Lemon parmesan chicken is an easy, bright, and creamy one-pan recipe for chicken breasts smothered in a velvety lemon garlic sauce. It cooks in 30 minutes from start to finish!
I love weeknight chicken recipes like my creamy chicken lazone and chicken in white wine sauce that cook in a skillet with the BEST sauces. I can’t wait for you to try this one!
This lemon parmesan chicken is a rich and creamy skillet dinner that comes together in one pan in 30 minutes. It has lemon, garlic, and cream, slathered over juicy, pan-seared parmesan crusted chicken. The chicken is tender and crispy, while the lemon parmesan flavor is bright and zesty. I swear, the sauce is so good, you’ll want to slurp it right from the pan!
Reasons to Love This Lemon Parmesan Chicken
- One skillet. Cooking the chicken and sauce in the same pan builds so much flavor. Plus, there’s only one pan to clean afterward. Win-win!
- Flavorful. I love the contrast of sharp parmesan cheese, garlic, and bright, zingy lemon in the sauce. Crusting the chicken breast in parmesan creates a crispy layer, locking in all that flavor and juiciness.
- Versatile. With such a quick cooking time and easy clean-up, lemon parmesan chicken is one of those recipes that’s perfect for any occasion. Weeknight dinners, date nights, dinner parties with friends… juicy lemon parmesan chicken has you covered.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy lemon parmesan chicken. I’ve included notes below to help you customize the dish, so feel free to make it your own! Scroll down to the recipe card below the post for the printable recipe along with a step-by-step afterward.
- Chicken Breasts – I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can use thighs or bone-in chicken, whichever you prefer. You’ll want to pound the chicken to an even ½” thickness, as you would for chicken piccata or chicken paillard.
- Parmesan Cheese – Or pecorino cheese, Freshly grated.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, basil, and thyme. You can use fresh or dried herbs. If you’re using fresh, you’ll need about three times the amount.
- Lemon – You’ll need the zest and juice from ½-1 lemon. Zest the lemon before you juice it, and feel free to adjust the amount of lemon to taste.
- Olive Oil and Butter – You can use all of one or the other if needed.
- Garlic – Freshly minced.
- Chicken Broth – I like to cook with low-sodium chicken broth. Vegetable stock also works well.
- Heavy Cream – Or half-and-half. I don’t recommend milk or lower-fat alternatives as they tend to curdle at high temperatures.
- Parsley – Freshly chopped, along with lemon slices for garnish.
Tips and Variations
- Pound the chicken to an even thinness. I usually aim for about a half-inch thick. This way, the chicken sears and cooks evenly.
- Sear in a hot pan. Make sure to preheat the pan so that the chicken sizzles the second it touches the oil. If the pan isn’t hot enough, the chicken won’t get that lovely crispy crust outside as it cooks.
- Cook the chicken thoroughly. I recommend using an instant-read meat thermometer to check that the chicken is cooked. Chicken is done when the internal temperature reads 165ºF.
- Add veggies. After you cook the chicken and before you make the sauce, sauté veggies in the pan like mushrooms, sun-dried or fresh cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, and greens like spinach or kale.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Warm up the chicken in the sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s heated through.
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- 4 (about 1 pound, total) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded down to 1/2-inch thickness
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- zest of ½ lemon
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling over the chicken
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅔ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, (adjust to taste – you may want less or more)
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- lemon slices, for garnish, optional
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Mix the seasoning. In a mixing bowl combine 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, garlic powder, basil, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
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Coat the chicken. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over each chicken breast and rub the prepared seasoning all around the chicken. You can also put the seasoning in a shallow dish and dredge the chicken breasts in it.
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Preheat the pan. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add a tablespoon of olive oil and melt 1 tablespoon butter.
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Cook the chicken. Once melted, add the chicken and sear it until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, or until golden. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside and keep covered.
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Sauté the garlic. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Add garlic; lower heat to medium and cook for 20 seconds.
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Make the sauce. Whisk in the chicken broth, then the cream and remaining Parmesan cheese. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired, and stir until combined. Continue to cook for about 2 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk in the lemon juice and cook for 1 more minute.
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Put it all together. Return the chicken back to the pan; let simmer in the sauce for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from heat; garnish with lemon slices and parsley, and serve.
Serving: 6ounces | Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 515mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 1085IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Lemon Parmesan Chicken
Let’s make this delicious chicken with lemon parmesan sauce! I love my cast iron skillet, but any pan will work here. The steps are super quick and easy:
- Season the chicken. Start by combining grated parmesan with garlic powder, thyme, basil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Drizzle the chicken with oil and rub the seasoning all over. Another easy way to do this is to add the seasonings to a bowl and dredge the chicken in the mix.
- Cook the chicken. Next, heat oil and butter in a skillet. Sear the chicken for 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Afterward, move the chicken to a plate and keep it covered while you make the sauce.
- Make the sauce. In the same skillet, sauté the garlic in more melted butter. Whisk in the chicken broth, cream, and parmesan cheese. Let that cook for a couple of minutes so the sauce thickens, then stir in the lemon juice.
- Put it all together. Now, return the chicken to the skillet and let it simmer in the sauce for 2-3 minutes. When everything is heated through, garnish with parsley and lemon, and serve!
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