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Say hello to your new favorite one skillet chicken dinner that’s topped with a lemon garlic butter cream sauce. I used thin chicken breasts, but this recipe would be delicious with boneless chicken thighs too!
Hello, hello to my new favorite creamy, garlicky, lemony, delicious skillet chicken!
You guys, I’ve gone completely head over heels for today’s meal.
As many of you have probably guessed, I love white meat chicken. It’s no dark meat for me. But the good news is that today’s chicken dinner is customizable to your chicken needs. Boneless skinless chicken thighs, sure, why not! *Applause* you’ve only just waited half of FOREVER for me to bring you something that could be made with something other than boneless skinless chicken breast.
This one skillet chicken recipe is my go-to chicken dinner of the week decade. Obvi, this recipe requires just one pan. This means we make the lemon garlic chicken and the sauce all from start to finish in one skillet. We’re talking tender chicken covered in a lemon garlic butter sauce that’s creamier than anything you’ve had before.
And if you love capers, don’t be afraid to throw some into the sauce right before you turn the knob to off and serve up this delicious lemon garlic chicken.
Should I just stop here? Are you on your way to the kitchen, cuz ya should be!
This was PHENOMENAL. I have 4 boys and they devoured it!!! Going on the regular rotation. Easy too!
One Skillet Lemon Garlic Chicken Video:
This recipe is somewhat, kinda sorta adapted and inspired by my Garlic Butter Salmon in Foil. Today’s Lemon Garlic Chicken recipe is inspired by the same sauce, only we add a splash of cream at the end and deck the whole thing out in an abundance of chopped fresh parsley.
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
What makes this chicken dinner to the next level is chicken broth and a big splash of heavy cream. The sauce has a nice creamy consistency that would taste AMAZING tossed in some angel hair pasta. The pasta-abilities are ENDLESS. Seriously. Serve with buttered noodles and some air fryer broccoli for a delicious dinner.
How to make one skillet chicken with lemon garlic cream sauce
Not that you’ll actually have any leftovers because that sauce is actual dynamite. But if you do, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, toss in the microwave, and you’ve got a weeknight-friendly, protein-packed dinner on the table in no time!
Leftovers can also be kept in the freezer; I would just reheat them in the microwave slowly, stopping and stirring often so that the sauce doesn’t break!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
- One Skillet Chicken with Fiesta Cream Sauce
- One Skillet Chicken with Garlicky Mushroom Cream Sauce
- One Skillet Chicken with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce
- Cheesy Baked BBQ Chicken
- Garlic Butter Tomato Baked Chicken with Mozzarella
One Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup finely diced shallots or red onions
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or basil
- Prepared broccolini for serving
Instructions
- Using a mallet, pound down the chicken breasts/thighs into ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.
- In a 2 cup measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and allow it to brown on both sides for 2-3 minutes per side. Don't worry if the chicken isn't cooked thoroughly; we'll finish it in the oven. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Reduce the flame to medium, and add the shallots to the skillet along with the chicken broth mixture. Using a whisk, scrape the bottom of the pan so all the brown bits are loosened. Kick the heat back up to medium-high and let sauce come to a simmer. Continue to cook the sauce for 10-15 minutes or until about ⅓ cup of the sauce remains.
- When the sauce has thickened, remove from the flame, add the butter and whisk until it melts completely. With the skillet off the flame, add the heavy cream, whisk to combine. Place the skillet back over the flame for just 30 seconds, DO NOT allow the sauce to boil.
- Remove from heat, add the chicken back into the pan and drizzle the sauce over the chicken.
- Place the skillet in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through.
- Top with chopped parsley or basil and serve warm with additional lemon slices. Serve with prepared rice, pasta, or sauteed veggies on the side.
Notes
- Use boneless skinless chicken breasts/thighs that about the same thickness. I pounded mine down to about ½ inch.
