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!
Best. Chicken. Recipe. EVER!
Because we all need an easy and delicious recipe for those weeknights…
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!)
Video: Step-By-Step
How To Make This Lemon Butter Chicken
First, you’re going to start off by seasoning the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and paprika.
Next, add unsalted butter and sauté the chicken for about 2-3 minutes, on each side.
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.
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.
Next, add the fresh spinach to the sauce.
The spinach will start to wilt. Guys…be prepared! This step in the process smells SO GOOD! It’s mouthwatering!
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!
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:
- Ono Rice (I like to mix the rice with the lemon butter sauce…it makes every bite so divine!)
- Instant Pot Rice
- Brussels Sprout Salad
- Perfect Homemade Mashed Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Vegetables
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!!
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!
- 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
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika. Set aside.
- 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.
- Add the chicken and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set chicken aside on separate plate.
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.
Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, splash of wine and thyme.
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.
- Continue to cook the sauce about 5-7 minutes so the sauce becomes thicker. You don't want the sauce to become too runny!
Once your sauce is to the desired thickness, return the chicken to the oven proof dish.
Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the dish and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Top with fresh chopped parsley.
Recipe Video
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!
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.
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This recipe was originally written for Eazy Peazy Mealz.
Why doesn’t the sauce for this recipe call for a roux?
I’ve seen this recipe in several places on the internet, and everyone says they have the same issue – the sauce won’t thicken (I had this problem when making it, as well). I’ve seen two suggestions, either a reduction by boiling or adding cornstarch. Why not make a roux? Using a roux as a thickening agent is often preferred as it’s the best way to preserve flavor, texture, and consistency. And there’s a perfect opportunity to add the flour – when the garlic is being sauteed in the butter. It’s pretty much textbook.
Has anyone tried it this way?
I wanted to make this recipe without flour for anyone who may be gluten free. You can absolutely make a roux but I didn’t want the sauce overly thick. It’s all about preference.
Do you cover this when it goes in the oven?
No – cook it uncovered.
I cooked mine uncovered in a Dutch oven for the 30mins & it came out literally black… I’m so disappointed. I followed every step & it looked good going into the oven and I took it out – it’s all burnt and black???
Hi Sarah – I have no idea what happened. I’ve only heard positive results on this recipe from everyone. I make this dish at least every other week and I have no problems. Are you sure you hit bake and not broil on your oven?
Wow, that was delicious! <3
Yeah Isabella!! I’m SOO glad you loved it!!
I love this recipe; I’ve made it a few times now and it’s a keeper. I was wondering- do you think I could prep it all while my son in school and have it in the fridge for an hour or two before putting it in the oven for the 30 min? It’d be wonderful to have the bulk of the work done before school is over.
Absolutely! That pre-prep method should work well! Just cover it while it’s in the fridge since it’s raw chicken. You’re essentially “marinating” it so it will probably give you more flavor! Enjoy!!!
I made this recipe the other day in a cast iron skillet and followed everything exactly. Best chicken recipe I have ever had and even my parents made it the same week because how much I raved. The left overs last really well and I had plenty of lunches for work.
Yeah Emily!! I’m so glad you love it! It is almost better the next day for leftovers…almost!! Thank you so much for letting me know how you liked it!!!
I made this last night for the first time and wow, this was amazing! My husband even said for me to not loose this recipe. I don’t have a cast iron so I made it on the stove and then put it in a roasting pan to put it in the oven. Next time I am going to double the sauce 🙂
I am not able to save this to my pintrest because it said I can’t save it from this domain….
Hi Kristy! I’m SO glad you loved the recipe! I love the idea of doubling the sauce!!! The pinning problem is on the Pinterest side. Here is a URL to my video pin for this recipe. You should be able to pin this version: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/491244271856225873/. Let me know if any issues there! Thanks so much for following me on the food blog! I can’t wait to hear what other recipes you make!!