Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

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By: DianaPosted: 7/1/20Updated: 5/15/21

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One-pan creamy lemon chicken dinner ready in just 25 minutes from start to finish! Perfect for busy weeknights, this dinner is family-friendly and low-carb. Golden crispy and tender chicken cutlets are smothered in an incredible creamy lemon sauce. Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice.

Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (1)

Quick chicken dinner recipes always save the day on those busy weeknights, when I have little time to cook and still need to get dinner ready on the table.

On busy nights, I usually go for something that’s quick and easy that my whole family can enjoy. These Baked Chicken Tacos are an absolute favorite and a lifesaver recipe! I’ve also been making this Chicken Scampi quite a lot, it’s an Olive Garden copycat recipe and it’s always requested by the kids.

But sometimes all I’m craving is chicken and creamy sauce, and I’ve been alternating between 2 recipes. This Creamy Lemon Chicken recipe and the incredible Marry Me Chicken. If you haven’t heard of this dish yet, you need to check it out ASAP. It’s creamy, quick, flavorful, and there are sundried tomatoes in it! Plus, the name is quite cute, don’t you think? 😉

The Ingredients

All you need to make this chicken dinner is a handful of ingredients, and 25 minutes! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (2)

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

  • Chicken cutlets are just thin cuts of chicken breast, you might be able to find them at the grocery store. If not, you can butterfly them at home (I do!) just slice a chicken breast in half lengthwise to make 2 cutlets from each half chicken breast. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can also be used here.
  • I strongly recommend dredging the chicken in flour before frying, as that will give you that lovely crispy crust and create lots of flavor for your sauce.

How to Make Creamy Lemon Chicken

Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (3)
  1. Dredge the chicken in flour, and shake off any excess.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil and melt the butter, then brown the chicken (4-5 minutes per side) or until golden brown and cooked through.
  3. Remove the chicken onto a plate, cover, and set aside.
  4. To make the lemon garlic cream sauce, melt more butter, and saute garlic for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock, and scrape off any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
  5. Add heavy cream, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese, let it simmer on low-medium heat until the sauce is creamy and nice. Season the sauce with salt, and pepper.
  6. Put the chicken back in, garnish with fresh lemon slices and chopped parsley.

What to Serve it With?

  • My favorite way to serve Creamy Lemon Chicken is over pasta. It’s a match made in heaven, chicken, creamy sauce, and pasta! 😍 Thisgarlic butter pastais so good, but if you double the sauce then plain pasta works great.
  • You can also serve it overmashed potatoes,rice, or with crusty bread.
  • For a low-carb meal, serve it with butternut squash or zucchini noodles, or cauliflower rice.
Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (4)

Recipe Tips

  • If you choose to use whole chicken breasts, the meat will be quite thick so you’ll need to finish the dish off in the oven to make sure that the chicken is cooked through and safe to eat.
  • If you’re using cutlets, and there are parts where the meat is too thick, use a meat tenderizer and pound the chicken so it cooks evenly and quickly.
  • I don’t recommend using half and half (single cream in the UK), as the sauce will turn out runny.
  • I recommend buying a block of parmesan cheese and grating it at home. I found that store-bought parmesan cheese doesn’t have much flavor, and doesn’t dissolve well in sauces.
  • To add more flavor, consider adding some capers and lemon zest. This will turn out similar to my chicken piccata but creamier! You can also try this with salmon instead of chicken.

Storing Tips

Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven, you will need to add a splash of water to thin out the sauce as it thickens in the fridge.

I don’t recommend freezing creamy sauces as they change textures to grainy when frozen.

Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (5)
  • I love thisstainless steel pan. It’s a great pan and I use it all the time, plenty of surface area, cooks and browns the chicken very evenly and I love the helper handle.
  • Kitchen tongs, I use for browning chicken, flipping food, etc. A kitchen essential for sure.
  • A silicone spatula, I use this spatula for cooking all the time. It doesn’t damage my pots and pans, and it’s heat resistant so you can safely use it for cooking.
Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (6)

More Easy Chicken Dinners

  • Teriyaki chicken stir fry
  • Chicken scampi(Olive Garden copycat recipe)
  • Chicken fajita casserole
  • Garlic butter chicken tenders
  • Marry Me chicken

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (7)

4.98 from 123 votes(Click stars to rate!)

