Lemon Garlic Chicken with White Cream Sauce

A close up of chicken smothered with a cream sauce and cut lemon on a plate.

5 from 8 votes

Lemon Garlic Chicken with White Cream Sauce

Juicy and delicious, this pan seared lemon garlic chicken breast starts with a lemon cream sauce in a skillet on the stovetop, and then finishes cooking in the oven. Topped with fresh chopped basil and fresh lemon, this one pairs well on its own, on a bed of rice, or served over pasta!

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 405kcal

Author: Amanda Mason

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup finely diced shallots
7 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
2 Tablespoons butter, unsalted
¼ cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Preparing the Chicken

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken breasts until each breasts is about ½ inch in thickness.
Add the salt and pepper to both sides of the chicken.

Pan Searing the Chicken

In a medium sized bowl, take the chicken broth, lemon juice, and ground dry mustard mix well with a whisk.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat, about 3-4 minutes. When extremely hot, add the chicken and allow to pan sear for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Expert Tip: The chicken will not be completely cooked at this point in the process and that's ok. We'll finish cooking this lemon garlic chicken in the oven with the creamy garlic butter sauce.
Once seared, remove each breast from the skillet and place on a plate. Set aside.
Reduce the heat on the stovetop to medium. Add the chopped shallot and minced garlic to the skillet and saute long enough to trigger the aroma, about 2-3 minutes.

Making the Creamy Garlic Sauce

Add the chicken broth and lemon juice mixture, and the ground mustard to the skillet and using a whisk, scrape the bottom of the skillet so all brown bits are loosened.
Expert Tip: Don't skip this part. This process introduces ton of flavor.
Let the sauce cook for about 7-10 minutes until the sauce mixture has thickened and slightly reduced.
Remove the skillet from the direct heat and add butter and whisk until it melts. Add the heavy cream and whisk to combine. Place the skillet back on the burner on medium for about 3 minutes longer, ensuring the mixture does not come to a boil.
Add the chicken back into the skillet and place in the middle of the white cream sauce.
Place the skillet into the preheated oven and bake for about 15 more minutes uncovered until the chicken registers 165°F.
To finish off this garlic chicken, place the skillet back on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Bring the sauce to slow boil, about 3-4 minutes. Top with fresh chopped basil and lemon slices and serve.

Notes

I highly recommend cooking this dish in a cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat extremely well and also helps with a more even and balanced cook. I use either my Le Creuset Dutch Oven or my Le Creuset Skillet.
If you would like to thicken the sauce, add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot during the last step of the process when when it's at a small boil.
I also love adding capers and mushrooms to intensify the flavor.
If you want to add some leafy greens, try adding fresh spinach or kale.
Instead of using a shallot, try using fresh fennel.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container with a lid and place in the refrigerator. Leftovers should keep for about 3 days.

Nutrition