Creamy Lemon Chicken Skillet

Bright, velvety, restaurant-style flavor in one pan

This Creamy Lemon Chicken Skillet is the perfect balance of rich, velvety comfort and refreshing lemon brightness. Tender pan-seared chicken simmers in a silky garlic-lemon cream sauce, giving you an easy healthy recipe that works beautifully as a cozy fall dinner idea. With simple ingredients and one-pan cooking, this dish delivers impressive flavor with minimal effort ideal for busy nights or relaxed weekend cooking.

⏱️ Time Breakdown

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 4

📝 Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 2 lbs total, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 small lemon, thinly sliced

✨ Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress free.

• Large skillet
• Tongs
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wooden spoon or spatula

Step by Step Beginner Friendly Instructions

1. Pat chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken (in batches if needed) and sear 6 to 7 minutes per side until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate. 🔥
3. Reduce heat to medium and melt the butter. Add shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook 1 minute until softened.
4. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir to coat. Cook 1 minute more.
5. Pour in half-and-half (or milk) and chicken broth, whisking until smooth and scraping up browned bits from the skillet.
6. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Return chicken to the pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens. 😍
7. Stir in the lemon juice, then garnish with parsley and lemon slices.
8. Serve immediately with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread. 🌿

💡 Pro Tips

• Pounding the chicken creates even cooking and better browning.
• Use half-and-half for a richer, silkier sauce.
• Add spinach during the last few minutes for extra freshness.
• Adjust lemon juice to taste for extra brightness.
• Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce.

📊 Nutrition Table (Estimated)

🍽️ Conclusion

This Creamy Lemon Chicken Skillet is cozy, fresh, and full of bright flavor. With its silky lemon sauce and perfectly seared chicken, it’s a dish that feels special while staying wonderfully simple. Add it to your weekly rotation and enjoy every creamy, citrusy bite!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Skillet

This Creamy Lemon Chicken Skillet features tender, pan-seared chicken in a silky garlic-lemon cream sauce, perfect for a cozy dinner with minimal effort.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 430 kcal

Ingredients

  

Main ingredients

• 4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 2 lbs total, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 small lemon, thinly sliced

Instructions

 

Preparation

• Pat chicken dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

Cooking

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken (in batches if needed) and sear 6 to 7 minutes per side until deeply golden. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium and melt the butter. Add shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook 1 minute until softened.
• Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir to coat. Cook 1 minute more.
• Pour in half-and-half (or milk) and chicken broth, whisking until smooth and scraping up browned bits from the skillet.
• Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Return chicken to the pan and cook 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Stir in the lemon juice, then garnish with parsley and lemon slices.
• Serve immediately with pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.

Notes

Pounding the chicken creates even cooking and better browning. Use half-and-half for a richer, silkier sauce. Add spinach during the last few minutes for extra freshness. Adjust lemon juice to taste for extra brightness. Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce.

Keyword Comfort Food, Creamy Chicken, Easy Dinner, Lemon Chicken, Skillet Recipes