One Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
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Say hello to your new favorite one skillet chicken dinner that’s topped with a lemon garlic butter cream sauce! I used thin chicken breasts, but this recipe would be delicious with boneless chicken thighs too!
Hello, hello to my new favorite creamy, garlicky, lemony, delicious skillet chicken!
You guys, I’ve gone completely head over heels for today’s meal (I didn’t mean for that to rhyme.
As many of you have probably guessed, I have a love for white meat chicken. It’s no dark meat for me. But the good news is that today’s chicken dinner is customizable to your chicken needs. Boneless skinless chicken thighs, sure, why not! *Applause* you’ve only just waited half of FOREVER for me to bring you something that could be made with something other than boneless skinless chicken breast.
This one skillet chicken recipe is my go to chicken dinner of the week decade. Obvi, this recipe requires just one pan. Which means, we make the chicken and the sauce – that’s right – in just uno skillet-o. We’re talking tender chicken, covered in a lemon garlic butter sauce that’s creamier that anything you’ve had before. Someone, please, throw some capers up in the sauce! This only *just* hit me now, but I’m totally doing it next time, pinky promise.
Should I just stop here? Are you on your way to the kitchen, cuz ya should be!
This recipe is somewhat, kinda sorta adapted and inspired by my Garlic Butter Salmon in Foil.
WHAT MAKES THIS CHICKEN WITH LEMON GARLIC CREAM SAUCE RECIPE SPECIAL?
We’re using a lot of the same ingredients like butter, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, and parsley. What takes this chicken dinner to the next level is chicken broth and a big splash of heavy cream. The sauce has a nice creamy consistency that would taste AMAZING tossed in some angel hair pasta. The pasta-bilities are ENDLESS. See what I did there.
HOW TO MAKE ONE SKILLET CHICKEN WITH LEMON GARLIC CREAM SAUCE:
Get those chicken breasts cooking on both sides. You don’t have to worry about cooking the chicken all the way through. We’re just looking to get some color on the chicken and for all those wonderful flavor bits to form in the bottom of the pan. The ‘flavor bits’ are going to be deglazed with chicken broth and lemon juice to make the lemon garlic cream sauce for this skillet chicken.
If you’re using chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs, just make sure that all of them are about the same thickness. Mine were about ½-¾ inch thick. I browned each side of the chicken for just 2 minutes. Don’t worry about cooking the chicken all the way through as we’re going to finish the sauce and the chicken together in the oven for a quick 5 minutes.
To be honest with you, I was a little intimidated with the idea of adding heavy cream to a lemon sauce. I had the biggest fear of it curdling on me. I find the trick is to use just a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and to reduce it with the chicken broth. Once that’s done, I lowered the flame and melted some butter into the sauce. Finally, taking the sauce off the heat completely, I whisked in the cream and placed it back on the flame for just a couple of seconds. Don’t let the sauce come to a boil. And it worked, beautifully! And can I say something? This is the best lemon garlic cream sauce I’ve ever had! A big pat on the back. Checking the cream sauce off my culinary bucket list! Hooray!
But with victory came pain! I pulled the skillet out of the oven, placed it on the store and lost in thought, a few seconds later I decided to grab the handle WITHOUT an oven mitt. UMM… OUCH! NOT FUN! Hand burning! Feels like fire ants having a picnic in my palm! That’s definitely going to leave a mark!?
So once the pain finally subsided from my burning hand, I topped off this one skillet chicken dinner with a handful of chopped parsley and a little basil. Use whatever fresh herbs you’ve got on hand, you really can’t go wrong!
I served it up pretty simple this time around. Just a little steamed broccoli and a side salad. You could always do a little rice to catch all that sauce. Pasta is always perfect with a lemon garlic cream sauce.
One skillet chicken dinners and conquering kitchen fears. Just a regular old Wednesday around here! 😉
shop this chicken with lemon garlic cream sauce post:
One Skillet Chicken with lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
Say hello to your new favorite one skillet chicken dinner that's topped with a lemon garlic butter cream sauce! I used thin chicken breasts but this recipe would be delicious with boneless chicken thighs too!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup finely diced shallots (or red onions)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or basil
Instructions
- Using a mallet, pound down the chicken breasts/thighs into ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.
- In a 2 cup measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and allow to brown on both sides for 2-3 minutes per side. Don't worry if the chicken isn't cooked completely, we'll finish it in the oven. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Reduce the flame to medium, add the shallots to the skillet along with the chicken broth mixture. Using a whisk, scrape the bottom of the pan so all the brown bits are loosened. Kick the heat back up to medium high and let sauce come to a simmer. Continue to cook the sauce for 10-15 minutes or until about ⅓ cup of the sauce remains.
