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–+ servings
A skillet filled with Creamy Lemon Chicken with freshly sliced lemon wedges and parsley.
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Creamy Lemon Chicken

This Lemon Chicken recipe has a Creamy, flavorful sauce with a hint of tang! BONUS: There is plenty of sauce in this recipe to pair this with pasta.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 557kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Lemon pepper seasoning see notes
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Sauce

  • ½ cup dry white wine like chardonnay or pinot grigio
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ¾ cup heavy cream at room temperature
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated. See notes.
  • 3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons cold salted butter Optional

For Serving

  • 3/4 lb. spaghetti optional

To Garnish

  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley roughly chopped
  • Freshly sliced lemon

Instructions

Cut, Pound, Dredge, and Sear the Chicken:

  • Slice the chicken in half to create 2 thinner slices. Place the chicken in a gallon freezer bag (or in between saran wrap) and use the textured side of a meat mallet to pound it to ½ inch thick.
  • Season with lemon pepper seasoning. You may also season with salt if desired, the Redmond Real Salt brand of lemon pepper seasoning that I use already contains sea salt.
  • Combine the flour, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder, on a large plate. Set aside.
  • Pat the chicken dry and dredge each side in the flour mixture. Tap off excess.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside and leave brown remnants in the pan.

Prepare the Sauce:

  • Add the wine and garlic. Set heat to medium. Bubble gently for about 4 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” any remaining brown flecks on the pan while the wine reduces and incorporate it into the liquid for more flavor.
  • Add the chicken broth, chicken bouillon, and mustard powder. Bring to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes or so, to thicken and concentrate the flavor. Reduce heat to low.
  • Add the heavy cream slowly, stirring continuously.
  • Stir in the lemon juice and slowly sprinkle in the Parmesan, stirring continuously, until combined. Add the chicken back and let the chicken warm through.
  • Optional: Swirl in 2 Tbsp. cold butter to give the sauce a smooth, velvety finish.

To Serve with Pasta:

  • Boil up to 3/4 lb. of spaghetti once the chicken is added back to the sauce. Drain.
  • Remove chicken and set on serving plates. Use kitchen tongs to add the spaghetti to the pot with the sauce until your desired sauce/pasta ratio is obtained. Toss to coat. (OR, serve this with my easy Buttered Noodles.)
  • Garnish with parsley and lemon slices and serve!

Notes

If your chicken breasts are small, consider using 4 instead of 2 for this recipe.
Pro Tips:
  • Parmesan Cheese: I use Belgioioso Parmesan cheese in this recipe and put 1 cup in the sauce. Some Parmesan cheese varieties may have a stronger taste, consider adding 1/2 cup at first, then add more if desired.
  • Use the meat tenderizer to create a textured surface on the chicken. This gives the breading something to cling onto, which also gives you a nice sear. Pounding the chicken also makes it more tender.
  • Chicken plumps up more when cooked so don't be afraid to pound it thin.
  • Fresh lemon juice is much more flavorful than bottled.
  • Use fresh garlic (vs. jarred) if possible.
  • Lemon Pepper Seasoning: Redmond Real Salt lemon pepper seasoning is my favorite brand for seasoning this chicken, it also contains sea salt and has a lot of great flavor.  (Use promo code ‘COZY‘ for 15% off!) Some brands (like McCormick) can be potent so be aware of that.
  • Capers and/or spinach can be added to the sauce at the end of cooking if desired.
  • 1/2 Cup chicken broth and 1 Tbsp. butter can be used instead of white wine if needed.
  • Be sure to serve this with my easy Roasted Asparagus!
  • This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 111!
Nutritional facts do not include the optional 3/4 lb. spaghetti.

Nutrition

Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 912mg | Potassium: 425mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1235IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 425mg | Iron: 2mg