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GET IT NOWThis creamy lemon chicken is one of my favorite dinners for those times when the weather can’t decide if it’s going to be warm or cool. The bright lemon flavor screams spring, but it’s still warm, cheesy, and comforting for cooler days. I also love it in the summer because I don’t have to turn on the oven. And if you need another reason to whip up this lemon parmesan chicken, I have 4 more reasons below. Make it with me!
Why You Need My Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe
- Juicy, tender chicken in tangy, creamy sauce – The sauce is what takes this creamy lemon chicken from plain pan seared chicken breast to something special. It’s rich and silky, but the tangy flavor gives it a lighter vibe too. If you like chicken piccata or garlic butter chicken but also enjoy cream sauces like I do, you’ll love this one.
- Quick and easy – This dish takes all of 20 minutes to make, all in one pan, with simple staples you might already have in your fridge and pantry.
- Clean ingredients, with no thickeners – I’m big on fresh simple ingredients, so unlike many other recipes, my lemon parmesan chicken doesn’t have any flour or other starch. Instead, it’s thickened naturally with cheese.
- Versatile for any occasion – Yes, you might notice I make meal like this a lot! This one looks like it came from a restaurant, so it’s totally worthy of your date night, but the simplicity makes it check all my weeknight boxes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the ingredients for my lemon parmesan chicken, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Chicken:
- Chicken Breasts – Choose cuts similar in size so they cook at the same rate. Mine were about 8 ounces each. You could also make creamy lemon chicken thighs or even chicken tenderloins instead — just keep in mind cook time can vary.
- Basics – Salt and pepper for seasoning, and olive oil for searing. Avocado oil works, too.
Lemon Parmesan Sauce:
- Chicken Broth & Heavy Cream – These combine to make the base of the sauce. You can substitute coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk for less dairy, but this lemon parmesan chicken still has dairy from the cheese.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – A.k.a. my natural thickener and flavor booster in one! I use the refrigerated ones over the shelf-stable kind in a plastic can, because it melts more smoothly. You can grate it yourself, too. Other hard cheeses, like Romano or Asiago, work as well.
- Lemon Juice – For that bright flavor. I recommend freshly squeezed. Feel free to throw in lemon zest too for extra lemony-ness.
- Garlic – Mince your own, or get it jarred to save time.
- Flavor Boosters – Minced garlic is non-negotiable in my book. Italian seasoning is optional, but I think it adds wonderful flavor to this creamy lemon chicken.
How To Make Lemon Parmesan Chicken
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Saute the chicken. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Sear in a hot cast iron pan on both sides, until browned and nearly done. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.
- Make the sauce base. Add the minced garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant. Add the broth, cream, and Italian seasoning. Simmer for a couple minutes.
- Thicken with cheese. Reduce the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, until melted and smooth. Stir in lemon juice.
- Bring it all together. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over it. Simmer your creamy lemon chicken until completely cooked through. I like to garnish with parsley and lemon slices for a pop of color — you can opt for lemon wedges instead if you want a squeeze on top!
My Recipe Tips
- Pat the chicken dry for a better sear. Just use a paper towel before seasoning. Counterintuitively, this also locks moisture inside during cooking.
- Your pan will affect how this dish cooks. I use and love this enameled cast iron braiser, which is large enough to fit all the chicken in a single layer, gets me a nice sear, and cooks everything fast. Nonstick pans might need higher heat for the searing step, and longer time for the simmering step.
- Be careful not to overcook. Sauce helps to keep it from being dry, but nothing can fully save overcooked chicken ! I aim for 160 degrees F during the searing step, and it gets fully done when you simmer the chicken in creamy lemon sauce at the end.
- Turn down the heat if needed. I always start at medium-high to get that golden sear on the chicken, but if it’s dark enough and not cooked enough inside, you can lower the heat to finish.
- Scrape the bottom of the pan after adding the liquid. This is called deglazing, and it releases yummy browned bits from the bottom of the pan into your sauce for more flavor.
