This savory Lemon Butter Chicken is just over the top! Full of flavor, every bite is unforgettable. The lemon cream sauce mixed with fresh garlic and Parmesan cheese pairs perfectly with the tender and juicy chicken. So savory…this dish will leave you coming back for more!
Lemon Butter Chicken
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Let’s talk about the simple ingredients in this dish because we all need a little bit of easy and simple. Chicken breasts, fresh garlic, fresh spinach, paprika, lemon, fresh cracked pepper and heavy cream. Easy! Oh and in the ingredients you will see a splash of white wine…this is totally optional. You don’t have to add the wine…I promise it still tastes fantastic without it so leave it out if you want! Totally fine!
You’ll start off by sauteing the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side. When it’s finished sauteing, you’ll set the chicken aside while you make the sauce. This dish works perfectly in a Le Creuset Dutch Oven, but I used a rockcrok from Pampered Chef and it worked just as well!
It’s really fun to make this sauce because it’s so easy to throw together and it’s super yummy! When you make the sauce, you are literally going to saute fresh minced garlic with butter, then add in the chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and thyme. Once you bring the sauce to a slow rolling boil, you’ll add in the fresh spinach until it starts to wilt. Oh and this step in the process smells SO GOOD! It’s mouthwatering!
When the sauce slightly thickens, you’ll add the sauteed chicken into the juices so you can bake everything in the oven to finish up the cooking process. The paprika helps this chicken saute beautifully! The sauteed garlic mixed with these juices of the chicken and other ingredients makes you want to eat it at this stage…but please don’t! It’s worth the wait, I promise!
After the chicken bakes in the oven, your dish is ready to eat! Look how savory this dish turns out! Full of flavor and this chicken is crazy juicy! I love to pair this dish with Ono Rice and a Brussels Sprout Salad! I like to mix the rice with the lemon butter sauce…it makes every bite so divine!
This dish has easily become a family favorite! It looks and tastes like it took a long time to make, but it’s super easy and absolutely fantastic! I promise, you will devour every single bite down to the last drop! Happy Eats on this Lemon Butter Chicken dish!
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Lemon Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cut in half
- 1/2 Tablespoon paprika
- 3 Tablespoons butter divided
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Splash of dry white wine optional
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Dash salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Set aside.
- Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a large oven-proof skillet (a Le Creuset Dutch Oven works well or a RockCrok or cast iron skillet) over medium high heat.
- Add the chicken and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set chicken aside on separate plate.
- While the chicken is resting, return back to the same skillet and melt remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook stirring frequently about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken broth, splash of dry white wine, lemon juice and thyme.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat and let the sauce reduce and thicken.
- Continue to cook the sauce about 5-7 minutes so the sauce becomes thicker. You don't want the sauce to become too runny!
- Add the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, turn temperature down and cook for a minute or two.
- Add in the spinach and simmer until the spinach has wilted and the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Once your sauce is to the desired thickness, return the chicken to the skillet.
- Place in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- Remove the dish and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
However, one reader noted: For those who are having trouble getting the sauce to reduce (thicken) try adding the lemon juice first over medium heat. Once it looks like it's about to disappear completely, add in COLD cream, whisking the entire time over low heat. Then add chunks of cold butter, 3 at a time, so as to not cool the sauce too fast. Once the sauce can coat the back of a spoon, then add your chicken broth, thyme, spinach, parm, etc.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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Kelly says
Could you make this in a slow cooker?
Teresa says
I just made this AMAZING!!! Served it over mashed potatoes. Will make again an often, so flavorful!
Rachael says
Thanks Teresa, I am so glad you like it!
Denise says
Hi, Very tasty. I used the cream off the coconut milk instead of cream. Definitely will be added to my list of “best dishes”
Rachael says
Thank you, so glad you liked it and that sounds like a fantastic swap. Yum!
Amanda says
This recipe is AMAZING. I don’t really like following exact directions but I did a version of this (I kept it in a stove top pan, seasoned differently and used different amounts of wine, thyme, lemon, etc,) but I would have never even done that flavor combo if it weren’t for this recipe! My family LOVED it.
Amanda says
Served it with Brussels sprouts and brown rice 🙂
Five stars!
Sarah says
Sadly my oven is broken! Is there anyway I can cook the chicken thoroughly without having to bake it? Also, would thighs work for this recipe?
Rachael says
You could try simmering it on the stove top, I have not made it that way so I do not know how long to say, but if you use a meat thermometer you could cook until the internal temp reaches 165, and in that case it would not matter if you used breasts, thighs, etc.
Denise says
Where might I find the nutritional info for this recipe?
Shara says
Do you know the nutritional information for this recipe? Calories, Fat, Carbs, Fiber, Protein?
Chris says
What is the approximate weight of the chicken breasts used?
Jessica says
Absolutely delicious
Debbie says
This is delicious! I sliced the chicken
Breast and fanned it out then placed on top of buttered garlic linguine and spooned the creamy lemony butter sauce on top of the chicken! Counldn’t get enough!
Rachael says
Oh man, that sounds amazing, now I want to make it for dinner and serve it the same way. Thanks for sharing.
alexis says
Hi, is this dish still good when reheated? I am thinking about meal prepping this.
Rachael says
It is. Some people do not like chicken reheated, but it does not bother me.
morgan says
I usually despise leftovers and I especially hate the way meat tastes reheated, but I can tolerate dishes that are covered in some kind of sauce or soup dishes. I made this last night for dinner (delicious) and then reheated a serving for lunch today. No weird chicken taste at all and just as tasty as yesterday. I always reheat my leftovers in the microwave with a wet paper towel over the top. It makes it taste better in my opinion.
Rachael says
Morgan, thanks for answering! And what a great tip with the wet paper towel, I will have to try it.
morgan says
I usually don’t like trying recipes from blogs because a lot of people like to comment and give recipes a 5 star review based on the photo without actually trying it first and sometimes the recipes are gross. Not the case with this lemon butter chicken – IT IS DELICIOUS. This is my favorite recipe I’ve tried since I’ve been on a low carb diet and I have tried a lot. I will be making this dish frequently. The sauce didn’t really thicken up, even with the tips provided, but it was still amazing ladled over some zoodles. Someone with a diet that allows for a few carbs could thicken it up with flour, no problem.
Rachael says
Morgan, thanks for the feedback! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, and I am so glad it works for the low carb life. That sauce is problematic for so many dang it. Thanks!
Erin says
This recipe was delicious. My kids are picky eaters and they all loved it! My sauce wasn’t thickening at first so I added a little more Parmesan cheese to it and then it thickened perfectly! Thanks for the wonderful new addition to dinner rotation!
Rachael says
Erin, I am so glad you guys enjoyed it! And thanks for the thickening tip.