Description
Whipping up this Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken brings sunshine to your dinner table with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Rich, tangy sauce coats tender chicken perfectly, making your weeknight meal feel like a restaurant-quality treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
Sauce:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Generously coat 4 chicken breasts with 2 teaspoons garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ensuring complete coverage on all surfaces.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F for 2 minutes until oil shimmers slightly.
- Place seasoned chicken breasts into hot skillet, cooking undisturbed for 6 minutes until golden brown edges appear.
- Flip chicken breasts carefully and cook opposite side for an additional 5-7 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove chicken from skillet and set aside on a clean plate while maintaining warmth.
- Reduce skillet heat to medium-low and melt 1 tablespoon butter, swirling to coat pan surface.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour into melted butter, whisking constantly for 1 minute to create a smooth roux.
- Slowly pour ¼ cup chicken broth into roux, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
- Add 1 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon thyme, and ¼ teaspoon paprika, stirring gently.
- Simmer sauce for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Return chicken breasts to skillet, spooning sauce generously over each piece.
- Allow chicken to simmer in sauce for 3-5 minutes, absorbing rich flavors and reheating thoroughly.
- Transfer chicken to serving plates and drizzle remaining sauce over each breast before serving.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken reaches 165°F for safe cooking without drying out the meat.
- Fresh lemon juice provides brighter flavor than bottled, so zest and squeeze a real lemon for best results.
- For a gluten-free version, replace wheat flour with cornstarch or arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce.
- If watching calories, swap heavy cream with half-and-half or Greek yogurt for a lighter sauce consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 16-23 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 394 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg