Description
This creamy lemon chicken breast recipe features tender, thinly sliced chicken breasts seared to crispy perfection and smothered in a luscious, tangy lemon-parmesan cream sauce. Perfect served over pasta, it’s a quick and elegant meal that combines buttery garlic richness with vibrant citrus notes for a comforting yet refreshing dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Crispy Chicken:
- 600g / 1.2lb chicken breasts (2 large, sliced horizontally to make 4 thin steaks)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup plain / all-purpose flour
- 40g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1–2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth/stock
- 3/4 cup heavy/thickened cream
- 3–4 tbsp lemon juice (start with 3 tbsp, adjust to taste)
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated or finely shredded
To Serve:
- Pasta of choice (e.g., linguine)
- Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to create two thin steaks each, resulting in four thin steaks total. Season each side with salt and black pepper, then coat evenly with flour, shaking off any excess.
- Cook Chicken: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken steaks for 2 minutes on each side until golden and crispy. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Add Garlic: If the skillet is dry, add a touch more butter. Add minced garlic to the pan and stir quickly for about 10 seconds until fragrant.
- Make Sauce: Pour in the chicken broth, then add the heavy cream, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Use a whisk to fully dissolve the mustard into the sauce.
- Incorporate Parmesan: Stir in the parmesan cheese and allow the sauce to simmer rapidly for about 3 minutes until it thickens slightly. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice if needed.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the crispy chicken steaks to the skillet including any resting juices on the plate. Turn the chicken to coat well with the creamy lemon sauce.
- Serve: Plate the chicken alongside your prepared pasta or mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and spoon extra sauce over the top. Enjoy with crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce if desired.
Notes
- Chicken: Use two large breasts split into halves or four smaller breasts (~150g each) pounded to an even thickness of about 1.5cm / 1/2 inch. In some regions like Australia, thin chicken breast steaks may be labeled ‘chicken schnitzel’ but without breading.
- Cream: Heavy cream thickens the sauce best, but to reduce fat content, evaporated milk can be used. Light cream will not thicken as much.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated or very finely shredded parmesan cheese for best melting and flavor. Avoid coarse or sandy-textured store-bought parmesan which doesn’t melt well in the sauce.
- Nutrition: Nutrition values are estimated per serving for the chicken and sauce, assuming 4 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken steak with sauce and pasta (approx. 250g)
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
