Chicken breast recipes can be so dull – time to step it up! Cream and lemon are a luscious combination and is sensational served over golden crispy chicken. A quick and easy 10 minute recipe with few ingredients, serve this Creamy Lemon Chicken with pasta, mashed potato or for a low carb option, creamy cauliflower mash!
Chicken Breast Recipe
I was browsing my Instagram feed the other day, and all I could think was “it’s so yellow and orangey.” I shared this observation with my mother, and her immediate response was “Well, of course. You post so many cheesy bread, potatoes and meat. Everything you like is yellow and brown. Even Dozer is yellow.” (Imagine this with a Japanese accent and finished with a snort of laughter).
I had no smart comeback for that. Because it’s completely true. 😂
So one of my (many) New Years’ resolutions will be (yet again) to post more green foods on RecipeTin Eats.
But for now – more yellow food.
In fact, a whole pan of yellow food. Golden brown (yellow!) chicken breast with a yellow lemon cream parmesan sauce. Bring on the yellow! 🙌🏻
What you need for creamy lemon chicken breast
Chicken breast – or boneless skinless thigh
Chicken broth/stock – gives the sauce flavour (it’s pretty dull without it)
Cream and lemon – because we’re making a creamy lemon sauce
Parmesan – for umami AND to help thicken the sauce
Mustard – sauce thickening and extra flavour/tang
Flour – to dust chicken (gives it a crust that the sauce wants to cling to, optional)
Garlic – because garlic goes in 99% of my savoury foods
Butter – because butter makes everything better
How to make creamy lemon chicken breast
You’re 10 minutes away from having this for dinner!
Here’s how it goes down:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, dust with flour;
Pan fry until golden then remove
Add everything else in, then simmer for 3 minutes until thickened;
Return chicken into skillet to rewarm; and
Serve over pasta, mashed potato or for a low carb option, Creamy Mashed Cauliflower.
There’s plenty of creamy lemon sauce for this chicken breast recipe. Enough to toss through pasta!
What to serve with Creamy Lemon Chicken
Serve this with a crisp garden salad with a tangy French Dressing or Balsamic dressing. Or try one of these:
Side salad suggestions
Also, some warm bread rolls to mop the plate clean wouldn’t go astray! If you’re in the mood for homemade bread, try these easy No Knead Soft Dinner Rolls or this simple Irish Soda Bread (I call it Emergency Bread!).
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Creamy Lemon Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Crispy Chicken
- 600g / 1.2lb chicken breasts (2 large) (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour (plain / all-purpose)
- 40g / 3 tbsp butter , unsalted
- 1 – 2 garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth/stock
- 3/4 cup cream , heavy/thickened (Note 2)
- 3 – 4 tbsp lemon juice (adjust to taste, start with 3 tbsp)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese , freshly grated OR store bought finely shredded (Note 3)
To serve
- Pasta of choice (I used linguine)
- Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
Crispy Chicken
- Slice chicken breast horizontally to create two thin steaks (so you end up with 4 thin steaks in total).
- Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper, then coat with flour, shaking off excess.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken 2 minutes on each side until golden and crispy, then remove onto plate.
Sauce
- Add a touch of butter if your pan is dry – but you shouldn't need it. Add garlic, stir 10 seconds.
- Then add chicken broth, cream, lemon and Dijon mustard. Bring to simmer and scrape the bottom of the pan to dissolve brown bits into the liquid. Use a whisk if needed to dissolve mustard.
- Add parmesan then simmer rapidly for 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Add salt, pepper and adjust lemon to taste.
- Return the chicken to the pan (pour in any juices on the plate too), turn to coat.
- Place chicken on serving plates with pasta or mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if using. Spoon over Lemon Sauce and serve! (Bread for mopping wouldn't go astray either)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published January 2016, updated with new photos and video in November 2019.
Life of Dozer
In the big fancy house I’m currently housesitting while I’m in between houses – when he gets fed up following me up and down the stairs, he parks himself halfway!!
