Lemon Cream Chicken

You only need 5 main ingredients plus some simple seasonings and a few minutes of prep to make this Lemon Cream Chicken recipe, where juicy and tender chicken thighs roast in the oven delivering an irresistible crispy skin and then finished in a luscious creamy lemon sauce. It’s just the thing for a delicious family weeknight dinner.

Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Recipe

While Balsamic Lemon Chicken still wears the crown in my house, this Creamy Lemon Chicken is definitely a runner-up. I mean, how can you go wrong with lemon, butter, and crème fraîche? You can’t!

Made with just a few common ingredients, this chicken dish is further proof that simple meals can, and do, hit it out of the ballpark sometimes. The inside of the chicken is tender and juicy while the skin is irresistibly crispy, then it’s finished in a light, creamy lemon sauce.

Ingredients Needed

You only need 5 main ingredients, plus a few seasonings to make this lemon cream chicken recipe.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

• Chicken thighs – For this recipe, bone-in thighs with the skin work best, providing the best flavor and irresistible crispy exterior. See note below.
• Olive Oil and Butter – These are both used to pan fry the chicken. The combination adds richness and necessary moisture, creating a golden crust before transferring it to the oven.
• Seasonings – Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper season the dish.
• Thyme – Fresh thyme sprigs lend a slightly spicy, sweet, savory, and earthy flavor to the chicken.
• Lemon – Fresh lemon juice and zest for that wonderful light, bright, citrusy flavor.
• Crème fraîche – This makes the sauce tangy, creamy, and luscious! See note below.

What is Crème Fraîche?

Crème fraîche is a thick, rich, and slightly sour French dairy product made from heavy cream and buttermilk that’s cultured with bacteria to create a tangy flavor. Sour cream is the closest substitute but crème fraîche has a higher fat content, milder flavor, and melts more easily. Crème fraîche is also less likely to curdle when heated or combined with acidic ingredients, like lemon juice, making it ideal for cooking.

Using Boneless Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breasts

Bone-in chicken thighs with the skin on will give you the best results for this recipe – they roast up tender and juicy, with the most flavor, and fantastic crispy skin. However, this recipe will work with boneless thighs or boneless chicken breast. You will need to adjust the cooking time, however, since bone-in thighs take longer to cook.

How to Make Lemon Cream Chicken

This easy lemon chicken recipe comes together with just a handful of steps, in just over 30 minutes.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

1. Pan fry the chicken. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the butter and then once melted, swirl to coat. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper and place skin side down in the skillet. Cook until the chicken is browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes, and then flip each piece over and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add thyme and roast in the oven. Scatter a few thyme sprigs over the chicken and transfer the skillet to a preheated 400F oven. Roast until chicken is completely cooked through and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165F, about 25 minutes.
3. Transfer chicken to plater. Remove skillet from the oven (CAREFUL – the handle will be hot!) and transfer the chicken to a platter. Cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Make the lemon cream sauce. Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet. Add the lemon juice, and stir to scrape up any brown bits. Simmer for 1 minute, then add the crème fraîche and stir until melted and bubbling. (If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of chicken broth.)
5. Finish cooking the chicken. Return chicken to the skillet and coat in the sauce. Sprinkle with lemon zest, additional pepper, and garnish with small fresh thyme sprigs and small lemon slices, if desired.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this lemon chicken with oven roasted potatoes and roasted green beans. But any roasted vegetable works. Mashed potatoes or rice are also great alternatives to the roasted potatoes, and a simple side salad can round out the meal.

Proper Storage

• Fridge. Any leftovers should be placed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish as the cream sauce separates and becomes grainy once thawed.
• Reheat. Gently reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat in a nonstick skillet, adding a bit more cream or a splash of chicken broth to loosen up the sauce and prevent the chicken from drying out. You can also use the microwave until heated through, if you’re in a pinch.

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Lemon Cream Chicken

5 from 6 Ratings

Tender, juicy, and full of mouthwatering flavor, this Lemon Cream Chicken recipe calls for just 5 main ingredients plus some simple seasonings and a few minutes of prep.

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

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Ingredients

• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
• coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 large lemon , juiced and zested
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and then once melted, swirl to coat. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper and place skin side down in the skillet. Cook until the chicken is browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes, and then flip each piece over and cook 1 minute more.
• Scatter the thyme sprigs over the chicken and transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast until chicken is completely cooked through and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165F, about 25 minutes.
• Remove skillet from the oven (CAREFUL – the handle will be hot!) and transfer the chicken to a platter. Cover with foil to keep warm.
• Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat.
• Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet. Add the lemon juice, and stir to scrape up any brown bits. Simmer for 1 minute, then add the creme fraiche and stir until melted and bubbling. (If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of chicken broth.)
• Return chicken to the skillet and coat in the sauce. Sprinkle with lemon zest, additional pepper, and garnish with small fresh thyme sprigs and small lemon slices, if desired.

Notes

Crème fraîche. This is a thick, rich, and tangy French dairy product and can typically be found in the dairy aisle or mixed in with specialty cheeses. Sour cream is the closest substitute but crème fraîche has a higher fat content, milder flavor, and melts more easily. Crème fraîche is also less likely to curdle when heated or combined with acidic ingredients, like lemon juice, making it ideal for cooking. I don’t recommend using Greek yogurt since it doesn’t have the same smooth texture or mild flavor.

Using Boneless Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breasts. Bone-in chicken thighs with the skin on will give you the best results for this recipe – they roast up tender and juicy, with the most flavor, and fantastic crispy skin. However, this recipe will work with boneless thighs or boneless chicken breast. You will need to adjust the cooking time, however, since bone-in thighs take longer to cook.

Nutrition

Serving: 1thigh | Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 337mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy lemon chicken, easy chicken recipes, lemon cream chicken

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