- How to thicken the sauce more: If your creamy lemon chicken sauce turned out thinner than you like, you can easily thicken it by adding more parmesan. Or sometimes I just simmer it for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly, until the bubbles take a little longer to pop. Just keep in mind that it thickens more as it cools from hot to warm (melted cheese and all!). I’ve ended up with it too thick by accident, so be careful.
Serving Ideas
This creamy lemon chicken recipe can go with just about anything, but to me it screams “spring dish”, so I love it with light and fresh spring sides:
- Veggies – I prefer something in the oven, so my side dish can roast while I cook the lemon parmesan chicken on the stove. My faves with this dish are roasted asparagus, garlicky roasted green beans, or roasted artichokes. You can also make parmesan brussels sprouts or bacon wrapped asparagus if you want to get fancy without the effort.
- Salads – Try my Greek salad, antipasto salad, or avocado Caprese salad.
- Starches – I highly recommend a base to enjoy every last bit of this creamy lemon sauce. You can go basic with oven roasted potatoes or rice, or keep it lighter with mashed cauliflower or zucchini noodles.
Creamy Lemon Chicken (20 Minutes)
My creamy lemon chicken with parmesan is light, bright, and cheesy all at the same time. It's an easy dinner that takes just 20 minutes!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
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Heat olive oil in a large cast iron pan (I like this enameled cast iron one) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear for 4-8 minutes per side, without moving, until browned and almost done (internal temperature should reach 160 degrees F). Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
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Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the pan. Saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
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Add the chicken broth, cream, and Italian seasoning, if using. Simmer for 2 minutes.
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Reduce heat to low. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese, until it melts into a smooth sauce.
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Stir in the lemon juice, and adjust amount to taste if desired.
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Return the chicken to the pan. Simmer the chicken in sauce for 1-2 minutes, until hot and completely cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F).
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help your chicken stay juicy, what to watch for with the sauce, and how to adjust the thickness.
- Store: Keep creamy lemon chicken in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish, because the cream sauce will separate.
- Reheat: I usually place the chicken back in a skillet, scrape the sauce over it, and heat gently over medium heat. Be careful not to let the heat get too high, or the sauce can separate.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Spring Ebook Bundle and my Healthy Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe
36 Comments
jersuerhodes
0I made this tonight after reading your email about things lemony. 🙂 We really liked it.
It was easy to put together and the flavors melded together so deliciously. Another winner, Maya!
Wholesome Yum D
0So glad you gave it a try and loved it! Lemony dishes are always such a good choice, and I’m happy this one came together easily and hit the spot. Another win!
Autumn McElhiney
0I had a question on the cheese. I made this on Sunday and everything was going smoothly, until the cheese. I couldn’t get it to melt! I ended up picking out the cheese. The recipe otherwise was delicious, but I’m not sure where I went wrong. I bought the fresh grated parm from the fridge cheese section.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Autumn, The most likely reason this happens is the heat is too high, or the pan is too hot. Turn down the heat more next time, or you could even turn it off for a bit before adding the cheese if the pan seems very hot. It could also be that you needed to keep stirring for longer to let it melt. Hope this helps for next time!
Diana
0Hi everyone, tonight I made the Creamy Lemon Chicken it was delicious and definitely a keeper with my picky husband! I followed the recipe exactly as it shows. Oh so delicious! Steamed some broccolini to go with it. 5 stars ?
Diana
Deb P.
0I’d like to make this for Sunday when I have family over. I’ll use 12 breasts. I’d like to make it the day before so I’m freed up the day of. Would it work to reheat it the day of? Any suggestions on how I could do that without over-cooking the chicken? Or, should I look for another recipe (any suggestions on a replacement recipe)?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Deb, This recipe is fine for leftovers at home, but personally I wouldn’t serve it reheated for company as a dinner. I would make a recipe that you can prep ahead and pop in the oven the day-of instead, such as my spinach stuffed chicken breast or ranch chicken. With both of those, you can complete all except the last baking step the day before, and just bake the last part the day-of. Hope this helps!
Deb P.
0Sound good. Thank you.
