Chicken breast recipes can be so dull – time to step it up! Cream and lemon are a luscious combination and is sensational served over golden crispy chicken. A quick and easy 10 minute recipe with few ingredients, serve this Creamy Lemon Chicken with pasta, mashed potato or for a low carb option, creamy cauliflower mash!
Chicken Breast Recipe
I was browsing my Instagram feed the other day, and all I could think was “it’s so yellow and orangey.” I shared this observation with my mother, and her immediate response was “Well, of course. You post so many cheesy bread, potatoes and meat. Everything you like is yellow and brown. Even Dozer is yellow.” (Imagine this with a Japanese accent and finished with a snort of laughter).
I had no smart comeback for that. Because it’s completely true. 😂
So one of my (many) New Years’ resolutions will be (yet again) to post more green foods on RecipeTin Eats.
But for now – more yellow food.
In fact, a whole pan of yellow food. Golden brown (yellow!) chicken breast with a yellow lemon cream parmesan sauce. Bring on the yellow! 🙌🏻
What you need for creamy lemon chicken breast
Chicken breast – or boneless skinless thigh
Chicken broth/stock – gives the sauce flavour (it’s pretty dull without it)
Cream and lemon – because we’re making a creamy lemon sauce
Parmesan – for umami AND to help thicken the sauce
Mustard – sauce thickening and extra flavour/tang
Flour – to dust chicken (gives it a crust that the sauce wants to cling to, optional)
Garlic – because garlic goes in 99% of my savoury foods
Butter – because butter makes everything better
How to make creamy lemon chicken breast
You’re 10 minutes away from having this for dinner!
Here’s how it goes down:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, dust with flour;
Pan fry until golden then remove
Add everything else in, then simmer for 3 minutes until thickened;
Return chicken into skillet to rewarm; and
Serve over pasta, mashed potato or for a low carb option, Creamy Mashed Cauliflower.
There’s plenty of creamy lemon sauce for this chicken breast recipe. Enough to toss through pasta!
What to serve with Creamy Lemon Chicken
Serve this with a crisp garden salad with a tangy French Dressing or Balsamic dressing. Or try one of these:
Side salad suggestions
Also, some warm bread rolls to mop the plate clean wouldn’t go astray! If you’re in the mood for homemade bread, try these easy No Knead Soft Dinner Rolls or this simple Irish Soda Bread (I call it Emergency Bread!).
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Creamy Lemon Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Crispy Chicken
- 600g / 1.2lb chicken breasts (2 large) (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour (plain / all-purpose)
- 40g / 3 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 1 – 2 garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth/stock
- 3/4 cup cream , heavy/thickened (Note 2)
- 3 – 4 tbsp lemon juice (adjust to taste, start with 3 tbsp)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese , freshly grated OR store bought finely shredded (Note 3)
To serve
- Pasta of choice (I used linguine)
- Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
Crispy Chicken
- Slice chicken breast horizontally to create two thin steaks (so you end up with 4 thin steaks in total).
- Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper, then coat with flour, shaking off excess.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken 2 minutes on each side until golden and crispy, then remove onto plate.
Sauce
- 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. Use a whisk if needed to dissolve mustard.
- Add parmesan then simmer rapidly for 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Add salt, pepper and adjust lemon to taste.
- Return the chicken to the pan (pour in any juices on the plate too), turn to coat.
- Place chicken on serving plates with pasta or mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if using. Spoon over Lemon Sauce and serve! (Bread for mopping wouldn't go astray either)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published January 2016, updated with new photos and video in November 2019.
Life of Dozer
In the big fancy house I’m currently housesitting while I’m in between houses – when he gets fed up following me up and down the stairs, he parks himself halfway!!
Fiona says
Well Nagi I made this and it was amazing!!! Served with creamy mashed potatoes and asparagus- yum!! The sauce was very, very thin though, so next time (and there WILL be a next time) I’ll thicken it up a bit with a buerre manie – a great hack to thicken sauces!
