One Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
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!
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.
What makes this lemon garlic chicken recipe special?
We’re using many of the same ingredients like butter, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, and parsley. 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.
See what I did there.
How to make one skillet chicken with lemon garlic cream sauce:
- Get those chicken breasts cooking on both sides. To get the chicken cooking evenly, I like to start by pounding down the chicken breasts or thighs into a 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. If you’re a big fan of garlic, you can even sprinkle with a little garlic powder!
- Make the sauce. In a measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Feel free to add a dash of Italian seasoning or anything else that you normally like to add to your chicken recipes. You’ll also want to preheat the oven so that we can go right from the stovetop to the skillet when we want to cook the chicken through.
- Saute the chicken. Add a drizzle of olive oil to an oven-safe skillet. You want to make sure it’s hot before adding the chicken so that it instantly starts to brown and develop flavor. Flip the chicken and sear on the other side. Remember, the goal is to gain color on the outside so that the chicken won’t be done yet. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Reduce the flame first. Then add the shallots. If you don’t have shallots on hand, feel free to swap them for minced red onions. Add the chicken broth as well and whisk. The natural acids found in the chicken broth will help pick up the stuck-on brown bits. This is free flavor! Then kick the heat up to medium-high and let the sauce simmer and reduce. This is what really intensifies the flavor of the sauce. The chicken broth reduces down, concentrating the flavor of the sauce. Feel free to toss in a few lemon slices while this is happening so that the lemon flavor really intensifies.
- Add the butter, this is a restaurant secret. This is how all the results that have the most addicting sauces make it taste so luxurious! Melting in a couple of tablespoons of butter into the sauce elevates the dish a few notches.
- To be honest with you, I was a little intimidated by the idea of adding heavy cream to a lemon sauce. I had the biggest fear of it curdling on me. Finally, taking the sauce off the heat completely, I whisked in the cream and placed it back on the flame for just a couple of seconds. Don’t let the sauce come to a boil. And it worked beautifully! Place the skillet in the oven and let it cook for a few minutes so that the chicken can finish cooking all the through and soak up a bit of that sauce. Garnishing with fresh parsley, basil, lemon zest, or any other fresh herbs you’d like is a must; we do eat with our eyes first! Serve with garlicky roasted potatoes, pasta, or rice. You can even sprinkle on a little parmesan cheese or add some capers if you’d like!
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!
What to serve with lemon garlic chicken:
You could take this in so many different directions!
- A zucchini stir fry
- With garlic bread or with fluffy coconut rice
- the most amazing crisp roasted potatoes, with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or even rosemary potatoes
- with cauliflower casserole
- creamed or sauteed spinach
- sauteed garlic broccolini
- sauteed or air fryer green beans
- roasted or sauteed asparagus
One skillet chicken dinner and conquering kitchen fears. Just a regular old Wednesday around here! 😉
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
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!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 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.
Tried your recipe today. Totally loved it.
Just made this tonight for dinner and it was a huge hit!! My husband had seconds and my 5yr old even liked it! She’s a picky eater and cleaned her plate! Definitely making again
This is by far one of the best recipes I have ever made and tasted!!!! Thank you so much for sharing. The flavor is incredible!!!!
The flavor was spot on. It was a little spicy for my 10 year old, but I will be making this dish again very soon!
This is, without a doubt, the best chicken dish I’ve ever eaten. I followed the recipe exactly & it was scrumptious! We had two friends over & they couldn’t stop raving about it. The sauce was delicious & next time I will double it. Thank you, Marzia, for sharing your wonderful recipe.
Delish!! Per your suggestion, I added capers to the sauce. Served with angel hair pasta and steam broccoli. Made extra sauce too because, well we like to drench our food. My kids cleaned their plates.
At which point did you add the capers?
I make this at least once a week. It is my grandson’s favorite chicken dish!
I’ve made this recipe twice. It is the best lemon sauce I’ve ever tasted. Kudos! I doubled the sauce recipe because it’s so darn good and I put it over lemon flavored pasta I purchased in Italy. Omg!!
