Our Creamy Lemon Chicken is a low carb, decadent dish that cooks in just one skillet in about 20 minutes! Our lemon sauce for chicken is hard to resist and adds so much flavor!
Lately, I’ve just been obsessed with lemon.
I’ve even started putting lemon in my water, which seems like a normal thing that people to do, but it’s completely new for me. I had never been a lemon wedge kind of girl before the last couple of weeks.
On a hot day, it tastes refreshing and zippy. On a cold day, it reminds me of the summer sun.
This Creamy Lemon Chicken is definitely an all year round dish in my house. Cooking chicken in a lemon sauce is so simple, but gosh, it adds big flavor.
I love dinners like this – it’s naturally low carb, there are no funky ingredients or weird steps to cut out carbs, and pretty much everyone I’ve ever served this to has raved about it!
Let’s do this!
👩🍳Ingredient Notes:
Chicken – We’re using thin sliced chicken breasts, so that they’ll cook quickly and evenly. You can also pound out your chicken to an even thickness, rather than slicing them thin.
Creamy Sauce – Our lemon sauce for chicken is made up of that broth with some lemon juice, garlic, heavy cream, and butter.
- Start to finish in 22 minutes! You can’t beat that.
- This dish is naturally low carb – no funky swaps or tricky steps to eliminate carbs.
- You can serve this with a side of steamed veggies or over zucchini noodles, mashed cauliflower, or even pasta (for the carb eaters, of course).
How To Make Garlic Lemon Chicken:
- Chicken – You’ll want to start with thin-sliced chicken breasts. You can either purchase them already thinly sliced or you can butterfly regular chicken breasts yourself. Either works! I season my chicken with a bit of salt and pepper and then brown them in a skillet.
- Deglaze – Remove your chicken and deglaze the pan with some chicken stock or broth. Deglazing just means that you add liquid to the hot skillet you cooked your chicken in and whisk well to scrape all the browned bits up off the bottom of the pan. Don’t skip this step, because it adds a ton of flavor!
- Creamy Garlic Lemon Sauce – Squeeze in some lemon juice (fresh squeezed lemon is best!), add in the garlic, and bring to a boil. Let the liquid reduce by half over medium heat. Stir in some butter and cream to make the garlic lemon sauce rich, creamy, and oh so flavorful.
- Finish – Return your chicken to the pan and let it simmer in the garlic lemon sauce for a couple of minutes and sprinkle with fresh dill. We like to serve this creamy lemon chicken with steamed broccoli on the side, but my loaded cauliflower casserole is tasty too!
🍋
Our lemon sauce is so simple and only takes a few ingredients. It can be used over any chicken you like!
Try making this sauce and serve it over grilled or roasted chicken next time. It adds so much fresh, zippy flavor.
Make this lemon sauce for chicken exactly as directed here, starting with step 4 in the recipe. No need to deglaze the pan, since you’ll be starting with a clean pan.
❓ FAQs:
You can keep leftovers store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 2 to 3 days. You can reheat in the microwave or on the stove. The sauce should thin back out as it reheats. You can add a little extra cream or milk if it is too thick.
If it seems like the creamy garlic lemon sauce is too runny and not thick enough, you probably just need to give it longer to reduce. The longer it cooks the more it will reduce and thicken!
I haven’t tried it with this recipe but I see no reason why boneless chicken thighs wouldn’t also work!
I’ve only tried this with the cream but some readers have commented that almond milk and coconut milk work too, though it may not be as thick or creamy.
🍽 More Low Carb Chicken Recipes:
Spinach Stuffed Chicken: This one was an instant hit here on the blog and for good reason! It’s easy, healthy, and full of goodness.
Slow Cooker Chicken Wings: These wings start in the slow cooker and then crisp up under the broiler. Easy!!
Air Fryer Chicken Breast: The perfect way to make some fried (low carb) chicken! The air fryer makes everything easy.
Low Carb Taco Soup: This recipe includes instructions for pressure cooking and slow cooking.
Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice: This is one that my kiddos love for a quick lunch. I start with shredded cooked chicken and the whole thing comes together so quickly!
Creamy Lemon Chicken with Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 pound thin sliced chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon dill
Instructions
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until browned on each side and cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the chicken broth, to the pan and whisk to deglaze the pan. Add the lemon juice and garlic to the pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Allow chicken stock to reduce by half, about 10 minutes.
- Whisk the butter and cream into the chicken stock until butter has melted and mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Return chicken to the skillet and sprinkle with fresh dill. Cook for 1 minute to rewarm the chicken.
- Serve immediately.
Maggie says
This is so simple to make and absolutely delicious! It definitely will be a meal that I will make often. Thanks for this recipe!
