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Creamy Lemon Butter Chicken

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A quick and easy creamy lemon butter chicken recipe featuring a zesty lemon glaze and rich butter sauce, perfect for cozy dinners and family gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs / 680g), pounded to even thickness
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth (240 ml)
  • ½ cup heavy cream (120 ml)
  • Fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons (about ¼ cup / 60 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. (About 5 minutes)
  2. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in a skillet. When hot, add chicken breasts and sear for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Remove chicken and set aside on a warm plate. (Approx. 12 minutes)
  3. Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and minced garlic to the pan. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
  4. Pour in chicken broth and stir, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Let broth simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
  5. Stir in heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and Dijon mustard. Stir gently until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 3-4 minutes. Add a splash more broth or cream if sauce is too thick.
  6. Nestle chicken back into the sauce and spoon some sauce over the top. Sprinkle fresh thyme on top and let warm together for about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as needed.
  7. Transfer chicken to serving plates, spoon extra sauce on top, and sprinkle chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking chicken. If sauce is too thick or heavy, add a splash of chicken broth or water to lighten it. For dairy-free version, swap butter with olive oil and heavy cream with coconut cream. Pounding chicken breasts to even thickness ensures uniform cooking.

Nutrition

Keywords: lemon butter chicken, creamy chicken recipe, easy chicken dinner, zesty chicken, weeknight dinner, family meal

Find it online: https://tomyumy.com/creamy-lemon-butter-chicken-recipe-perfect-for-easy-zesty-dinners/