So saucy! One skillet is the only pan you need to cook this tender chicken and flavorful creamy lemon herb sauce.
. The recipe now features nearly double the garlicky and herb-infused sauce so there’s extra for spooning onto each scrumptious bite.
My website is full of baking recipes, but when I put together a truly fabulous dinner that the entire family enjoys, it would be silly not to share it. We’ve been making this creamy lemon thyme chicken on repeat for a few years and we love it with extra sauce. The written recipe below is exactly how I make it these days.
I usually serve it with rice and a vegetable. The importance of a quick, easy, and delicious meal is worth its weight in gold and luckily this meal checks all 3 boxes!
It’s truly a family-favorite—right up there with crispy coconut chicken.
Today’s easy dinner was inspired by two other favorites: cilantro lime chicken and creamy garlic chicken and vegetables. I’ve even used the same easy process to make apple cider chicken. The dishes each include a flavorful sauce and juicy chicken cooked & combined in just 1 pan. The chicken recipes start on the stove and finish in the oven, so make sure you use an oven-safe skillet.
Yes, it’s all cooked in just 1 pan! I usually use a 10.25 inch cast iron skillet but any oven-safe skillet does the trick. This skillet is a workhorse and we use it for nearly everything from bruschetta chicken and walnut crusted chicken to honey skillet cornbread, too.
I usually prepare this meal with boneless skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs are just as tasty. When using chicken thighs, I reach for boneless just because they’re easier to eat, but bone-in works too. The directions remain exactly the same whichever you use, but you may need to cook the chicken for a shorter period of time depending on its thickness.
Grab these ingredients:
The chicken is your first focus. Add salt and pepper to the chicken and then cook it in your skillet on the stove with a little olive oil. Brown it on both sides, but don’t worry about cooking it through in this step because it will finish cooking in the oven with the sauce. Cover and set the *mostly cooked* chicken aside.
In the same pan, prep the lemon thyme sauce. Simmer chicken broth, lemon juice & zest, chopped onion, garlic, and fresh thyme together. Reduce it down and then stir in heavy cream and butter. Simmer until slightly thickened, about the same consistency as heavy cream itself.
Now combine both the chicken and sauce. But I won’t blame you if you want to drink the sauce first.
And finish it in the oven until the chicken is cooked through. I always find this internal chicken temperature guide helpful. Meanwhile, you can make a couple easy side dishes like rice and/or steamed vegetables—anything to soak up that creamy lemon sauce! You could even roast some potatoes in the oven before the chicken cooks or whip up a fresh salad.
One oven-safe skillet is the only pan you need to cook this tender chicken and flavorful creamy lemon herb sauce. Fresh thyme is great, but you can use dried if that's all you have. See recipe note.