Creamy Lemon Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Author: Diana

Print Rate Recipe

One-pan creamy lemon chicken dinner ready in just 25 minutes from start to finish! Perfect for busy week-nights, this dinner is family-friendly and low-carb. Golden crispy chicken smothered in an incredible creamy lemon sauce, serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice.

6 servings

One-pan creamy lemon chicken dinner ready in just 25 minutes from start to finish! Perfect for busy week-nights, this dinner is family-friendly and low-carb. Golden crispy chicken smothered in an incredible creamy lemon sauce, serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice.

Recipe Video

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 large (600 g) chicken breasts boneless and skinless, sliced into thin cutlets
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 6 tablespoons (45 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter divided
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock or chicken broth
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
  • 4 teaspoons (20 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup (43 g) parmesan cheese grated

To serve

  • cooked pasta
  • parsley chopped
  • fresh lemon slices

Instructions

  • Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour and shake off any excess.

    Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (8)

  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil and melt 1 tablespoon of butter on medium heat. Swirl pan to coat with oil and butter evenly. Add the chicken cutlets to the pan.

    Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (9)

  • Brown the chicken (do not overcrowd and work in batches if needed) for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer onto a plate, cover, and set aside.

    Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (10)

  • Melt 1 tablespoon of butter, and saute the garlic for a minute or until it's fragrant. Add the chicken stock, and deglaze the pan scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

    Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (11)

  • Adjust the heat to medium-low, and add the heavy cream, lemon juice, and the parmesan cheese to the skillet. Allow the sauce to gently simmer for a couple of minutes.

    Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (12)

  • Season with salt and pepper to your taste, then put the chicken back in the sauce and the sauce simmer and thicken for a few more minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves and serve warm over pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.

    Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (13)

Notes:

  • If you choose to use whole chicken breasts, the meat will be quite thick so you’ll need to finish the dish off in the oven to make sure that the chicken is cooked through and safe to eat.
  • If you’re using cutlets, and there are parts where the meat is too thick, use a meat tenderizer and pound the chicken so it cooks evenly and quickly.
  • Do not use single/light cream as that won’t thicken the sauce enough.
  • I recommend buying a block of parmesan cheese and grating it at home. I found that store-bought parmesan cheese doesn’t have much flavor, and doesn’t dissolve well in sauces.

Storing Tips

Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven, you will need to add a splash of water to thin out the sauce as it thickens in the fridge.

I don’t recommend freezing creamy sauces as they change textures to grainy when frozen.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 430kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 147mg, Sodium: 546mg, Potassium: 522mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 839IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 144mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

You may also like...

  • Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

  • Creamy Lemon Pasta

  • Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders

  • Marry Me Chicken

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review!

  1. Alexandra says

    Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (20)
    this is amazing! thanks

    Reply

  2. J S Gurney says

    Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (21)
    Absolutely delicious! I added extra lemon and chix broth for leftover piece, when I needed next day terrrific lunch👍🏻❣️. Thank You!

    Reply

    • Little Sunny Kitchen says

      I’m so pleased that you liked the recipe! That’s a great tip to add a bit of fresh lemon juice to leftovers, thank you!

      Reply

  3. Michelle Pilon-Sanchez says

    Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (22)
    This was so easy to make and came out incredibly smooth and creamy and full of flavor. I had to use roasted garlic as I didn’t have fresh garlic but i followed everything else in the recipe. With 2 breasts split and over mashed we have enough to eat again tomorrow with pasta. Side salad is a must as this is very filling. Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    Reply

    • Diana says

      I’m pleased to hear the recipe turned out creamy and flavorful for you! Roasted garlic is a great substitution. It’s handy that there’s enough for another meal! Thanks for sharing your experience!

      Reply

Older Comments1101112

Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What does soaking chicken in lemon juice do? ›

The lemon juice tenderizes the chicken and keeps it juicy inside. It doesn't need to marinate overnight, so I can make it for dinner whenever I crave grilled chicken. In fact, it shouldn't marinate for more than 3 hours or it could start to break down too much (see “Marinating with Citrus” below). It's versatile!

When should you add lemon to chicken? ›

At Least 30 Minutes Before Cooking: Marinate the Chicken

Zest and juice one lemon into a large bowl. Add ¼ cup olive oil, 5 crushed or minced garlic cloves (use minced for a stronger flavor), 1 ½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning, and ¼ cup of chopped parsley.

