Creamy Lemon Chicken, a delicious dinner recipe that features moist and tender chicken breasts cooked in a lemon cream sauce. It's an easy dish that is ready in just over 30 minutes, and it's a big hit with the whole family.
Inspired by Mary Berry's Chicken with Lemon and Asparagus, these creamy lemon chicken breasts make an absolutely fantastic dinner idea, and that without spending a fortune on expensive ingredients.
Chicken breast recipes can be rather bland and dry, but cooked the right way, they are the very best dishes that can be served for you family. The creamy lemon sauce keeps the chicken breasts wonderfully moist and succulent, without overpowering the dish.
I have an entire category of Chicken Recipes that I cook again and again - it's an easy and quick option, and it's usually a failproof dinner for kids who find chicken a way nicer meat option.
The only recipes I have for whole chicken breasts, rather than chopped up in a dish are my Creamy Tuscan Chicken, Chicken and Gravy, Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Breast with Lemon and Juicy Baked Chicken Breast, although they are both baked. But this chicken lemon dish is an absolute revelation, I am sure you will like it too!
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Ingredients needed to make creamy lemon chicken
- chicken breasts - best if they are similar size, so they can cook at the same time
- butter & olive oil - used together to fry the onions in
- onions - either yellow or red onion, or shallots
- flour - plain flour is all we need
- chicken stock/broth - for extra flavour
- creme fraiche - sour cream can work too
- lemon - I prefer using fresh lemons rather than bottled lemon juice
- salt &Â black pepper - to taste
- chopped parsley - to garnish
Variations
This dish is super simple to make, and I love the flavours. Ingredients can be swapped to cater for all tastes and budgets though.
If you don't have any creme fraiche, you can use double cream/heavy cream, although the creme fraiche has a slightly sour touch, so when you swap it for double cream, you loose that freshness.
Onions can be swapped for shallots, which have a milder taste than onions. You can add some greens to the dish too to cook at the same time, instead of serving them on the side: spinach, chopped asparagus, green beans or kale could be a good addition here. Do give it a go!
Step-by-step photos and instructions
For this recipe the chicken breasts are seared first for more flavour and a lovely golden brown colour.
- in a large pot, add the oil and butter, and allow it to melt
- season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then sear on both sides until golden brown - the chicken is not cooked through at this stage, it will cook further with the sauce
- remove from the pan and set aside
- in the same pan, add more butter, then the chopped onions
- fry the onions on a medium heat until they are golden
- return the chicken breasts to the pan, add the garlic, stock and flour, and cook with the lid on for 20 minutes until the chicken breasts are cooked though
- add the creme fraiche, lemon zest, check if the sauce needs any more seasoning, then garnish with fresh parsley
What to serve with lemon chicken
To me, meat and gravy or sauce go hand in hand with mashed potatoes and greens. There is something so comforting about it, and it goes wonderfully well in any season, not just Winter when we are looking at soothing dishes to keep us going.
Asparagus is in season at this time of the year, so it makes an obvious choice. Either oiled or roasted, asparagus not only gives a lovely splash of colour, but it also ups the nutritional value.
Other greens that go well here are peas, green beans, broccoli, broad beans. You could also go for frozen mixed vegetables, they are a handy mix to have around.
While mash is my first option, this chicken dish could also be served with rice, bulgur wheat, couscous, quinoa or orzo, it's entirely up to you. Do give it a go!
Expert tips
Make sure the creme fraiche is at room temperature before adding it to the pan, otherwise it might curdle. To add it to the pan, get a few tablespoons of the sauce, mix it with the cream, before adding everything back to the pan.
In this way, the cream is at the same temperature with the sauce, and it will make the sauce smoother, rather then with curdle bits around.
Other chicken breast recipes
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Creamy Lemon Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 50 g butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock/broth
- ½ cup creme fraiche
- 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a large pan, heat up the oil, add half of the butter and allow it to melt.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and sear them on both sides until golden.
- Remove them from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt the remaining butter, add the peeled and chopped onions and fry until golden.
- Return the chicken to the pan.
- Add the flour to a ramekin together with 2 tablespoons of water, and mix well to have a lump-free mixture, then pour it over the chicken together with the chicken stock/broth.
- Cook the chicken with the lid on for 20 minutes until it's cooked through.
- Add the creme fraiche, lemon juice and zest, and mix well to get a smooth sauce.
- Check if it needs any more seasoning, then garnish with parsley.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and asparagus.
Notes
- If you don't have any creme fraiche, you can use double cream/heavy cream, although the creme fraiche has a slightly sour touch, so when you swap it for double cream, you loose that freshness. Make sure the creme fraiche is at room temperature before adding it to the pan, otherwise it might curdle.
- Onions can be swapped for shallots, which have a milder taste than onions. You can add some greens to the dish too to cook at the same time, instead of serving them on the side: spinach, chopped asparagus, green beans or kale could be a good addition here.Â
Nutrition
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Julie says
Hi, I am using this recipe today but I noticed you omitted how much lemon juice and zest...Do I presume I use the whole lemon?? It looks delicious and can't wait to try it this evening but will have it with rice...thank you!!
Daniela Apostol says
Hi! Thank you for your feedback, indeed, the recipe uses juice and zest from one whole lemon - you can start with half first, have a try and add more if needed. I hope you enjoy it!