- After a few comments from readers, I’ve adjusted the amount of time it takes to reduce the sauce (step #5). Keep in mind, the key is to reduce it to ⅓ cup and that I can only provide an estimate. It may take you more or less time than what is actually listed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This? Leave a comment & rating below!
My family and I love love love this recipe. I use boneless chicken breast since its easier to cut up for my children. I double the sauce part cause we just love it. When I ask what my children want for dinner this recipe is asked for weekly.
Can this recipe be made ahead of time – like in the morning, refrigerate, serve for dinner?
This turned out great! I didn’t have chicken breasts, but I followed the same steps for chicken tenderloins. Also, I didn’t have any parsley or basil, but the flavor was still very good! I served with brown rice & mixed veggies.
Sooo good. And very easy to prepare!!
Tasty tasty tasty! It comes together so quick and is smooth and creamy without feeling unhealthy. 11/10 would eat again.
I had to swap out shallots for spring onions and a butter substitute as I’m FODMAP. Also didn’t have fresh parsley so used dried and was still amazing. Cant wait to eat it again!
My favorite chicken dish! Love everything about it.
Wow!! this is delicious! I read some of the comments I tripled the sauce and added Capers to the sauce and this tastes really good!!
Omg!!! This was so tasty!! I found your site by googling “low carb meals” and I’m SO happy I found you. I can’t wait to try your other recipes!!! You got me!!!
The recipe came out great! Hubby was salivating!!! Just used cornstarch to slightly thicken the garlic cream sauce!
Oh my goodness! Sooo good.
This is my favorite chicken recipe! It’s so good! It taste like it came from a restaurant. A great dish to make when you are trying to impress someone.
Great recipe, but definitely needs Capers to take it over the top. Also, if you want to speed things up, grab a lemon pepper roasted chicken from Wally World. Make the sauce as per the recipe except slightly less lemon juice (You may want to double the recipe for more sauce). Cook in a deep stove-top pan, bringing to a low boil then use some flour or corn starch to thicken BEFORE you reduce the heat & add the cream. Add the chopped up chicken toward the end. Works out nicely and makes it a simple 30 min quick meal and you won’t need to heat up the house by using the oven. I serve it over whole grain/wild rice.
Made this dish for my family and they all loved it. They said they felt like it came from a wedding or restaurant. My sides where steamed veggies & brown rice. Thank you so much for sharing♥️
Hi, I am going to make this tonight for dinner, however I can not have milk. I was wondering if I could substitute heavy cream with canned coconut milk?
Yes! I love cooking with unsweetened coconut milk in place of milk!
Literally the best chicken I’ve ever made. I’ve shared this recipe with my extended family and we all love it! Thank you!
Awesome
So…I try to change up my dinners quite a bit. After stumbling across this recipe, I thought lemon? I am not a fan of lemon anything. However, this changed my mind. My husband LOVED it!! My adult daughter too!! This will be a keeper in my dinner repertoire.
I made it exactly the way the recipe is written. I did not have to make changes. The lemon was quite subtle and the sauce was so light, yet very flavorful.
Thank you for this recipe!!
This recipe is AMAZING!! I followed the recipe exactly except two things, I used a cast iron skillet and only cooked the chicken on the stove instead of putting it in the oven and I didn’t have any shallots so I just skipped it. Still turned out delicious! Only thing is I wish I made more sauce lol next time I’m doubling for sure! Everyone got seconds. This one is a keeper for sure. Thank you for posting!
This recipe is delicious!!! Very easy and simple eirh great flavor! I made it according to directions with only one exception, I used onion instead of scallions. This a keeper?Ty so much for sharing.
So easy and delicious! I added sliced mushrooms to the skillet before putting in the oven – soaked up flavor and rendered more liquid to the sauce. Yum!
This was very good. I’m happy to be able to add a new recipe to our dinner menu and even better that is a one pot meal. I made broccoli and spooned the sauce from the chicken on the broccoli. Delicious.