Recipes Worth Repeating

Lemon Butter Chicken

| Chicken, Gluten Free, Meat & Poultry, Recipes

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This savory Lemon Butter Chicken is super easy to make and just over the top in taste! Full of flavor, every bite is unforgettable. The lemon cream sauce mixed with fresh garlic and Parmesan cheese pairs perfectly with the tender and juicy chicken. So savory…this dish will leave you coming back for more! Perfect for any weeknight dinner!

Black pan containing 3 Lemon Butter Chicken Breasts, crossed spoons and lemon slices on table.

Best. Chicken. Recipe. EVER!

Because we all need an easy and delicious recipe for those weeknights…

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This simple and crazy flavorful chicken dish is about to become a favorite in your house. I guarantee it! Gosh…I love a good chicken dish. I mean…who doesn’t? If you are anything like me though, you get in this rut of making the same chicken recipes over and over and over again. Well, sometimes you need to switch it up a bit and this recipe is the perfect one to try if you are tired of the same old chicken recipe!

Simple Ingredients

Let’s talk about the simple ingredients in this dish because we all need a little bit of simple.

  • Chicken Breasts
  • Garlic
  • Spinach
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Lemon
  • Fresh Cracked Pepper
  • Heavy cream
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Chicken Broth
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Thyme
  • Parsley
  • Wine (optional but soooo worth the splash!)

Ingredients for Lemon Butter Chicken containing pepper, garlic, Paprika and chicken breasts sitting on wooden table.

How To Make This Lemon Butter Chicken

First, you’re going to start off by seasoning the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and paprika.

Three chicken breasts sprinkled with smoked Paprika, salt and pepper in a black pan.

 

Next, add unsalted butter and sauté the chicken for about 2-3 minutes, on each side.

Three sauteed chicken breasts in a black pan.

When it’s finished sautéing, you’ll set the chicken aside on a plate so you can sauté the garlic and butter. Note – the chicken is NOT done at this point.

Chopped garlic and butter sauteing in a black pan.

 

When the garlic is sautéd, you’re ready to start making the sauce. You’re going to combine the sautéd garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and thyme. Oh – and don’t forget to add that splash of wine! So YUM!!

Now, you’re going to bring the sauce to a slow rolling boil.

Lemon butter cream sauce in a black pan containing thyme, Parmesan cheese and heavy cream.

 

Next, add the fresh spinach to the sauce.

Black pan containing lemon butter cream sauce with fresh spinach.

The spinach will start to wilt. Guys…be prepared! This step in the process smells SO GOOD! It’s mouthwatering!

Lemon Butter Cream sauce with spinach sauteing in a black pan.

 

Next step…your sauce is going to start slowly thickening. When the sauce slightly thickens, you’ll add the sautéd chicken into the sauce so you can bake everything in the oven to finish up the cooking process. And the paprika in this Lemon Butter Chicken recipe! Oh I just love the paprika in this dish. It really helps this chicken sauté beautifully and that flavor…AMAZING!

The sauteed garlic mixed with the juices of the chicken and other ingredients makes you want to eat it at this stage…but please don’t! It’s worth the wait, I promise!

3 breasts of lemon butter chicken sitting in a cream sauce, paprika on top.

Lastly, after the chicken bakes in the oven, your Lemon Butter Chicken is ready to eat! Look how savory this dish turns out! Super fast and easy to make, this dish is full of flavor and this chicken is crazy juicy!

What To Pair With Lemon Butter Chicken

This is your PERFECT weeknight dinner recipe and you want to pair this Lemon Butter Chicken with some amazing side dishes. I love pairing this dish with the following:

Black pot containing 3 breasts of lemon butter chicken, topped with parsley.

Tips and Tricks About This Lemon Butter Chicken Recipe

  • Gluten Free – It’s gluten free. YEAH!
  • Types of Paprika – You can use regular paprika if that’s all you have but I highly recommend using and Smoked Paprika for this dish. To keep it simple…regular paprika is just crushed dried chilies. Smoked paprika uses chilies that are smoke-dried and then crushed. HUGE flavor difference! For more differences, check out this article: Smoked Paprika Vs. Paprika
  • Oven Safe Dish – This dish works perfectly in a Le Creuset Dutch Oven, but I used a Rockcrok from Pampered Chef and it worked amazingly well!
  • Adding Additional Ingredients – If you want to kick this recipe up a notch and make it a bit more fancy, you can add in the Fresh mushrooms and Capers. I love the added flavor of both of these ingredients with this dish! You would simply add the fresh mushrooms and capers in when you add in the spinach and parsley! Serve over mashed potatoes, rice or your favorite pasta and it’s fantastic!

It was inevitable. This dish became a family favorite! It looks and tastes like it took a long time to make, but it’s super easy and absolutely fantastic! I promise, you will devour every single bite down to the last drop!

And if you’ve tried my Lemon Butter Chicken recipe, leave me a comment! I love to hear from my readers! And don’t forget to rate the recipe below!!

White plate containing a breast of lemon butter chicken, fork in a piece of chicken.

One more thing! Make sure to FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest because I’m CONSTANTLY posting recipes that I know you will love, just like this Lemon Butter Chicken recipe! Oh, and share the love by sharing this recipe to your favorite social media channels! For your convenience, I put share buttons at the top of this post!

