So saucy! One skillet is the only pan you need to cook this tender chicken and flavorful creamy lemon herb sauce.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips. 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.
One reader, Kathy, commented: “This recipe is replacing my old lemon chicken recipe. Sally’s recipe is bursting with lemon flavor and together with the cream, it really creates a flavorful sauce, which coated the pasta I made to accompany the recipe. Very delicious, even with omitting the thyme! ★★★★★”
Another reader, Shannon, commented: “Gosh, this was delicious. Though I’ve made many of Sally’s baking recipes, I’ve never made one of her dinner recipes. Let me tell you—I’ve been missing out! Loved this. Easy and flavorful—really liked the lemon especially. This will definitely become a regular in my home for dinner. ★★★★★“
This Lemon Thyme Chicken Is a 1-Pan Wonder
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.
You Can Make This with Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs
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:
Let Me Show You How Easy This Is
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.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Creamy Lemon Thyme Chicken
- Fresh thyme is great, but if dried is more convenient, use that instead.
- There’s no shortage of that rich lemon thyme sauce!
- Preparation is a breeze.
- Perfect with rice and a vegetable for a casual weeknight meal, but can be fancied up with crowd pleasing sides like biscuits, sage dinner rolls, cornbread muffins, roasted potatoes, dinner rolls, olive bread, asiago-crusted skillet bread, mashed potatoes (spoon the sauce on top!), garden salad, corn on the cob, and more.
Creamy Lemon Thyme Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
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.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (around 1.5 lbs total)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) chicken broth (I recommend reduced sodium)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice (about 2 medium lemons)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion (1/3 of a medium onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1.5 teaspoons dried)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
- optional for garnish: lemon slices and fresh thyme
Instructions
- If the chicken breasts are unevenly thick, pound them down so they’re roughly all the same thickness.
- Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breasts lightly with the salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning once halfway. You want the chicken nice and browned on the outside, but not fully cooked in the centers because they will finish in the oven. Set chicken on a plate and cover tightly with foil until step 5.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Remove skillet from the stove and add the broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, onion, garlic, and thyme. Return skillet to the stove over medium high heat. Cook and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to around 1/2 cup (120ml). Stir in the cream and butter. Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally, and allow to simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Add chicken to the sauce and place the skillet in the preheated oven. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked through, about 10 minutes. (Chicken is considered done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the thickest part as at least 165°F (74°C).)
- Serve chicken with sauce spooned on top and any of the listed optional garnishes. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat to your liking.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 10.25-inch Cast Iron Skillet or Oven-Safe Skillet | Citrus Zester | Citrus Juicer
- Chicken: I usually prepare this meal with boneless skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs (boneless or bone-in) are just as tasty. 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.
- Milk or half-and-half: You can use whole milk or half-and-half instead, but for the thickest, richest sauce I highly recommend heavy cream. Whichever liquid you use, make sure it is at room temperature to help prevent separation or curdling.
- Adapted from Skillet Cilantro Lime Chicken
Reader Comments and Reviews
Incredibly tart, I would half the lemon next time. Rest of the recipe worked great!
Instead of finishing this in oven can this recipe be completed on the stove top? I don’t have a skillet that goes in the oven.
Thank you for your response.
Hi Patricia, that should work! It may not be quite as tender, since it’s not baking in the oven with the sauce. We’d love to know how it turns out.
This recipe is phenomenal. The sauce has so much tang and flavor and the chicken turns out perfectly every time. One of my all time favorites!
This recipe is delicious! I will definitely be making it again! Thank you!
This was such an amazing recipe packed with flavor, this will become a regular in our dinner rotation 10 out of 10 chef kiss
This looks fantastic, but I don’t have any broth. Is there anything I can substitute, maybe bouillon mixed in water?
Hi Susan, that should work! Let us know if you give it a try.
Deeeeelicious!! Would definitely make again.
I made this tonight and the chicken was very tough! What do you think I did wrong??
