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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!
I made this tonight over white rice with broccoli & it was so good. Although, I did not have the heat high enough I guess, to brown the chicken but was still delish .
A++++++
Hellooo, this was absolutely delicious. I wanted to ask if I wanna implement this into my low carb diet, I seem to can’t find nutrition info.
How many carbs does this meal have?
I made this recipe using chicken tenderloins, and it was really easy and super scrumptious. I served it over rice. Since there are only two of us, I had a lot of leftovers. The next night, I made another batch of the sauce, cut up the leftover chicken into bitesize pieces, and while the pasta was boiling, I added the chicken to the pan with the finished sauce. I covered the pan and turned it down to simmer while the pasta finished. I tossed the chicken and sauce with the drained pasta; what a treat! Not your average leftovers, that’s for sure.
made this sauce for pan fried swai. It was awesome!! fish done during browning process and just added back at the end to warm and finish. only had 2 big filets so halved recipe. will add just a touch of cornstarch slurry or lightly flour fish next time, sauce was thin but not excessively so. Family absolutely loved this!
I was wondering if you could substittue the heavy cream for greek yoghurt? Would this still work?
Can’t wait to try this!!!!
Do you have any ideas for substitutes for the heavy cream? I don’t tolerate high fat dairy vey well and the butter is already pushing it! Also I have people in my life with lactose issues. Otherwise I’m eager to make this!
You could try using Elmlea Plant Double Cream if your in the UK. I’ve not used it, so can’t advise if it’s good, but it is an alternative.
You could use almond milk or coconut milk. It wouldn’t be as creamy I don’t think though. I would try coconut milk you can buy in a can. It is creamier than the carton type, but it would also give a little coconut flavor. Possbily cashew milk? I’ve never tried it, but it might work.
Silk makes a dairy free heavy cream. You can find it at Target or Walmart.
Just made this recipe! It came out amazing and delicious! Doubled the recipe for the sauce as mentioned in many comments! So happy I did because I want to pour it on top of everything! Thanks for a new great recipe!
Absolutely delicious! It has become one of our family favorite recipes! We have a large family and really love the sauce, so we end up doubling the chicken and quadrupling the sauce. It does take between 15-30 minutes for the sauce to reduce, however, it is well worth the wait! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
I made this tonight for the first time. Made exactly per instructions. For one the side, I didn’t have angel hair pasta, so substituted spaghettini. It was divine! The lemon was not at all overpowering – nor the garlic. All of the flavours just jived perfectly together! This will go into my regular rotation. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Great recipe, thank you very much for sharing it, this chicken breast turned out just amazing. My husband can’t wait to cook it again. 🙂
Very very good! Taste the sauce before putting it in the oven and adjust to your taste. I added a touch of thyme. Doubled the sauce. I used thighs and they were very juicy.
Delicious… I doubled sauce it was so good and I’m a horrible cook
Only hubby and me, looking for new recipes. Our rating system is “Make again or no”. Tonight was “Oh yeah!!”
The only thing I would do different is double the sauce!!
A great dish. I will make it again
Can you make this dish ahead of time, refrigerate and warm in the oven before serving time?
Thanks for your recipe and response.
I often use others’ input but don’t post comments. This dish was superb. I added some sliced red peppers (to avoid waste) when I sauteed the shallots which added a nice color. I am a “sauce person” so I doubled the amounts for two large breasts. The lemon and crushed red pepper was such a lovely combination to the creamy base.
This sauce was amazing! Loved this served with pasta.
This was delicious and the spices were so good with the chicken. I think the cooking times were a bit too long so should be adjusted. Oh I will make this again. Thank you!
What could I use in place of lemon juice? My adult son hates lemon because in his younger years his roommate cooked everything with lemon pepper ( he saturated the food liberally with it). This ended up with my son’s dislike for anything with lemon in it for life!
P.S. : I asked him if it should be subbed w/orange or lime juice instead, & he said NO (lol). Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank You ahead of time if you come up w/a suggestion. Maybe this should just be made w/o a replacement?
Your thoughts, please.
Sandra W.
P.S. No rating, as this hasn’t been made yet.