Stephanie Sudhop says
So this was the first of your recipes I have true(found on pinterest)
Holy moly, was so good. My husband says it is his favorite thing I have ever cooked, even over my spaghetti and meatballs( which are pretty dang tasty). But seriously the man was so in love he took all the leftover shell pasta I used and all the sauce put them in the bowl and ate it. So in love!
For next month’s menu definitely going to be trying more of your recipes, especially chicken and lemon combos. But this will definitely be on the menu again!
Nagi says
He’s being so disloyal choosing this over your meatballs!!! 🙂 Glad you both enjoyed it, thanks so much for letting me know Stephanie! Nx
Mike in South Dakota, USA says
Recently tried your creamy lemon chicken and it was over the top good! My wife, who usually doesn’t get too excited about new recipes I try, couldn’t stop raving about how good this was. Thank you for yet another Nagi “keeper” recipe … it’s now in my ‘favorite recipe’ 3-ring binder!
Nagi says
Thank you Mike I’m so glad you and your wife enjoyed it, and thank you for letting me know! N x PS Love that you label my recipes you enjoy!!! Te he he!
Lydia says
One of my favorite chicken recipes from you (and so simple too!). I’ve made it so many times and each time it’s great.
Nagi says
So glad Lydia! Thank you for trying my recipe and for coming back to let me know you enjoyed it! N x
Natalie says
I’m thinking of adding mushrooms
Do you think that will work??
Nagi says
It will be smashing Natalie! PS Is it freezing today where you are? I’m in Sydney, it is FREEZING today!
natalie says
im in sydney too 🙂
im having leftovers from last night but im making more sauce and adding mushrooms 🙂
Mimi says
I’m not sure when you started this blog but I’m sure glad I found ya ?. I’ve been cursed with the inability to cook chicken to save my life! And now, for 2 nights in a row (last night was One Pot Chicken Shawarma DELICIOUSNESS), I have been the bomb.com at cooking chicken! My 2 year old son and husband have been gobbling up dinner.
The cook time for these meals is super reasonable for a weeknight dinner. I can’t thank you enough. I’ll pass on the word of your website to everyone I know. You’re a gem to every household kitchen ?
Nagi says
Thanks so much for your gorgeous message Mimi! Or should I say – Chicken Queen?? 😉
Mike says
I’m about to make this recipe (the chicken is ‘horizontally’ cut into scallops and my hands are still uncut!), but I’m surprised your recipe doesn’t call for adding lemon zest to brighten the chicken, or capers to the sauce, as in chicken picante. Would one or both enhance the dish in your opinion?
Nagi says
Hi Mike! You certainly can add them, it adds a more fresh element to the sauce 🙂 I opted to leave it out because this leans a little more towards creamy flavour. Comes down to personal taste! N x
Mike says
Thanks. I see your point regarding creaminess. I just thought that after squeezing 4 TBS fresh lemon juice for the recipe that I really ought to make use of the zest. I also freeze any excess zest for other recipes and it works just fine for added brightness to future dishes. I just mentioned capers because my wife absolutely loves the brininess they add to regular chicken picata.
Nonno says
This is one of the best dishes I have ever made! And only using 8 ingredients is amazing!! Thanks!!
Nagi says
Fantastic! I’m so glad to hear that Nonno, thank you so much for coming back to let me know! N x
Rossina says
This was very yummy!!!!
Nagi says
Thank you Rossina!! <3
Emma says
Just made this tonight. So easy and yum! What a nice way to cook chicken – that small amount of flour makes a lovely crust. I was going to pair it with mashed potato, but my partner loved your photo with the pasta, so pasta it was.
Thank you so much for such a simple and delicious recipe….the sauce is so good it should be bottled!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thank you Emma! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!! (Hmmm – YES that sauce should be bottled! New business venture for you! 😉 )
Moni says
Another winner, Nagi! I could drink that sauce straight. Lol. Super easy, quick, and budget friendly.
