Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe

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In 30 minutes or less, you can have this creamy lemon chicken recipe on the table. Pan-seared chicken is tossed in a decadent, lemony white wine sauce with fresh spinach. It’s a delicious one-skillet dinner that will be a weeknight go-to and a family favorite.

This bright and lemony dinner is one of our family favorites. It’s a one-skillet meal that is on the table in 30 minutes or less. And that, my friend, is a win any night of the week.

I like to serve it with a simple salad and either sourdough brioche rolls or fresh-milled dinner rolls.

If you are like me and always need dinner on the table in a hurry, check out my other 30-minute meals, like my cheeseburger pasta recipe and gnocchi with sage cream sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Light & Rich Flavors: The bright lemon and a silky cream sauce create a balanced flavor that is both fresh and comforting.

Easy: This recipe takes about 30 minutes to make and uses simple ingredients.

Versatile: Serve it with pasta, rice, freeze-dried mashed potatoes, or crusty sourdough bread to soak up the creamy sauce.

Weeknight Favorite: It is quick enough for busy nights but flavorful enough to feel like a special dinner.

Key Ingredients

Chicken: Either chicken breast or chicken thighs will work.

Lemons: You will need fresh lemons for this recipe. You can also use bottled lemon juice in a pinch.

Cream: I recommend using heavy cream in this recipe. Lower-fat alternatives can work, but they don’t offer as much flavor.

Wine: Use a dry white wine. I usually use sauvignon blanc.

Parmesan: I prefer to shred my own Parmesan, but you can use preshredded or even grated.

Spinach: I used fresh spinach. Frozen will work, but be sure to thaw it and squeeze out the excess liquid.

Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.

How To Make Creamy Lemon Chicken

1. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Allow the chicken to rest on a plate while you prepare the skillet.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken, and cook for another 4-5 minutes. When the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (165° F), transfer it to a plate and set it aside. Sprinkle the hot chicken with a little salt to taste.
3. If your skillet is very hot, turn down the heat. Deglaze the pan with a little of the white wine. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to release all that flavor.
4. Add the garlic, and cook until aromatic. About 1 minute. Avoid burning the garlic.
5. In the skillet, add the cream, remaining wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is heated through and begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Add in the spinach, and stir. Cook just until the spinach begins to wilt. You want the spinach to remain bright green.
7. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet.
8. Garnish with lemon slices if you are feeling fancy! (lemon slices are optional, but feeling fancy is mandatory!).

Tips for Success

• If you don’t keep wine on hand or won’t get through the bottle, use a wine split instead. One split is ideal for this recipe.
• Deglaze the pan before adding the garlic. Not only does deglazing add flavor to your dish, but it can also cool off the pan a little so you can add the garlic without burning it.
• The chicken should be cooked through before removing it from the pan and making the sauce. If not, you would have to finish cooking it in the sauce and spinach, which will make the spinach mushy.
• Don’t overcook the spinach. The residual heat will finish cooking the spinach without overdoing it.

Serving Suggestions

Toasted Sourdough: A thick slice of sourdough toast is delicious with creamy lemon chicken.

Orzo or Pasta: Lemon chicken and orzo is a classic combo. It’s also delicious over spaghetti noodles or your favorite pasta.

Rice and Grains: I often serve this with Instant Pot freezer rice or slow cooker wheat berries.

Broccoli – A side of broccoli is not only delicious with creamy lemon chicken, but it also steps up the nutrition.

Storing

• Let the chicken cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
• Warm leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of chicken broth (I like home-canned chicken broth) or cream to loosen it.
• The chicken is best served fresh, but the leftovers will still be yummy!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe FAQs

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