This creamy lemon butter chicken recipe is an easy weeknight dinner that’s become a real favorite for my family, and for reader’s families too! Juicy chicken thighs are cooked to tender perfection in a flavorful lemon and garlic cream sauce, then finished with fresh spinach. It’s cooked all in one pan for simplicity, and it’s packed with bright flavor!
I absolutely love one pot chicken recipes like this, because it makes cooking and cleanup so much easier. I start by making the creamy lemon sauce on the stovetop, then add the lemon butter chicken thighs to the skillet and bake everything in the oven. It comes out so tasty, and the citrusy lemon flavor is just perfect!
What’s in this Creamy Lemon Butter Chicken recipe?
The lemon sauce for this baked chicken, made with heavy cream, is the star of the show! A few other simple, inexpensive ingredients is all you need.
- Chicken Thighs: Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the most flavorful results. Boneless thighs work, but you’ll need to reduce the cooking time in the oven.
- Lemon Pepper: This adds a bright, peppery flavor to the chicken.
- Butter: Salted butter lends great flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves, or garlic paste, for the lemon sauce.
- Chicken Broth: This helps fill out the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: This is key to the silky, creamy consistency of the lemon butter sauce! You can use half and half, but the sauce won’t be quite as creamy.
- Parmesan Cheese: For the best flavor and consistency, use freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Lemon Juice: I always recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice over anything from a bottle, especially when it’s such a key ingredient like it is here.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme creates a subtle herbaceous flavor. Use it as a garnish as well to really send this dish over the top.
- Baby Spinach: Fresh spinach is preferred over canned or frozen.
Variations to Try
Craving a more intense lemon butter flavor with this chicken recipe? I’ve had success sprinkling in some fresh lemon zest–either with the rest of the seasonings, or on top of the chicken as a garnish. You can also mix in some extra greens, like kale and/or arugula, along with the spinach if you really want to enhance the nutrients in this dish.
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How to Store and Reheat
To store, let leftover lemon butter chicken thighs and sauce cool to room temperature. Then store everything together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in a skillet over medium heat, until warmed through. Stir in a splash of heavy cream as it warms up to get the lemon sauce back to a creamy consistency.
I don’t recommend freezing this dish because the cream sauce won’t hold up well once frozen and thawed.
Notes and Tips
- I recommend using a cast iron skillet or another oven-safe pan to make this a one-pot dish, so you can move it from the stovetop to the oven. If you don’t have one, simply transfer the chicken and lemon sauce to a baking dish at Step 10, then cook in the oven.
- The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F; but because this is dark meat, I recommend cooking it to 170-175°F for the juiciest results.
- I usually serve these chicken thighs with some form of rice or pasta to help absorb all of the extra lemony, garlicky cream sauce!
Top Reader Reviews
- “I made the recipe and my family loved it! My daughter said she never rated anything this good. I don’t cook and this was soo easy to make and delicious. I will definitely make it again!” – Olga
- “What an awesome recipe! Served this for dinner and it has quickly become a new family favorite recipe in our home! Looking forward too serving this again later in the week!” – Beth
Creamy Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 3 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 3 cloves minced garlic or 1.5 teaspoon garlic paste
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves plus more for garnish
- 5 ounces baby spinach one bag
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place chicken thighs in a bowl and add salt and lemon pepper. Toss to combine. Set aside.4 chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- Heat a medium/large skillet (oven safe) over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and allow to melt, making sure the entire base of the skillet is coated.3 tablespoons salted butter
- Add the chicken, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and sear other side. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Return skillet to the heat and add additional 1 tablespoon butter. Allow to melt, stirring and deglazing the pan.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.3 cloves minced garlic
- Stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, parmesan, lemon juice, and thyme. Stir to fully combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.½ cup low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Allow sauce to thicken for 5 minutes and then stir in spinach leaves.5 ounces baby spinach
- Stir to wilt leaves slightly but not fully.
- Add chicken back to skillet and bake the entire pan in the oven for 25 minutes, or until internal chicken temperature reaches 165°F.
- Garnish with lemon slices and fresh thyme. Serve over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or alone. Enjoy!
Notes
How to Make Lemon Butter Chicken Thighs Step by Step
Season the Chicken Thighs: Preheat oven to 400°F. Then place 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in a bowl, and season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper. Toss everything to fully coat the chicken in the spices, then set them aside.
Melt the Butter: Heat a medium-large, oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of salted butter and let it fully melt, making sure the entire base of the skillet is coated.
Brown the Chicken: Add the seasoned chicken skin-side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown; then flip and sear the other side. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
Deglaze and Cook Garlic: Return the skillet to the heat and add another 1 tablespoon of salted butter. Let it fully melt, stirring and deglazing the pan (scraping up any browned bits) at the same time. Then add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Make the Lemon Cream Sauce: Next, stir in ½ cup of low sodium chicken broth, 1 cup of heavy cream, ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves. Stir to fully combine ingredients, and bring the sauce to a boil; then reduce to a simmer, and allow it to thicken for about 5 minutes.
Add the Spinach: Place 5 ounces of fresh baby spinach leaves in the cream sauce, then stir to wilt leaves slightly, but not fully.
Bake the Chicken: Place the chicken thighs directly in the lemon cream sauce, place the entire pan in the oven, and bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165-175°F.
Serve: Garnish the baked chicken dish with lemon slices and fresh thyme if desired. Then serve over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes!
My husband loves chicken in just about any preparation. He has deemed this dish his very favorite of all. We ate it over Basmati rice. Very good!!
Love the addition!
Was so yummy, my husband and I loved it especially the lemony flavour. Mine didn’t turn out as lovely and golden as yours but they may be because I didn’t brown it enough in the beginning. Will definitely be making this again!
Thanks for sharing, Marissa!
My entire family loved this dish!! The chicken was delicious. I doubled the recipe for my family of 5. I had 1 problem. When it went into the oven the sauce looked like yours. When I took it out it had separated. Any ideas of what I may have done wrong? No matter what I am making this again. My husband even said “this is a keeper” 🙂
It’s the cream and oil separating. It can be finicky if not carefully combined!
Can you explain how to “carefully combine?” Mine also separated. Thanks!
You do not want to overheat it!
This was so good! I only had boneless, skinless thighs so only cooked for 20 minutes in the oven. They turned out perfect. I had to add a tiny bit of cornstarch slurry (like 1 tsp of cornstarch) but otherwise following the recipe exactly. Served with angel hair pasta. SO GOOD!
I love to hear that!
I love the recipe but wonder is there a way to make it without the same fat content? It’s super high in sodium and saturated fat. 🙁 feeling guilty about serving it.
It was delicious will definitely make it again, we had it with rice
Sounds like a great meal, Annette!
I can’t get enough of this recipe! I buy the pack of organic chicken thighs boneless and skinless from Costco and it still works great. I do two pans on two burners and double the recipe! Love it! And it’s keto friendly. Extra spinach for me, and rice for my hubby!
That sounds wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing, Erika!
Can I make this recipe in the oven, I don’t have skillet.
I enjoy your recipes.
Yes! I do also have a baked lemon chicken recipe (click here) if you’re interested!
My husband and myself made the recipe together. I broke my hip so I was in my wheelchair. It really turned out good. We followed the recipe.