Description
Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken is a quick and delicious weeknight recipe featuring tender pan-seared chicken breasts smothered in a rich, tangy lemon garlic cream sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a perfect balance of flavors with a bright citrus punch and creamy texture, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon slices for an appealing finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 large chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- Olive oil, for cooking
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Lemon slices
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create thinner cutlets. Place the chicken cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound them with a meat mallet to even out the thickness. This ensures they cook evenly and become tender.
- Season and dredge: Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with about ¼ teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, and Italian herb seasoning. Dredge each cutlet in the all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess to avoid a floury coating.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken cutlets in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside, leaving the pan drippings intact.
- Make the sauce: In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Taste the mixture and add the second tablespoon of lemon juice if you prefer a tangier sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add cream and season: Stir in 1 cup of heavy cream, then season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until the sauce is smooth and well combined.
- Simmer with chicken: Return the cooked chicken cutlets to the skillet and bring the sauce back to a simmer. Let it cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the chicken well.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices. Serve immediately for a delicious, creamy, and tangy lemon chicken dish.
Notes
- This recipe is a quick and easy option for a satisfying weeknight dinner, ready in just 30 minutes.
- For even cooking, pounding the chicken breast cutlets ensures consistent thickness and tenderness.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice to your preferred level of tanginess in the sauce.
- Using the pan drippings enhances flavor, so do not clean the pan before making the sauce.
- Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or steamed vegetables to complete the meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 449 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 263 mg
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 169 mg