Terry
0This was soooo good! I made it tonight and my husband raved over it. I served it with the oven roasted cabbage wedges and a green salad. Put the sauce over the cabbage too. Hubby thought the cream sauce would be great over mashed potatoes, so I will make those next time. Mmmm!
jgrim2
0Oh my. I can’t say enough about this creamy lemon chicken recipe. It was yummy! I’ll make it again for company. I served it with a side of buttered noodles & the honey roasted carrots on this site.
Suzie
0This was delicious!! I need to be honest. I didn’t know that we were out of cream and low on fresh Parmesan. In a pinch, I used 1/2 a cup of almond milk and then added 1/4 cup of mozzarella to the parm to make 1/2 a cup of cheese. It wasn’t as creamy as it should be but with the seasoning, it was delicious. We absolutely loved it!
Wendy
0This is so amazing! I have made it several times now. I even learned the recipe so I do not need to look it up every time I make it!
Terri Joy
0Definitely a keeper! So easy! So delicious!
Deborah Clohessy
0Really enjoyed this recipe. It is easy to make and very delicious.
KK
0Yesss! I got compliments on this from the 3 adults I shared it with. Scooped up plenty of the sauce on top, and sided with roasted broccoli. Winner winner chicken dinner.
Joseph
0I thought in keto you’re supposed to have more fat intake than protein
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Joseph, A keto diet is usually Fat: 60% to 75%, Protein: 20% to 25% and Net Carbs: 5% to 10%. Hope this helps!
Kara Collins
0This was FANTASTIC and easy! I didn’t have any chicken broth so subbed water and it was still full of flavor. I used extra parmesan (because cheese) and a little lemon zest. Can’t wait to make it again, thank you!!
Susan
0This recipe sounds wonderful. But I would appreciate help in understanding how a recipe that is so high in protein would be considered keto. It has been my understanding that protein in excess of what one’s body needs is converted to glucose. As much protein as I need to function well, the amount in this recipe is about double what I would consider “normal” for my needs. Thank you for your help.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Susan, Have you calculated your macros? You will need more than 25-ish grams of protein to function. I have a macro calculator here. The concern about overeating protein is consuming large amounts on a regular basis, but it will not negatively affect you on a once in a while basis.
Hayley Dhanecha
0Loving all the spices and seasoning you have used in this recipe. I shared this recipe to my friend and she and her family enjoyed it.
Katie Crenshaw
0This turns out so flavorful and delicious! I am loving everything about this recipe!
Pat
0We loved this awesome little recipe! I used chicken tenders. Hubs, who claims to have NO appetite, ate more than expected. We had broccoli and cranberry relish for sides. (I freeze cranberries to make relish in July!)
Nancy
0This was delicious and very easy to make with ingredients I already had on hand. Perfect
Farrukh Aziz
0This chicken recipe with roasted veggies, the ultimate combo! The chicken was flavorful and perfect, and it was really easy to prepare! Thanks!
Natalie
0I love lemon and Parmesan and this chicken was no exception! It’s so moist and flavourful the whole family loved it!
AISilva
0My whole family loves any meal with lemon and this creamy lemon parmesan chicken is no exception. It was so flavourful and they all loved it. Can’t wait to make this again!
Amy
0This really was the quickest meal ever to make. The creamy lemon sauce in perfection!
Heidy
0I love all the beautiful flavors and textures! Thanks for the fantastic instructions, tips, and tricks. They made making this recipe a cinch! Have a fabulous day!
Nicoletta De Angelis
0Awesome recipe! That lemon flavor, so delicious!
Anaiah
0I loved all the flavors in this creamy lemon parmesan chicken. It didn’t take long to make at all and the whole family loved it!
Kristyn
0Thank you for sharing this recipe! It is delicious!! The sauce has great flavor!
veenaazmanov
0Cheese and Lemon are my favorite combination and this Chicken recipe sounds super yum and delicious. Perfect for my weekend cooking.
Heather
0I’m always looking for dinner recipes that ACTUALLY take less than 30 minutes, and this sounds perfect! I love creamy lemon anything, and I cannot wait to try this chicken dish with some crispy veggies. Yum!
Natalie
0What a wonderful, family-friendly meal!! Love the flavor! We will make it again for sure!
Natalie
0Absolutely delicious. I love the simplicity of this recipe and its flavors.