Description
Creamy Lemon Pepper Skillet Chicken is a quick, flavorful, and comforting dinner featuring tender chicken breasts cooked in a rich, velvety lemon pepper sauce. This one-pan dish combines zesty lemon, aromatic garlic, and creamy heavy cream for a perfect weeknight meal that’s easy to prepare yet impressive enough to serve guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1–2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts generously with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon zest to enhance flavor.
- Sear the Chicken: In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 5 minutes per side until golden brown and almost cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: Reduce heat to medium, add minced garlic to the same skillet and sauté until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, whisking until sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
- Combine and Simmer: Return chicken to the skillet, coat with the creamy lemon pepper sauce, and let simmer gently for a few minutes until chicken is fully cooked and flavors meld.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the chicken for color and freshness. Serve immediately with preferred sides.
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the pan to ensure a golden-brown crust.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the brightest flavor.
- If sauce is too thick, add chicken broth or water to loosen it.
- Let chicken rest a few minutes after cooking for juicier results.
- Grate Parmesan cheese fresh for best taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
Keywords: lemon pepper chicken, creamy chicken skillet, easy chicken dinner, one-pan chicken recipe, weeknight chicken