5 from 15 votes
Black pan containing 3 Lemon Butter Chicken Breasts, crossed spoons and lemon slices on table.
Print
Lemon Butter Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
This savory Lemon Butter Chicken is just over the top! Full of flavor, every bite is unforgettable. The lemon cream sauce mixed with fresh garlic and Parmesan cheese pairs perfectly with the tender and juicy chicken. So savory...this dish will leave you coming back for more!
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Lemon Butter Chicken
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 420 kcal
Author: Amanda Mason
Ingredients
  • 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
  • 3 Tablespoons Unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Splash of dry white wine
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Set aside.
  3. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a large oven-proof skillet (a Le Creuset Dutch Oven works well or a RockCrok or cast iron skillet) over medium high heat.
  4. Add the chicken and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set chicken aside on separate plate.

  5. While the chicken is resting, return back to the same skillet and melt remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.

  6. Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, splash of wine and thyme.

  7. Bring sauce to a boil and reduce heat. Add in the spinach and parsley and simmer until the spinach and parsley has wilted and the sauce has slightly thickened.

  8. Continue to cook the sauce about 5-7 minutes so the sauce becomes thicker. You don't want the sauce to become too runny!

  9. Once your sauce is to the desired thickness, return the chicken to the oven proof dish.

  10. Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.

  11. Remove the dish and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Top with fresh chopped parsley.

Recipe Notes

If you want to kick this recipe up a notch and make it a bit more fancy, you can add in the following:

  • Fresh mushrooms
  • Capers

You would simply add the fresh mushrooms and capers in when you add in the spinach and parsley!

 

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Butter Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 Chicken Breast)
Calories 420 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 45%
Sodium 292mg 12%
Total Carbohydrates 8g 3%
Protein 32g 64%
Iron 2.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Recipe inspired by: Damn Delicious

Update Notes: This post was originally published in September of 2016, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions and tips in April of 2018.

You will find affiliate links on this page.

This recipe was originally written for Eazy Peazy Mealz.

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Comments

  4. This dish looks so appealing! We eat a lot of chicken and I’m always looking for a new way to present that stand by meat. We’re experimenting with herbs now, so this fits several of my menu criteria. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • What I mean is thin sliced chicken breasts. The regular super thick chicken breasts stores sell today take forever to cook so I always buy thin sliced. If you can’t find those in the store, you can cut those regular “thick” sized chicken breasts in half. I hope that helps clarify things!

      Reply

      • The recipe is delicious.
        I used 2 thick chicken brests and splitted them butterfly like. Then instead of wite wine ( didn’t have any) used 1once red wine. Also added the capers. It turned up delicious, over white rice and garlic butter brusells sprouts.

        Reply

        • Carmen – thank you SO much for taking the time to add this comment! Yes – this one is super super delish! And over rice with garlic brussel sprouts sounds like the perfect pairing!! So glad you loved it! Check out my other recipes here at Recipes Worth Repeating! You wont be dissapointed!

          Reply

  14. Ohh my goodness, this is Absolutely AMAZING!! I work nights so I had to make this morning for my family tonight and of course had to try it out first ;). Extremely flavorful, I think my family will LOVE it!!! Thank you! (I made in my Pampered Chef Rock Crock)

    Reply

  16. Do you take the spinach out once its wilted? And if so when do u add it back in? Or do u leave it in the whole time? Im in the middle of cooking this recipe and am not sure plzz help

    Reply

    • I have not tried making this in my Instant Pot, but you should be able to just use the poultry option! I’d let the pressure release for a good 15 minutes on this one to ensure it’s done after it’s done pressurizing.

      Reply

          • thanks so much! I have a Crock Pot express pot (like an Instant Pot) and it has a poultry option. The timer is for 15 min on poultry. So I was wondering if that would be the time needed to cook or if there should be more time.

          • I would “think” that would be a good enough time to cook it – not sure on the pressure release aspect…maybe 10 minutes? Try it and see!! Let me know how it turns out!!

  27. Congratulations!
    Your post is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week, and we pinned it to our Features board. Enjoy your weekend and your new Red Plate!
    Miz Helen

    Reply

  29. So so amazing! I made this with roasted red potatoes and asparagus. Then after dinner, my husband and I stood over the stove sopping up the rest of the sauce with French bread! I can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow! This will be on our weekly rotation from now on.

    Reply

  30. Hello!

    I tried this recipe last night and it was DELICIOUS!! My only question is, my sauce (no matter how many minutes I simmered it) was very runny. Do you have any suggestions or tips on how to thicken it up?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • I love grabbing a piece of bread and absorbing the juice BUT if you want the sauce to be thicker, add in about 1 Tablespoon of Arrowroot or cornstarch…turn the heat up to bring to a boil and then simmer it down. That will thicken your sauce! Enjoy!!

      Reply

  32. This recipe is AMAZING!!!! I made it for the first time last night and it was such a hit with the family. They even thought it tasted like it came fresh out of a restaurant! I did have to add some cornstarch to the sauce to get it to thicken up, but overall! Highly HIGHLY recommend. This recipe is a keeper. I put this over pasta!

    Reply

    • Thank you!! I’m so glad you liked it!! I love it over, pasta, rice and mashed potatoes!! Thank you for taking the time to let me know how you liked it!!

      Reply

  33. Delicious! I made this as a “I NEED DINNER QUICK” and the family loved it. I’m hosting a dinner party this weekend and this dish is on the menu!

    Reply

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