Description
Creamy Lemon Thyme Chicken is a comforting and elegant dish featuring tender boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked in a luscious, tangy sauce made with fresh lemon juice and zest, fragrant thyme, garlic, chicken broth, and rich heavy cream. Ready in under 30 minutes, this recipe balances bright citrus notes with creamy richness, perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
Sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside to rest.
- Build the Sauce Base: In the same skillet, add minced garlic and fresh thyme, sautéing briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add Lemon and Cream: Stir in freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest to the broth, then reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Let the sauce simmer gently until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Combine and Finish: Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon the creamy lemon thyme sauce over the top, and cook together for an additional two minutes to marry the flavors and warm through before serving.
Notes
- Pat chicken dry before seasoning to ensure a crisp, golden sear.
- Use fresh thyme for the best flavor; dried thyme is less fragrant.
- Keep the sauce on low heat to prevent the cream from curdling.
- Let cooked chicken rest briefly to retain juiciness before slicing or serving.
- Use both lemon zest and juice to add layers of bright lemon flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Searing and Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 120mg