P.S. I’ve made Pad Kee Mao four times since I reviewed it last week!! I’ve increased the Thai chili peppers to 4 on that dish.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
And now suddenly I have a craving for Pad Kee Mao……
May Oh says
Hey! What is the brand of cream that you use? I am just so confused…
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi May! Just any pouring cream is fine!
Janetta says
Made this last night, and everyone loved it! Paired it with leftover homemade garlic mashed potatoes from two nights prior and green beans…..the kids completely cleaned their plates! Thanks for the recipe, this one is a definite keeper.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
YESSSSS! So glad everyone enjoyed it, thanks for letting me know Janetta!
Christina says
I just made it and i LOVEDDDDD IT!! Im in love with everything incorporating lemon. Thank you!♡♡
Nagi | RecipeTin says
ME TOO!!!! 🙂
Micola says
I decided to make this recipe because i was apprehensive about cooking with dairy and lemon juice (acid) in the same pan, but nothing here mentions any trouble with curdling. My sauce was really looking good but as soon as i added the lemon juice into the pan all the cream curdled! I tried pouring it into a measuring cup and whisking it but it didn’t want to become smooth again. I ended up making a cheese sauce to go with the pasta and the chicken because that part was really great 🙂 … any suggestions to make it go better?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
The cream curdled? I’ve never had that happen to me, I’m so sorry to hear that! I suggest just adding the lemon right at the end after you take it off the stove. As for cheese sauce? YES!!
Justin Scott says
This is one of THE BEST chicken dishes I have ever made. I added pancetta and capers to bring it over the top. Sauce is amazing on veggies as well!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
WOO HOO! So glad you loved it Justin! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know! N x
M Chard says
Made this one tonight. My husband really liked it. I thought it was just so-so at first, but the more I ate it the more I liked it and by the time I was finished with dinner decided I quite liked it. The 3 year old didn’t like it so much; he thought it needed less cream and a little bit of ketchup. Thought you might like to know that in case you wanted to update your recipe. 🙂
Marci
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks so much for your feedback!! 🙂 Please let your 3YO know I will take his thoughts under consideration!!! (Future food blogger….??)
Cheryllynn says
I made this and it was yummy !
I feed two growing teenage boys (aka bottomless Pits) and my fiancé kind of a picky guy… Was liked by all and myself as well … I had to double it to feed everyone and my sauce didn’t thicken the way I wished but still really good ! No used the full fat cream and served it over farfalle.
CHALLENGE: so I have a lot of leftover chicken and a pretty thin sauce … Need leftover ideas asap !!!! Thanks !!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Cheryl! Thanks so much for letting me know!! 🙂
M Chard says
I was thinking tonight that the sauce might be pretty good if you used it to cook rice and then serve the chicken over.
Cheryl says
rice is a great idea for most leftovers …pretty much my go to item but my youngest doesn’t love rice so I baked some large red bliss potatoes and cubed the chicken and served it over the open face potatoes with the sauce over
Mmmmm hmmmm!!!!
Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says
This looks amazing! Cream is hard to replace– I am lactose intolerant, and cream is the worst on my stomach! Do you think cashew cream or coconut cream would make a good replacement in this recipe?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Michelle! I’m so sorry but I’m not sure! 🙁 I wish I could help!!
Vanessa Baggio says
Hey Nagi
Hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed this for our dinner tonight – the flavour was lovely. I made mashed potato (have been craving for soo long) and steamed beans and carrots. Wow!
I also made a double batch of your Chinese chicken and corn Soup – my son has just had spinal surgery and is now home after 5 days and I wanted to make him some food for the soul – what a better dish to serve to him!
“Thanks Mum, that was so good” was his feedback.
So thank you, once again – we are all happy tonight ?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Is your son ok? Is he ok???