Lemon butter chicken with cream sauce is an easy and tasty dish that is cooked on the stovetop and then baked in the oven in one pan. Chicken thighs are cooked in a flavorful lemon and garlic cream sauce for a simple and delicious meal.
I’m all about one pan dinners, not only does it mean less clear up time, but I find the flavors really develop when everything is cooked together, and his dish is no different! Get ready for a simple to make dinner that will be a real hit with everyone!
How to make Lemon Butter Chicken with Cream Sauce
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Place chicken thighs in a bowl and add salt and lemon pepper. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Allow sauce to thicken for 5 minutes and then stir in spinach leaves.
- 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 165F.
- Serve and enjoy the lemon butter chicken!
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
Serving Ideas
This chicken makes for a great dinner, and it’s really versatile so you can serve it up with your favorite sides! Pasta and rice make great choices, or you can serve it alongside mashed or roasted potatoes and sautéed veggies.
Creamy Lemon butter chicken thighs
For this recipe, I went with chicken thighs rather than breast, and the chicken thighs have bone in and skin on. Chicken thighs are more flavorful than breast meat and work wonderfully well in this recipe.
Keeping the bone in helps the chicken to stay succulent, and after baking in the oven, the skin is deliciously crispy.
Baked Lemon Butter Chicken
The searing of the lemon butter chicken is done in the skillet on the stovetop to help get the skin nice and crispy. Once the sauce is made, the whole dish goes into the oven to be baked.
While the chicken is in the oven, you can get on with preparing your sides, whether that be rice, pasta or veggies.
Bone-in Chicken Thighs
Use bone in, skin on chicken thighs. This will result in the most flavorful and juicy chicken possible!
Top Recipe Tips
- Use organic chicken not raised on antibiotics.
- Remember to pre-heat your oven.
- If you have any leftovers, keep covered in the fridge for a cold chicken salad the next day!
Be sure to check out these other skillet chicken dinners!
- Chicken Piccata
- Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
- White Wine Chicken
- Stuffed Chicken
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Pineapple Chicken
- Chicken Marsala
- Dijon Mustard Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Chicken
If you have tried this Creamy Lemon Butter Chicken, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Lemon Butter Chicken (Creamy)
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 garlic, minced. or 1.5 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves plus more for garnish
- 5 ounces baby spinach one bag
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Place chicken thighs in a bowl and add salt and lemon pepper. Toss to combine. Set aside.
- Heat a medium/large skillet (oven safover medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and allow to melt, making sure the entire base of the skillet is coated.
- 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.
- 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.
- Allow sauce to thicken for 5 minutes and then stir in spinach leaves.
- 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 165F.
- Serve over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or alone. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh thyme. Enjoy!
NANCY BACKHAUS says
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!!
Becky Hardin says
Love the addition!
Marissa says
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!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing, Marissa!
Jenny G says
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” 🙂
Becky Hardin says
It’s the cream and oil separating. It can be finicky if not carefully combined!
Megan says
Can you explain how to “carefully combine?” Mine also separated. Thanks!
Becky Hardin says
You do not want to overheat it!
Kelly Young says
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!
Becky Hardin says
I love to hear that!
Devon Harty says
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.
Annette says
It was delicious will definitely make it again, we had it with rice
Becky Hardin says
Sounds like a great meal, Annette!
Johnny Provitt says
I love the efforts you have put in this, thanks for all the great articles.
Helaine says
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ask.
Erika Reyes says
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!
Becky Hardin says
That sounds wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing, Erika!
Helen says
Can I make this recipe in the oven, I don’t have skillet.
I enjoy your recipes.
Becky Hardin says
Yes! I do also have a baked lemon chicken recipe (click here) if you’re interested!