This lemon chicken breast is one of my favorite recipes to make for easy dinners. Made in one skillet in just 25 minutes, the creamy lemon sauce and chicken breasts combine into a fresh, zesty, and flavorful dish.
Lemon Chicken Breasts Recipe
I love a one-pan recipe, and this lemon chicken hits the spot. I start by searing chicken breasts so they get nice and crisp. Then I whip up the most incredible lemon sauce with heavy cream to make it silky, fresh lemon to make it zesty, brown sugar for a hint of sweetness, and dried thyme for a bit of herby flavor. The fact that I can make this lemon chicken breast on the stovetop in just 25 minutes means dinner is never too far away. My kids like it too, but this one is really for me and my husband–we can’t get enough of that sauce!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat the chicken breast and lemon sauce, cover the skillet with foil and reheat in the oven at 325°F for around 20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Top Reader Review
“Delicious! And, SO easy! Thank you!” -Pete
Lemon Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper divided
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons salted butter ¼ stick
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon brown sugar
- Parsley and lemon slices optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the flour mixture by stirring together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and thyme.½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Flatten each chicken breast with a mallet until it is 1 inch thick all the way around.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture until each chicken breast is coated.
- Heat the oil in a skillet.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and almost cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the cream, broth, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, brown sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to the skillet. Whisk until the butter has melted.½ cup heavy cream, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon brown sugar
- Return the chicken to the pan and gently simmer the mixture until the chicken finishes cooking.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices, optional. Serve warm.Parsley and lemon slices
Notes
- Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled. It is so much zingier and full of flavor.
- This sauce is on the thinner side. If you would like to thicken up your lemon chicken sauce, whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch before returning the chicken to the pan.
- If you prefer 4 servings, you can just use 4 chicken breasts and a big enough skillet. The sauce should still be enough, but you can double the recipe for best results.
- Make this recipe gluten-free by using a 1:1 GF flour.
How to Make Creamy Lemon Chicken Breast Step by Step
Mix the Flour: Make the flour mixture by stirring together ½ cup of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
Flatten the Chicken: Flatten 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a mallet until it is 1-inch thick all the way around.
Dredge the Chicken: Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture until each chicken breast is coated.
Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and almost cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Make the Sauce: Add ½ cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of salted butter, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of brown sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to the skillet. Whisk until the butter has melted.
Simmer the Chicken: Return the chicken to the pan with the lemon sauce, and gently simmer the mixture until the chicken finishes cooking through.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish lemon chicken breasts with chopped parsley and lemon slices if desired.
Delicious! And, SO easy! Thank you!
So happy to hear you loved it, Pete!
Omg! This recipe was delightful. The entire family enjoyed. We put our chicken over orzo pasta and was so good. Only thing is I made recipe for 5 and the sauce was to runny. I had to add some thickener (corn starch, water). Other than that it was really good. Definitely going to make again.