If you love lemon and are also short on time, my creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken is the dish to make tonight. Chicken cutlets are seared until golden, then simmered in an easy creamy lemon pan sauce. This dish is delicious and absolutely perfect for weeknights!
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Lemon lovers, rejoice!
Lemon is an ingredient I use in so many recipes, proving its versatility. From Rao’s broiled lemon chicken to chicken piccata, and from linguine al limone to this creamy lemon pepper chicken, lemon’s bright flavor is a welcome addition, especially as we head into warmer weather.
This dish is a favorite in my home because of that bright lemon flavor, but also because it’s easy to make (ready in under 40 minutes), and since it’s all made in one pan, it’s very easy to clean up after.
My pepper and lemon chicken is excellent with a side of rice pilaf and baked asparagus with cheese and breadcrumbs, or with some crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Chicken. For my lemon pepper chicken, I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts that I pound to roughly 1/2-inch thick.
- Lemons. Use fresh lemon juice for the best results. Lemon slices are also added at the end for garnish.
- Pepper. I’m using a teaspoon of coarse black pepper, but feel free to use as much or as little pepper as you’d like.
- Cream. I am using heavy cream for the creamy component of the sauce.
- Flour. All-purpose flour is used for dredging the cutlets. If you can’t have flour, you can omit.
- Wine. Use a dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
- Chicken stock. Use low-sodium or no-sodium chicken stock. Homemade chicken stock will yield the best results.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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How to make creamy lemon pepper chicken
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Pound the chicken cutlets to 1/2-inch equal thickness.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides, then dredge in flour and shake off the excess. Place the chicken on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and set the flour aside for use later on in the recipe.
- In a large pan over a touch lower than medium heat, sear the chicken on both sides in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the chicken is cooked, about 3-4 minutes per side, transfer to a plate and cover with tented foil.
- Turn the pan heat to medium-low and add the shallot, remaining butter, and a pinch of salt, and saute until translucent.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the dredging flour and cook until no white specks remain.
- Add the wine and stock, then turn the heat to high and use a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits from the bottom. Let the sauce boil for 2 minutes, lower to a simmer, and add the lemon juice and coarse black pepper.
- Add the cream and bring back to a simmer. Taste test and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
- Add the chicken and half the parsley to the pan and allow the sauce to coat all the pieces. Cook for 2-3 minutes until warmed through, then remove from the heat and add the remaining parsley and lemon slices. Serve and enjoy.
Top tips
- Pounding the chicken. I like to pound the chicken so each piece has a uniform thickness and cooks at the same rate. Use a meat mallet or meat pounder for this step.
- The sauce. Some folks like their sauce on the thinner side. If you find the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can thin it with a few tablespoons of chicken stock until you achieve the desired consistency.
- You’re in charge. When it comes to the amount of lemon juice and coarse black pepper, I encourage you to call the shots. Everyone’s palates are different, so use the amount you like. My creamy lemon pepper chicken recipe is merely meant to be a jumping-off point.
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Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/2" thick
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup flour will not need all of it
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed, divided
- 1 large shallot minced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 lemon slices for garnish
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
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Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides then dredge in flour and shake off the excess. Place the dredged chicken on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Set the remaining flour aside.
- Heat a large pan to a touch less than medium heat, then add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Sear the chicken until cooked through (approximately 3-4 minutes per side) then set the chicken aside on a platter lightly tented with foil.
- Using the same pan, turn the heat to medium-low and add the shallot and remaining butter along with a pinch of salt. Saute until translucent then add 2 tablespoons of the dredging flour and cook until no white spots remain.
- Add the wine and chicken stock to the pan and turn heat to high. With a wooden spoon scrape the pan to dislodge all of the brown bits. Let the sauce boil for 2 minutes then lower to a simmer and mix in the lemon juice and coarse black pepper.
- Add the cream and bring back to a simmer.
- Taste test the sauce and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice levels if required.
- When satisfied with the taste of the sauce, add the chicken and half the parsley and gently coat all the pieces. Cook for 2-3 minutes to warm through. Turn off heat and add the remaining parsley and lemon slices. Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy! Note: If the sauce is too thick, simply thin with a few tablespoons of chicken stock at a time to get desired consistency.
Notes
- Chicken. 4 chicken breasts or 6-8 smaller cutlets can be used. The chicken breasts should be pounded to roughly 1/2″ equal thickness so that they cook at the same rate.
- Lemon and pepper. This dish is great with plenty of coarse cracked pepper and lemon. Feel free to increase the amounts to suit your personal taste.
- Sauce. If the sauce is too thick before serving, simply thin with a few tablespoons of chicken stock at a time to get your desired consistency.
- Leftovers. Creamy lemon pepper chicken can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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