Carol says
Absolutely delicious! I have made this many times. I have also made this with pork chops and never have any leftovers.
Karly Campbell says
So glad to hear that!
Alice says
LoVe this!!!! Making it again tonight!! I like to double the sauce because it’s that good!!! Thanks for sharing this yummy gem
Karly Campbell says
Thanks, Alice! So glad you enjoy it!
Jacinta says
I made this ladt week & it is the best. I didn’t think something with very few ingredients could taste so good. I am making it again tonight. Thank you
Karly Campbell says
So glad you gave it a try! 🙂
Monica says
My husband refuses to eat chicken… but this is always gone at the end of dinner. This is now a family favorite, we make it at least once a month in our house!! Thank you!
Karly Campbell says
So glad that you all enjoy it!
Amanda says
Really excited to make this! Have you ever made the sauce and then cooked the chicken in the sauce either on stove, oven or crockpot? Curious how that would be if you’ve tried it – thanks!!
Karly Campbell says
Hi Amanda! I haven’t tried that. There isn’t a ton of sauce after it reduces down, so I’m not sure it would change the dish a whole lot to cook the chicken in it.
Brooke E says
Hi! I was wondering what your best recommendation is to make the sauce on its own? I made the meal last night and wish I had more sauce for my leftovers. Great recipe!
Karly Campbell says
Hi Brooke! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! I’d just start with step 4 of the recipe and proceed from there. You could even reheat your leftovers in the sauce. 🙂
Bridget says
My husband loved this! He doesn’t like dill so I sautéed the chicken with salt, pepper, and thyme instead. Also added more broth for the sauce. Great flavor! Served it with rice for him and riced cauliflower for me. Yum!
Karly Campbell says
Oh, I bet it was great with the thyme! Thanks for sharing!
Tiana says
Best lemon garlic chicken dish i ever made, thankyou
Karly Campbell says
Thanks, Tiana!
Aly says
This was SO GOOD!
Heather Brown says
Why does it say for step 4 add the chicken stock to the pan but there is no chicken stock in the ingredients?
Karly Campbell says
That should say chicken broth. 🙂
Debbie James says
I only have half and half. Can I use that instead of heavy cream?
Karly Campbell says
I’m sure that will work, though the sauce will be thinner.
Kristi says
I want to make this sauce for traditional chicken wings, can I make this sauce straight in the pan without chicken grease? Just add broth to pan and start from there? Then add my wings in last? Thanks so much for the recipe, can’t wait to taste the sauce!
Karly Campbell says
I think that would work fine, though I have I haven’t tried it. 🙂
Cyndie says
any advice on this recipe using tofu instead of chicken? my step kids are vegetarians
Karly Campbell says
No, I’m sorry. I don’t have any experience working with tofu.
Monica says
Prepare your tofu however you like – I tend to pan fry to brown. Then follow the recipe as is. Garlic, lemon, veg broth, and dill. I used dairy free butter and milk substitutes and it worked fine. I used a little cornstarch and water to thicken at the end. I served it on the side so the chicken and tofu eaters could both use it. It was good on the veggies too!
Mrs Maureen says
Could I use dried dill
Karly Campbell says
Yes, but use half the amount. 🙂
Shawn M. says
I’m thinking about trying this recipe, and using the excess sauce to make a type of alfredo sauce for pasta. Any recommendations on this idea?
Karly Campbell says
Sounds good to me! I haven’t tried it, so I have no recommendations. 🙂
Viginia says
My husband bought chicken thighs. I think they would be good in this recipe also. But I do prefer breasts myself. I plan to double the sauce part because I know I will Love it. If I want to thicken the sauce what do You suggest since I am on the Keto program??? I love lemon chicken.
Karly Campbell says
I just let the sauce cook down a bit to thicken it. I think it’ll be great with thighs. 🙂
Eve says
It was delicious. Thank you!
Karly Campbell says
Thanks, Eve!
April says
Keto or not, this was one of the best recipes I’ve ever made! The sauce was soooo tasty and good! Thank you for posting!
Karly Campbell says
Thanks, April!
Carolyn J green says
Could I leave out the dill. I’m out
Karly Campbell says
Yes, you can. I’d probably replace it with parsley, if you have that on hand.
Amber says
Gonna try this tonight. Thanks for the recipe!
Karly Campbell says
Hope you love it!
Tara says
This is a very tasty dish. Great for busy weeknights!!
May says
What kind of cream you use ?
Karly Campbell says
Heavy cream that you would use to make whipped cream.
Kerry says
Our family loves this so much. I stumbled upon it by accident and I am so glad I did 🙂
Karly Campbell says
So glad you enjoy the recipe!