- When the sauce has thickened, remove from the flame, add the butter and whisk until it melts completely. With the skillet off the flame, add the heavy cream, whisk to combine. Place the skillet back over the flame for just 30 seconds, DO NOT allow the sauce to boil. Remove from heat, add the chicken back into the pan and drizzle the sauce over the chicken. Place the skillet in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Top with chopped parsley or basil and serve warm with additional lemon slices.
Notes
- Use boneless skinless chicken breasts/thighs that about the same thickness. I pounded mine down to about ½ inch.
- After a few comments from readers, I've adjusted the amount of time it takes to reduce the sauce (step #5). Keep in mind, the key is to reduce it to ⅓ cup and that I can only provide an estimate. It may take you more or less time than what is actually listed.
IS THIS A GOOD CHOICE FOR YOU?
*Please note: the nutritional facts calculated are an estimate based on the ingredients I’ve used. If you’d like a more accurate count, please calculate them using the ingredients/brands you’ve used to prepare the recipe. The nutritional facts provided is for ¼ of the recipe, assuming you use a total of 1 1/4lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
If you like this chicken with lemon garlic cream sauce recipe, you might also like:
Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Breasts
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291 Comments on “One Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce”
Just did a quick search on Pinterest for a low-carb chicken recipe with FLAVOR! Found this recipe in less than 30 seconds and am on my way to the kitchen to make it right now! LOVE these flavors and that I always have the ingredients on hand!
I modified this recipe by using Carnation evaporated milk instead of the heavy cream as it’s better macro wise. I didn’t use butter, as that would make the recipe too high in fat. I whisked in a little tapioca starch to thicken.
Oh my gosh-so yummy! I didn’t change any ingredients but I had to use a baking dish b/c my oven proof skillet is too small. The red pepper flakes add just enough heat but it isn’t painful. My husband loved it! Thank you for this one!
So delicious!! Used chicken tenders (because that’s what we had)….amazing!!
This may be a really dumb question but if I double the recipe since I’m making it for 8 how much do I reduce the sauce too? 1/3 of a cup doesn’t seem to be enough but will it be reduced enough if I reduce it to 2/3 a cup?
That’s correct – you’d reduce the sauce to 2/3’s cup rather than the 1/3. Since you’re doubling the recipe, it may also change the time it takes to reduce the sauce. I would think it would be in the ballpark of 30-35 minutes but this is me just guesstimating, just don’t want you to be alarmed if it doesn’t happen in the 15 minutes listed! 🙂
Hi! Had a query about the portion size. When you say 4 chicken breasts, do you mean 4 chicken breast halves or 4 whole chicken breasts (which means 8 pieces)? I am planning to make this for about 6 people so was wondering if I should double the recipe or not?
4 chicken breast halves, so for 6 you would need to double the recipe.
This is the first thing I ever made for my boyfriend, a year and a half ago. Needless to say… he stuck around.
Depending on what I have, I like to fancy this up a bit and turn it into a Chicken Scalopinne with some bacon (prosciutto, same thing), artichokes, mushrooms and capers over angel hair. But it all starts with this sauce. If I’m adding the extra stuff, I try to double the sauce. Honestly, I’ve made this so many times, I don’t even use the recipe anymore… I just eyeball it.
So what I’m saying is… I owe you a tip of the hat for this recipe!
Oh my goodness, this recipe is amazing!! I have made it twice now already and my husband loves it! We actually just put the leftovers on top of a salad tonight which was fantastic as well. I think the red pepper flakes really make this dish!
This was amazing!! I did have to use a tiny bit of corn starch because i was about to loose all my liquid and that worked perfectly to thicken just enough! The sauce was was the best part and so great drizzled on some roasted red potatoes and asparagus. Will make this many many times to come! 🙂
I’ve made this 3 times now and it’s perfect every time. I do not have a stove to oven skillet so I did everything per directions except I had to transfer to a baking dish to finish.
Great dish for family or company!!!
Hi! I made this tonight, (have not yet tried it) but i cannot get my sauce to get thick! i added the right amount of everything and let my broth boil. any advice?
Hi Yajaira, the key is to just allow the sauce to simmer/boil and reduce. If you notice it’s taking too long, you can kick the heat setting up to the highest setting and just keep a close eye on it until you’re left with 1/3 cup of liquid. It may take more time than what the recipes says, it just depends on how hot your burner gets (mine actually reduces the sauce in less time than indicated). You also want to make sure to not continue to the next step until the sauce reduces to the indicated amount as this may alter the recipe. Hope that helps!