What does Ina Garten serve with her lemon chicken? ›

The sauce has garlic, thyme and lemon, and has so much flavor," Garten says. "And the whole thing takes like 5 minutes to put together... The best thing about this is that it makes the chicken and the sauce at the same time." Serve it over rice or quinoa, and the grains can absorb all of the sauce, Garten recommends.

Why do you put lemon in chicken? ›

Lemon is acidic and helps balance the stronger flavor of the dark meat in thighs and legs, and the fat from the chicken skin.

What happens if you marinate chicken in lemon juice too long? ›

Chicken can get both mushy and tough when it's been left to marinate too long. If it's been more than 48 hours, the USDA recommends throwing it out.

Why do people soak raw chicken in milk? ›

A milk marinade produces a super tender chicken, which melts in the mouth because milk contains lactic acid, which breaks down muscle fibers in the meat. Additionally, the best milky marinade for chicken is one that uses a fermented milk product, such as buttermilk or yogurt.

Can you add cream to lemon chicken? ›

Add a touch of butter if your pan is dry – but you shouldn't need it. Add garlic, stir 10 seconds. Then add chicken broth, cream, lemon and Dijon mustard. Bring to simmer and scrape the bottom of the pan to dissolve brown bits into the liquid.

What is lemon chicken sauce made of? ›

The sauce is made from chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, pan drippings thickened with flour into a roux, and the shallots and garlic left in the pan from browning the chicken parts.

How long can you leave lemon on chicken? ›

The reason you do not want to marinate chicken for longer than 4 hours is that the acidic ingredients in the marinade (like vinegar, wine, or lemon juice) will begin to break down the structure of the meat too much and it will start to “cook” before ever touching a heat source.

What goes with chicken piccata? ›

18 Sides To Serve With Chicken Piccata
  • 01 of 18. Garlic Bread. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox. ...
  • 02 of 18. Roasted Broccolini. ...
  • 03 of 18. Asparagus Gratin. ...
  • 04 of 18. Creamed Spinach. ...
  • 05 of 18. Brown Rice. ...
  • 06 of 18. Super Crispy Smashed Potatoes. ...
  • 07 of 18. Garlic Parmesan Green Beans. ...
  • 08 of 18. Glazed Carrots.
Feb 25, 2024

When cooking with lemons what two parts contain the best flavor? ›

If you're baking a lemon loaf or citrusy crinkle cookies, you'll get the most concentrated citrus flavor by adding lemon zest to the mix. While lemon juice adds an acidic punch to salad dressings and countless other dishes, lemon zest holds all the fruit's fragrant, floral notes.

What is a substitute for lemon juice in chicken? ›

Lime or orange juice: use equal amounts to replace lemon juice in almost any recipe with no changes needed. Vinegar: use half the amount of vinegar to replace lemon juice and replace the remaining liquid with water if needed. White wine: only for cooking, use an equal amount of dry white wine to replace lemon juice.

What does rubbing lime on chicken do? ›

Use the lime and its juices to scrub the surface of each individual piece of chicken. This helps to remove the slime and film off the chicken. The salt helps to "exfoliate" as you scrub the limes on the chicken like a "sponge".

Can you soak chicken in lemon juice? ›

Combine the water, salt, and lemon juice in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the liquid into a container large enough to hold one gallon of liquid and the chicken. Add the ice and cool to room temperature. Submerge the chicken in the brine and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

What does soaking meat in lemon juice do? ›

How lemon juice tenderises the meat. An acid-containing marinade not only helps to flavour meat; it also helps to tenderise it. Acid causes The protein and connective tissue in meat are broken down by acid. At a molecular level, meat proteins have a spiral shape.

Can you put lemon on raw chicken? ›

You can marinate the chicken for several hours without affecting the texture. Marinate meats, poultry and fish with lemon juice in a non- reactive dish. Just a reminder, once the chicken is marinated, keep it in either a glass or plastic container. A stainless steel can be used.

Does lemon juice tenderize meat? ›

Everyone loves a great marinade to add flavor to chicken, steak, or fish, but did you know it can also help tenderize the meat? Use an acid-based food, like lemon or lime juice, over meat. Only keep this marinade on for two hours because too much time can make the meat too mushy.

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