The second time I made this I used Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream. Very creamy! Next time capers are a must. I too burned my hand each time I made this by grabbing the handle of the hot pan! Argh!
My husband loves this dinner and I’ve given left overs to my mom who also raved about it.
What happened to the one skillet chicken with creamy sun dried tomato sauce recipe?!?
It’s still on the site. You can access the recipe by searching for it in the search bar or here’s a direct link. 🙂
This was AMAZING!! I made extra sauce but I followed the recipe as stated. I am watching my carbs and served it with Pasta Zero (by the tofu), it was fabulous. Thank you so much for all your yummy foods. I have short cuts to several that I am going to try 🙂
Made this tonight and it was so delicious! I could eat this every night. I made it with just a side of sauté garlic butter green beans. The only thing I did different was that I like to put a light coating of flour on the chicken before frying. I like the texture of it that way and it helps the sauce stick to the chicken. Can’t wait to make it again.
I made this last night and didn’t have shallots or heavy cream, so I used onion powder and sour cream. It was really good! We loved it so much that I made it again tonight, but with all the correct ingredients and it was even better! This recipe is now a staple in our home!!
Thank you! I don’t have either of those items wither and was wondering what I could use. I’m going to try this recipe this week.
This was so good my grandson said you gonna make this again when you come back. Now I’m making it again in my new apartment. Love it
Amazing recipe. I made this recipe couple times now, we enjoy it everything.
This recipe was great. I could go for a little more lemon, but I will make this again.
I agree! Absolutely delicious and I will make it again and again!!
This was absolutely DELICIOUS!! My kids LOVED it! I think next time I will double the sauce just because it’s so delicious served over rice.
Absolutely LOVED it! I had to double it for our family of seven and tripled the sauce, simply because we love sauces, and this one is sensational!!! We will definitely make this again and again!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Absolutely fantastic!! I made this tonight because I had all the ingredients on hand. This one is going in the rotation!
Love it!
I even made the same mistake and grabbed the handle! Those ants hurt!
I have done that SO many times!
I love this recipe! I have made it three times, and it’s a keeper with the family, and guests! I love the sauce so much, that I add a little more of everything so there’s enough to dip french bread in, and it’s heavenly! So easy, thank you for this yummy dish!
It was so good. Found I had to make the chicken longer in the oven. So cooked total in the oven about 20 minutes versus the recipe called for 5-8. Cooked with corn.
Made this one night when I needed something to entice
my husband to eat “chicken “ & was pleasantly surprised
when he inhaled this dish. I added sautéed mushrooms
@ the end to the sauce. DELICIOUS!!
Thanks
VERY good!!! Would double the yummy sauce!
I have made this twice, second time I doubled the sauce 🙂
We loved it!! I have made this several times for my family. I double the recipe and make 4x the sauce. (We love sauce!!)
I also added capers to the sauce at the end. My kids call it “crack chicken”, because the sauce is so addictive! This has become one of our family favorites.
This was delicious. I made it as shown except I didnt have any shallots on hand so I just left it out. The leftover sauce was delicious over rice. All 3 of my kids liked it so this may become a regular dish in our household!
I love this recipe! I use it whenever im in a “chicken funk”, is that a thing? Tonight I’m making it with mashed potatoes and green beans! Thanks for a great recipe!
It’s definitely a thing! Your sides sound perfect with this!
This recipe is awesome! My family enjoyed it so much they asked for it again the very next night!
Excellent flavor. The sauce was a bit runny so I will add a little flour while cooking it on the stove. Served it with yellow saffron rice and the sauce tasted great with it. Thanks for a great recipe! Will make again!,
Superb! Made a few changes such as I didn’t have heavy cream so I used whole milk and cooked it down a little bit. I also mixed the broth mixture with the onions earlier in the day and let the chicken marinate in it until I was ready to cook dinner. Added a little white wine to the broth mixture. I will definitely be making again! The sauce was so so delicious! Thank you!