Creamy Parmesan Lemon Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken in a velvety lemon-Parmesan cream sauce with garlic and fresh herbs. Ready in 45 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Sauce
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 cup chicken broth
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
14 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
# How To Make It:
01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Lightly dredge each breast in flour, shaking off excess coating.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to plate and tent loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the same skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
05 - Stir in heavy cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Bring to gentle simmer, then whisk in Parmesan cheese until melted and sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
06 - Return chicken to skillet, spooning sauce generously over each piece. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until heated through. Garnish with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
- That lemon cut through the richness just enough to keep you coming back for another bite
02 -
- Do not let the garlic burn or it will turn bitter and ruin the sauce
- The sauce thickens as it stands off the heat, so remove it from the stove slightly earlier than you think
03 -
- Pound the chicken to even thickness before cooking for perfectly uniform results
- Keep the cream moving in the pan to prevent separating from the high heat