Description
This Creamy Lemon Chicken with Parmesan Sauce is a delightful and quick skillet-cooked dish featuring tender chicken breasts bathed in a luscious, tangy Parmesan cream sauce infused with fresh lemon juice and zest. Perfect for weeknight dinners, this recipe combines simple ingredients to create a flavorful, comforting meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Juice of 1 fresh lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken breasts until golden brown and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside, keeping the juices in the pan.
- Make the Parmesan Cream Sauce: Reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds. Pour in the heavy cream, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Add fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and grated Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens slightly and the cheese melts smoothly.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the cooked chicken breasts to the pan, spoon the sauce over each piece generously. Let everything simmer together for 2-3 minutes to meld flavors and allow the chicken to absorb the sauce for extra tenderness and juiciness.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken for a pop of color and fresh flavor. Serve immediately while the sauce is creamy and warm.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce, but it will be less rich.
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken in lemon juice and garlic for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Serve over pasta, rice, or with steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently to preserve the creamy sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
