whisking until it starts to bubble and thicken again.2 cups low-sodium chicken broth2 lemons1 ½ cups heavy cream
- Turn the heat down to low-medium then add the chicken back to the pan and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and reduced significantly.
- Serve with fresh thyme for garnish, lemon wedges and broccoli on the side if desired.
