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Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe

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★★★★★

4.2 from 42 reviews

Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken is a quick and flavorful skillet dish featuring tender chicken cutlets seared to golden perfection and served in a luscious lemon and garlic cream sauce. With a perfect balance of tangy lemon juice and rich heavy cream, this 30-minute recipe makes an elegant yet approachable dinner for four.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Seasoning

  • 2 large chicken breasts (or 4 medium chicken cutlets)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour

Sauce and Garnish

  • Olive oil (for searing)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed (plus more to taste)
  • 1 cup heavy cream (do not substitute, see notes)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh chopped Italian parsley (for garnish)
  • Lemon slices (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prep chicken cutlets: Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create thinner cutlets. Place the chicken over plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet to ensure even thickness, which helps the chicken cook uniformly and become tender.
  2. Season and dredge chicken: Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, using approximately ¼ teaspoon of each seasoning per cutlet. Then, dredge the cutlets in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess flour to prevent clumping.
  3. Sear chicken: Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken cutlets without moving them for about 4-5 minutes per side until they develop a golden brown crust and are cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  4. Start the sauce: Without wiping the skillet clean, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, warming the mixture. Taste and add the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice if desired for extra brightness.
  5. Add heavy cream: Reduce the heat to low and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Stir in 1 cup of heavy cream and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the sauce to cook slowly without boiling.
  6. Return chicken to pan: Place the seared chicken cutlets back into the skillet with the sauce. Simmer gently for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken is heated through.
  7. Serve: Garnish the creamy lemon chicken with fresh chopped Italian parsley and lemon slices. Add a few grinds of black pepper if desired, then serve immediately and enjoy this delicious dish.

Notes

  • For tender even cooking, make sure to pound the chicken cutlets to uniform thickness.
  • Do not substitute heavy cream as it is key to the creamy texture of the sauce.
  • You can adjust the lemon juice quantity to suit your taste preference for tanginess.
  • This dish pairs well with steamed vegetables, rice, or a light pasta.
  • Using freshly squeezed lemon juice enhances the flavor much better than bottled lemon juice.

Keywords: creamy lemon chicken, chicken cutlets, lemon cream sauce, quick chicken recipe, stovetop chicken

Find it online: https://foodiecara.com/easy-creamy-lemon-chicken-recipe/