Creamy Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe
One-pan creamy lemon butter chicken features tender chicken thighs that are served in the most incredible lemony, garlicky cream sauce!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 703kcal
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs *
- 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 room temperature**
- 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
Cook the Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place chicken thighs in a bowl and add salt and lemon pepper. Toss to combine. Set aside.4 bone-in, skin-on 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.
Make the Sauce:
- 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. Stir to wilt leaves slightly but not fully.5 ounces baby spinach
Bake:
- Add chicken back to skillet and bake the entire pan in the oven for 25 minutes, or until internal chicken temperature reaches 165-175°F.
- Garnish with lemon slices and fresh thyme. Serve over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or alone. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
*I prefer bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe, as they lead to the juiciest and most flavor chicken. Boneless thighs can be used--just decrease the baking time slightly (about 20 minutes).
**Heavy cream works best for this lemon butter sauce. Bring it to room temp so it doesn't curdle when added to heat. If using half-n-half or a dairy alternative, it will likely create a less silky consistency.
***Swap spinach for arugula or another delicate green; or skip it if you prefer.
Tips:
- I recommend using a cast iron skillet for one pan recipe like this. It holds and distributes heat evenly, plus it's oven-safe! If you don't have one, another oven-safe skillet can be used.
- Let chicken thighs come to room temp before cooking.
- Take a minute to deglaze the pan after cooking the chicken. Getting those browned bits mixed into the sauce will add depth to the flavor.
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 703kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 258mg | Sodium: 752mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4721IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 2mg