Description
A delicious skillet chicken recipe featuring tender, seared boneless chicken breasts cooked in a creamy lemon thyme sauce. This dish combines bright lemon juice and zest with fresh thyme, savory garlic, and buttery cream sauce, finished by baking to perfection in the oven for juicy, flavorful chicken. Ideal for a family meal or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1.5 lb total)
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Sauce
- 1½ cups (360 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 2 medium lemons)
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- â…“ cup finely chopped onion (about â…“ of a medium onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2½ tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1½ tsp dried thyme)
- â…“ cup (80 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 3 Tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
Optional Garnish
- Lemon slices
- Fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: If chicken breasts are uneven in thickness, gently pound them to an even thickness to ensure uniform cooking. Season both sides evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and sear them for 7 to 8 minutes total, turning once. The chicken should develop a golden-brown exterior but remain slightly undercooked in the center. Remove from skillet and place on a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375 °F (190 °C) to prepare for finishing the chicken in the oven.
- Make Sauce Base: Remove the skillet from heat. Add chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped onion, minced garlic, and thyme to the skillet. Return skillet to medium-high heat on the stovetop and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid reduces to about ½ cup, which will take approximately 10 minutes.
- Finish Sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and cubed unsalted butter into the reduced sauce. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Bake Chicken: Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the sauce in the skillet. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C), ensuring it is cooked through and juicy.
- Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven. Serve the chicken topped with the creamy lemon thyme sauce. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh thyme leaves if desired for added flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Pounding chicken breasts to an even thickness helps them cook evenly and prevents overcooking or drying out.
- Using low-sodium chicken broth allows better control over the salt level in the dish.
- Room temperature heavy cream and butter incorporate better into the sauce creating a smooth texture.
- This dish can be served with rice, mashed potatoes, or roasted vegetables to make a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