Love your recipe. Just fix the Creamy Tomato Bean Soup for me and my sister. DAMN it was sooooooo good.
Thank y.
WOOT! I Love hearing this Robin!! N x
Winner! Winner! Chicken dinnerrrrr 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
YES!! 🙌
This was absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for this easy and wonderful dish. I took a picture but didn’t know how to post it
I’m so glad you loved it Robyn!! N x
Hi Nagi, Just wanted to thank you for all of your fantastic recipes. The sauce is magnificent and so adaptable – I made the chicken with mash and steamed vegetables. I’ve also used it with fish with the addition of a bit of dill. Thanks again.
Hi, Nagi! I’m new to your sight and this is the first time I tried one of your recipes. Some of the cheese (Kraft shredded Parmesan) started to clump in the sauce….what did I do wrong? Was it the cheese I used?
That being said, everything still tasted great (clumps and all), and my dad loved it! I plan on making this again really soon. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Kimberly, yes sounds like it may be the cheese you used – sometimes they have flour added to the cheese to stop it clumping in the bag which unfortunately doesn’t cook well – N x
This recipe is delicious! My husband said it’s his favorite thing I’ve made and requested that it be added into the rotation.
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Shawna! N x
Hi Nagi,
Hoping to make this beautiful sauce with barramundi (as I have some in my fridge that needs to be eaten). Would I still use chicken stock ? BTW LOVING ALL YOUR RECIPES
This will be perfect Rachelle https://promotown.info/baked-fish-with-lemon-cream-sauce/%3C/a%3E N x
If we are trying to be gluten free can I use any flour to dust on the chicken?
Sure can Esther 🙂 N x
This was a HIT for myself, my husband, and 6 year old. The lemon sauce is just to die for and still great the next day! We have done over pasta and rice and enjoy both equally! Just printed for my book of must repeat recipes!
That’s great Nicole!!
Just perfect! My grandsons will love these recipe. I will surely cook these when I go visit them in Thailand next month. Thank you for sharing.
You’re so welcome Helen!! N x
Hi Nagi. Love that picture of Dozer. Looks like you were in a lighthouse. I made this recioe today. It’s very good. It reminded me of Chicken Alfredo. It was fun to make.
Bonnie from Markleeville. Give Dozer a hug from me.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Bonnie! Will give Dozer a big belly rub from you ❤️
CreamyLemon chicken.
Could the chicken be fried early. Make the sauce before company arrives. Assemble and serve when ready
Thanks
Another delicious recipe we can’t wait to try! I’ve often wondered what chicken stock do you use if I may ask? Thank you
Hi Mari, I use Cambpells 🙂
Love your blog. Your explanations are terrific (the science involved (baking soda’s influence on a recipe 😍).
I wanted more sauce with this recipe. I used freshly grated Parmesan/Reggiano but I thought it would be more creamier. I added some chopped red pepper for colour, and used broad noodles.
Thanks for the feedback Gary! N x
I made your lemon sauce and served it over salmon. It was fantastic.
Perfect Stacey, that sauce is great on anything!! N x
I prepared the Creamy Lemon Chicken the other evening. It was very well received and has been added to the rotation. Thank you
Yummy
Perfect Gwen!!
Just would like to say all of your recipes I have tried are Great my family loves them to.Thank You Joanne Javani
That’s awesome to hear Joanne!
CreamyLemon chicken.
Could the chicken be fried early. Make the sauce before company arrives. Assemble and serve when ready
Thanks
Made this for the first time with friends over. It was a hit! Used linguini and spiralized some zucchini for those who are watching their carb intake. Sooo good!
Yum! Sounds perfect Lori!
Could I use fresh limes. We have a glut of them at present
This looks amazing. Do you think it would work with coconut cream as an alternative? My daughter is dairy free and I was hoping to try this out.
Well, I gave it a shot, thanks for the inspiration. It was amazing. Fried it in oil cooked it with coconut cream and coconut milk. Was EXCELLENT, the whole family loved it!
Served it with some Thai sticky rice on the side to dip into the yummy sauce, what a treat.