This Creamy Skillet Lemon Chicken is an easy one-pan dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Tender, golden chicken is coated in a rich, buttery lemon sauce made extra creamy with cream cheese. The bright citrus flavor paired with the smooth, tangy sauce creates a comforting meal that’s simple enough for any night of the week yet delicious enough to serve to guests.
If you’re a fan of lemon and chicken together, this recipe is sure to become a favorite. The chicken develops a beautiful golden crust while staying juicy and tender inside. Instead of using heavy cream, cream cheese gives the sauce a velvety texture with a slight tang that makes every bite even more flavorful.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Skillet Lemon Chicken
- Quick and Easy: With just a handful of everyday ingredients and very little prep work, this recipe comes together quickly, making it ideal for hectic evenings when you still want a homemade meal.
- Rich and Comforting: The fresh lemon adds brightness while the creamy butter sauce brings plenty of cozy comfort. It’s the kind of sauce you’ll want to drizzle over everything on your plate.
- Perfect with Your Favorite Sides: This versatile chicken pairs well with just about anything. Serve it with a crisp green salad, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, rice, pasta, crusty bread, or homemade yeast-free dinner rolls for a complete meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: Use thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ideally no more than ½ inch thick. Many grocery stores sell thin-cut chicken breasts, but if yours are thick, simply slice them horizontally into thinner pieces.
- Seasonings: A simple combination of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder is all you need. If you’d like a little extra flavor, you can also add paprika or Italian seasoning.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil works best for searing the chicken and adds a nice depth of flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth helps create the sauce and allows you to adjust the consistency. Chicken stock also works well, and you can replace part of the broth with dry white wine for an even richer sauce.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the sauce its best flavor. Cooking it briefly in butter releases its wonderful aroma.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is recommended, but salted butter can be used if that’s what you have available.
- Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese melts more smoothly and creates the richest, creamiest sauce.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the sauce its vibrant flavor. Garnish with fresh lemon zest or lemon slices for even more citrus goodness.
- Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley is optional but adds a nice burst of color. Fresh basil is another delicious option.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and season both sides generously with salt, black pepper, and garlic.
Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. A 12-inch skillet works well, giving the chicken enough space to cook evenly. Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil and let it heat until it shimmers.
Step 3: Place the seasoned chicken in the hot skillet and cook without moving it for 4 to 5 minutes. When the chicken releases easily from the pan, it’s ready to flip.
Step 4: Turn the chicken over and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Continue cooking until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F using an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely cover it with foil to keep it warm.
Step 5: Reduce the heat to medium. Pour about 2/3 cup of the chicken broth into the skillet, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen all the flavorful browned bits.
Step 6: Add the butter and let it melt. Once it begins to bubble gently, stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 7: Add the cream cheese, whisking continuously as it melts into the broth. If the mixture looks slightly lumpy at first, don’t worry—it will become smooth as the cream cheese fully melts.
Step 8: Stir in a little more chicken broth if you prefer a thinner sauce. Once the sauce is smooth, remove the skillet from the heat and mix in the fresh lemon juice.
Step 9: Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the creamy sauce over the top. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
Heat the Pan Well: A properly heated skillet is key to achieving a beautiful golden crust on the chicken. Let both the pan and the oil heat fully before adding the meat.
Choose Full-Fat Cream Cheese: It melts more smoothly and is less likely to separate during cooking, giving you the creamiest sauce possible.
Keep the Chicken Thin: Thin chicken breasts cook evenly and stay juicy. Pieces thicker than ½ inch will require additional cooking time.
Storage:
Store leftover chicken and sauce in a shallow airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keeping the chicken nestled in the sauce helps it stay moist.
To reheat, warm it gently in the microwave or bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Creamy Skillet Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 thin chicken breasts approx. 1 ½ lbs.
- ½ tsp sea salt pepper and garlic powder, to season chicken, more or less as desired
- 1 T olive oil
- ⅔-1 c chicken broth
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 T butter
- 3 oz. Cream cheese
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ c lemon juice
- Chopped parsley lemon zest, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with salt, black pepper, and garlic. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and let it warm for a few seconds.
- Place the seasoned chicken into the hot skillet and cook without moving it for 4–5 minutes. When the chicken naturally releases from the pan, flip it over and cook for another 4–5 minutes. Continue cooking until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely cover it with foil to keep it warm.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in 2/3 cup chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen all the flavorful browned bits. Add the butter and let it melt. Once it begins to gently bubble, stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the cream cheese and whisk continuously until it melts into a smooth, creamy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, gradually stir in a little more chicken broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the creamy sauce over the top, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- Heat the Pan Well: A properly heated skillet is key to achieving a beautiful golden crust on the chicken. Let both the pan and the oil heat fully before adding the meat.
- Choose Full-Fat Cream Cheese: It melts more smoothly and is less likely to separate during cooking, giving you the creamiest sauce possible.
- Keep the Chicken Thin: Thin chicken breasts cook evenly and stay juicy. Pieces thicker than ½ inch will require additional cooking time.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken and sauce in a shallow airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keeping the chicken nestled in the sauce helps it stay moist. To reheat, warm it gently in the microwave or bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 429kcal,
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Protein: 51g
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Cholesterol: 181mg
- Sodium: 392mg
- Potassium: 942mg
- Fiber: 0.1g
- Sugar: 1g
- Vitamin A: 531IU
- Vitamin C: 9mg
- Calcium: 41mg
- Iron: 1mg
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