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Creamy Parmesan Lemon Chicken

Creamy Parmesan lemon chicken with golden seared chicken breasts and a silky lemon Parmesan cream sauce. The sauce simmers until thick, then turns glossy when butter is swirled in for a bright-rich skillet dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasoning
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning to taste
Skillet sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 0.25 fresh parsley for garnish
  • 0.25 lemon slices for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts on both sides generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the lemon Parmesan cream sauce
  1. Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the dry white wine (or chicken broth) and deglaze, then simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens and looks glossy in the pan.
  4. Swirl in the butter until melted so the sauce becomes smooth and shiny.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over each breast.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices, then serve while the sauce is still warm and pooling around the chicken.

Notes

Pro tip: If the sauce seems thin, keep simmering 1-2 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon; if it thickens too much, loosen with a splash of wine or broth. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat. Freezing is not recommended for the cream sauce texture. For a lighter option, swap half-and-half for heavy cream, keeping the rest the same, and simmer until slightly thickened.