Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken

This is one of those weeknight dinners my kids request on repeat. The creamy garlic sauce and fresh lemon work for everyone at the table, and the dish comes together faster than most people expect. After 14 years of developing recipes, I know that deglazing the pan with chicken broth and scraping up the golden brown bits is the secret to a rich, restaurant-style sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

• Budget Friendly — $12.43 total for a restaurant-quality dinner at home
• One skillet — everything cooks together with almost no cleanup
• Ready in 20 minutes
• Kid approved every single time — even the pickiest eaters clean their plates

If you love easy one skillet chicken dinners like this one you will also love our creamy garlic chicken recipe, tuscan chicken recipe, chicken piccata, and marry me chicken. They are all budget-friendly, ready fast, and the kind of restaurant-quality weeknight dinners your family will request on repeat all week long.

Ingredients

• Skinless chicken breasts — pound to ¼-inch thickness before cooking so they sear evenly and cook through in the same time. Chicken tenders or boneless thighs work as substitutes — adjust cook time accordingly
• Olive oil — for searing the chicken to a golden brown crust. Avocado oil or vegetable oil also work at medium-high heat
• Salt and black pepper — essential seasoning. Season generously before the chicken goes into the pan
• Fresh lemons — always use fresh squeezed for the brightest most authentic flavor. Bottled lemon juice is noticeably flat in this recipe. Lemon zest adds even more intense citrus flavor — add a teaspoon to the sauce for an extra bright result
• Minced garlic — the backbone of the sauce. Use 3 fresh minced cloves for the best flavor. Garlic powder works in a pinch but fresh gives a noticeably better result
• Butter — adds richness and helps build the sauce base. Unsalted gives you the most control over the final seasoning
• Chicken broth — deglazes the pan and lifts all the golden brown bits that give the sauce its deep flavor. White wine works as a substitute for a more complex flavor
• Heavy cream — creates the silky rich sauce. Full fat gives the best result. Whole milk works as a substitute but the sauce will be thinner
• Cornstarch — whisked with the cream to thicken the sauce to a silky coating consistency. All purpose flour works as a substitute
• Fresh chopped parsley — stirred in at the end for color and a fresh herby brightness. Dried parsley works — use 1 teaspoon

Carrie’s Tip: Always deglaze the pan with chicken broth after searing the chicken and scrape up every golden brown bit from the bottom — those caramelized pieces are packed with flavor and dissolve into the sauce to give it that deep restaurant-quality taste. Never skip this step.

How to Make Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken

Step 1 – Pound out each chicken breast to ¼ inch thick. You can also filet the chicken if you would like. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the chicken breast.

Step 2 – Season with salt and pepper. Allow it to cook for 5 minutes until the chicken is brown. Flip and let it cook for another 5 minutes until both sides are brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a separate plate.

Step 3 – Add butter and garlic to the pan and saute until the butter is melted.

Step 4 – Add 1 ½ cups of chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape the brown pieces from the pan. (This gives the sauce great flavor.)

Step 5 – Place the chicken back into the pan.

Step 6 – Squeeze the juice from one lemon over the chicken in the pan.

Step 7 – Cover and cook over medium heat until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and is golden brown.

Step 8 – In a separate bowl combine 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the ½ cup heavy cream.

Step 9 – Stir the mixture into the pan.

Step 10 – Stir in fresh parsley in the creamy sauce. Allow this chicken dish to cook for 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Slice the remaining lemon and serve with the chicken topped with shredded parmesan cheese.

Tips for Success

• Pound the chicken evenly. Uniform thickness is the single most important tip — uneven chicken means some parts are overcooked and dry before the thicker parts are done
• Get the pan hot before adding the chicken. A properly preheated pan gives you the golden brown sear that builds all the flavor for the sauce — a lukewarm pan gives you gray steamed chicken instead
• Always deglaze and scrape. The golden brown bits stuck to the pan after searing the chicken are concentrated flavor — pour in the broth and scrape every single bit into the sauce
• Never add cream over high heat. Reduce to medium before stirring in the cream and cornstarch mixture — high heat causes the cream to separate and curdle instead of creating a silky smooth sauce
• Taste before serving. Always taste the sauce right before serving and adjust salt lemon and garlic to your preference — the brightness of lemons varies and a small squeeze more can make a big difference

Flavor Variations

• Add spinach — stir 2 cups baby spinach into the sauce in the last minute of cooking for a Tuscan-inspired version with extra nutrition
• Add sun-dried tomatoes — stir in ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes with the garlic for a richer more complex flavor
• Add mushrooms — sauté sliced mushrooms alongside the garlic for an earthy addition that pairs beautifully with the lemon cream sauce
• Make it spicy — add ½ teaspoon of Cajun seasoning or red pepper flakes for a subtle kick of heat
• Add lemon zest — grate the zest of one lemon into the sauce for an even more intense bright citrus flavor
• Add capers — stir in 1-2 tablespoons of drained capers with the cream for a briny, piccata-style twist.
• Make it extra rich — stir ¼ cup of grated parmesan into the sauce along with the cream for a thicker, richer result, instead of just sprinkling it on top.

Prefer a hands-off version? Try our Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken instead.

Serving Suggestions

• Instant Pot White Rice — the creamy sauce soaks into the rice for an incredible combination
• Best Mashed Potatoes — spoon the sauce generously over mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort food pairing
• Egg Noodles or Pasta — toss directly in the sauce for a complete one pan meal
• Parmesan Roasted Broccoli — a simple roasted vegetable that pairs beautifully with the lemon garlic flavors
• Homemade Garlic Bread — essential for soaking up every last drop of that incredible sauce