I have to admit, I am TERRIBLE at cooking chicken breasts. They always come out dry, so I was afraid to try this recipe. But I’m SO GLAD I did! The chicken was tender and the lemon garlic cream sauce was seriously like buttery, lemony, garlicky heaven. I actually closed my eyes the first time I tasted it. This is a must try! And pretty easy too!!
Awesome awesome awesome recipe! <3
Cooked it on the stove and still tastes really good. Did a little tweaking though 'cause we don't have an oven at home. Cooked chicken in the broth, removed the chicken, and added the rest of the ingredients of the broth mixture, cooking it separatedly. Worked!
Fresh or bottles lemon juice? Thanks!
Hi Abbie! Bottled lemon juice will work in a bind but I suggest using freshly squeezed juice for any recipe that calls for lemon as a main ingredient. I feel the bottled stuff won’t give you that same zing. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I want to make this for company dinner. At what point do you think I could pause it to make it ahead and finish at the last minute?
Hmm.. thats a tough one as it would be unsafe to leave the chicken cooked halfway through. You could however prepare the recipe all the way through then add just a few tablespoons of water or broth to the sauce before reheating/serving. The sauce will thicken a bit as it sits so the additional liquid brings it back to the original consistency. Hope that helps!
Double thumbs up. I made this for the first one for a quick dinner. Absolutely delicious! Next time I think I’ll add mushrooms.
It was delicious, sauce is amazing, a little kick to it but I added lemon pepper seasoning so I’m sure that didn’t help, other than that awesome will try again.
How would go about adding red potatoes in this recipe? Would you have to double the sauce? Would you have to cook them for a bit in the oven beforehand so they get cooked through all the way?
Hi Breigha! I’m glad to hear you want to give this recipe a try! Unfortunately, without further recipe testing I don’t know how you’d go about adding potatoes to the recipe. I’d suggest roasting the potatoes separately and then serving them with the sauce. You could double the sauce ingredients (this will however affect the simmering time) and use the sauce to serve on top of the potatoes. Hope that helps!
I love this recipe! I did a little tweaking for my family’s taste. I added a generous splash of dry white wine in addition to the chicken broth mixture. I find this usually helps speed up the sauce reduction time and it tastes delicious. Taking another commenter’s advice and cooking the shallots and garlic together before adding in the broth mixture. Served over zucchini noodles (I heated up oil, threw in some garlic until almost crispy, “zoodles” on top with some salt, pepper, lemon juice and shredded parm cheese)
Made this tonight. Quick, easy and delicious!
Made this for Sunday lunch yesterday with tri-color quinoa with onions and celery and roasted asparagus. Awesome recipe!! My hubby and MIL really liked it. I will definitely be adding this to my rotation of meals! Thanks for a great recipe ?
The dish turned out absolutely amazing. Next time, I will have to dial it back on the red pepper flakes. I’m a wimp when it comes to adding anything that may be a little spicey.
Okay this may be a silly question. I have made this recipe 3x now and I CAN NOT get my sauce to thicken!! It’s so yummy but still too runny. When you say “reduce to 1/3 cup” what exactly does that mean? Are you removing some of the chicken broth mixture, and then add it back? I’m so confused and what to get it thick like yours!
Hi Alicia! When I say ‘reducing to ⅓ cup’ I mean to let the sauce simmer or gently boil (you’ll see gentle bubbles on the surface of the sauce). This allows some of the liquid to evaporate, leaving you with a thicker concentration of flavor. You’ll continue to let it simmer until you have about ⅓ cup of liquid remaining in the pan. This will take in the ballpark of 10-15 minutes as listed. I hope that clarifies things a little more! 🙂
I use cornstarch with a little water in it add to sauce. thickens immediately!!!
I made this tonight and it was delicious. I could not stop taste testing the sauce! lol Served it up with fresh green beans and baked cabbage rounds. Thank you, thank you!
Absolutely delicious. I will definitely be making this again.
How do I make this if I don’t have skillet that can go in the oven? Will it still taste the same?
I’ve never made it on the stove top so i’m not really sure if there is a difference it terms of flavor. A few readers have mentioned they cooked it all the way through on the stove top. If you scroll through the comments, you’ll be able to find more info on that.
I’ve made it on top and it works out well… Just turn the fire down low…
This was really good! Made a few changes. Cooked the garlic with the shallots. Used rosemary for the herb and forgot the red pepper. Thanks for the tip on keeping the sauce from curdling. Company worthy dish.
Hands down the best chicken recipe I have ever tried. I add a little bit more of the red pepper but really easy and tasty, even the next day!
Marzia, I’ve never left a review before – you are the first. This dish was amazing. I’m trying to get back on low carb and this recipe jumped out. I followed your excellent directions and my husband and I both loved the results. It is now posted on my Pinterest “keepers” page. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you!
I made this for dinner tonight. I added ground Rosemary to the chicken. I also added a tablespoonful of flour to the pan to thicken the sauce. It was yummy.
When did you add the flour?
This was the first dish I’ve cooked for my husband since we got married in November that he got seconds of! The flavor was great very delicious!
I have been trying new recipes every week because I am tired of the same old recipes every night. Made this last night and it was a hit! The family loved it. It was easy too! Thanks for the recipe!
I made tonight, it has great flavor but the sauce was too thin..couldn’t figure out what I do wrong.I will make this again, my family loved it
Might try adding a few ounces of Parmesan cheese – I do as a sauce thickener.
Can I use bone in chicken thighs?
Yes, you can but the cooking time will need to be adjusted as they take longer to cook. I’ve only tested it with chicken breasts so I unfortunately wouldn’t be able to say how much longer the thighs would need. Please use your best judgement.
This is my favorite recipe of all-time now. I literally have been making batches of just the sauce and putting it over everything! It’s too perfect. Though I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but a LOT of sites have used your image on their recipes ): Just thought that you should know, I’m not sure what protocol is for that. Thanks so much for creating this miraculous dish!
Good recipe, easy to do, and lots of flavor. Paired with roasted red potatoes, broccoli, and garlic! Lemon taste is subtle–could use a little more than proscribed.
This may be a silly question, but I’m just learning how to cook and experimenting. But, if I use 8 chicken breast should I then double all the ingredients?
Hi Marissa! That’s not silly at all! Yes, I’d double all the other ingredients as well so that you have enough sauce to serve the chicken with. A lot of readers have said they enjoyed the sauce so i’d want to make sure you had enough for all 8 servings. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Absolutely delicious chicken dish! My kids and husband loved it – next time I will double the recipe to have leftovers.
I made extra of the sauce because we’re sauce lovers here. I spooned some over roasted potatoes and it was soooo good!
When I make this again, I’ll definitely serve it with potatoes again.
Made this tonight and it was great. The only thing is I would double the sauce as it was so good.
I don’t have a oven safe pan, well I have a cast iron skillet but I’m scared to use with us having a glass top stove, any who Can this recipe just be made on the stove or does it have to be done in the oven?
Hi Jessica, a few readers mentioned they cooked the whole thing through on their stovetop. If you scroll through the comments, i’m sure you can find a bit more detail on that!
I use my cast iron skillet on my glass induction cooktop ALL the time! It’s my favorite frypan! Don’t be afraid.
Don’t be afraid to use cast iron on a glass top stove. I have been using cast iron skillets for about 3 years on my glass top stove. The big things to remember is to never slide it across the stove top and obviously don’t drop it on the stove top. Also remember to heat your pan up slowly on a electric stove, I typically do this around setting 3 on my stove.
I followed directions pretty much exactly and this turned out GREAT! Served with orzo pasta and green beans. Yum.
Made this tonight, and it was great! I followed the directions exactly, and my husband and seven year old daughter both loved it.
This was an awesome one pan chicken dish that I will be adding to the rotation! I have been on the hunt for one pan dishes that are easy to make and flavorful and this hit the mark I don’t even think I changed anything! Wait I did, I used shallots instead of onion cause that’s what I was chopping for the side dish, and I bumped up the garlic because we are garlic freaks in my house and 1-2 cloves is never enough. This is a keeper! Next time I might use Thyme instead of parsley, but all in all a great dinner dish.
Hi can i use milk instead of cream?
Thanks
I don’t suggest using milk to replace the cream in this recipe. The fat in the cream helps stabilize the sauce so it doesn’t curdle from the lemon juice. Milk does not contain enough fat to keep the sauce from curdling.
This recipe is absolutely delicious!!! We get tired of chicken as we eat it so often, but this has really raised the bar on chicken breast!! Thank you ☺️
This recipe is so delicious & easy to make that I make it weekly. My husband who claims his stomach can’t tolerate cream doesn’t even realise it contains cream & eats it contentedly
I’m eating this right now! It’s so delicious! I tasted the sauce before it went in the oven and it was so delicious that I doubled it! We’re enjoying this over rice. Yum yum yum!!!
Dee-licious! I didn’t have cream so I subbed 1/2 sour cream with 1/2 2% milk and I liked it with the sour cream flavor. When I make this again, I need to change around the reduction, it reduced a lot faster than 10 minutes and I don’t think the garlic or the shallots got caramelized as nicely as they could have. Other than that, very flavorful!
Made this tonight, & added those capers. It was amazingly delicious but sauce didn’t thicken up… It was very thin,but we all loved it anyway! (I was so afraid of burning my hand, though, as I burnt mine a few months ago the exact same way!!)