Hi Julie, what cut of meat did you use? Or, was the chicken over baked by chance? That can often lead to a tougher texture.
My chicken was tough too. I was blaming it on the organic brand? I am going to try a different brand.
This was quite delicious! I served it with rice with some green beans.
I’m Vegetarian, can I use substitute chicken to beyond meat? Will the rest of the recipe still work?
Hi Penelope, we haven’t tested it and don’t have any experience cooking with beyond meat, so we’re unsure how well it would translate to this recipe. Please do let us know if you give it a try!
Is this recipe truly gluten free!!?? Obviously, if you add things, as you suggested, like biscuits, it is NOT gluten free. We have to be very careful. So, mention of this would be very helpful for people who “clicked” on the Dietary Section of your site that said, Gluten Free.
The recipe as written is gluten free. We hope you enjoy it if you decide to try it.
How do I double this recipe? Also, I love this very much! Lovely! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
You should be able to double all the ingredients.
Great recipe. I added mushrooms and had rice and broccoli on the side.
I made it for the first time tonight!.It was wonderful! My husband and both love lemon. The combination of it with the onion and thyme made the perfect sauce!!
Have made this a many times and it’s always delicious! The whole family (including young children) eats it up. I add mushrooms, because I love mushrooms in any sauce, and if I only have regular milk handy I use that and do an arrowroot slurry at the end for thickness. Otherwise I stick to the recipe as is, and serve with rice or couscous and a side veggie.
I liked the flavor combination but I felt the sauce was thin and not “creamy”. It’s an easy recipe, but with the annoyance of reducing the sauce, not knowing whether it will reach a better consistency… I was a bit disappointed. Also didn’t see the point of baking chicken in the sauce as it didn’t come out more tender than usually when I bake breasts w/o sauce. I prefer the sauce from the chicken meatballs recipe (also Sally’s). I think maybe in the future I would just season + sear the chicken + bake in the oven until 74c. And make the meatball sauce to go with it.
Loved this! Made it dairy free by using coconut cream. Also added sun dried tomatoes when I simmered cream. Served over wild rice with a side of broccoli!
10/10 will make again
Good recipe. Too much lemon juice …used 1 lemon. Added mushrooms and white wine
Can this dish be frozen in seal a meal bags and heated up frozen in pot of boiling water?
Hi Danette, we haven’t tested it ourselves, but let us know if you do give it a try.
I am using 4 bone-in chicken thighs. Surely they need more than 10 minutes in the oven?
Hi Cathy, yes, always cook your chicken as long as needed – an instant read thermometer is great for knowing for sure.
This recipe is replacing my old lemon chicken recipe. Sally’s recipe is bursting with lemon flavor and together with the cream, it really creates a flavorful sauce, which coated the pasta I made to accompany the recipe. (Very delicious even with omitting the thyme!)
Have you tried substituting herbs de provence for the thyme in this recipe?
Hi Kathleen, we haven’t tried this substitute, but let us know if you do!
Great recipe! The sauce didn’t thicken as much as I expected, so I had to “save” it with a cornstarch slurry and simmer for a while longer. For taste, versatility, and ease of preparation, though, still 5 stars.
Served with rice and oven-roasted broccoli for a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal!
This is the best chicken recipe I’ve tried (and I eat mostly chicken!!)
Hi. Can this recipe be finished on the stove top instead of using the oven? Can chicken be cooked through then removed while doing sauce then return chicken to pan? Thanks
Hi Michelle, that should work. It may not be quite as tender, since it’s not baking in the oven with the sauce.
Can i use full fat greek yogurt instead of the heavy cream?
Hi Martha, we fear that will be a little too thick–you really want a liquid here. You could use whole milk or half-and-half instead, but the sauce will be a but thinner. For best results, we recommend sticking with the heavy cream as written.
Gosh, this was delicious. Though I’ve made many of Sally’s baking recipes, I’ve never made one of her dinner recipes. Let me tell you– I’ve been missing out! Loved this. Easy & flavorful — really liked the lemon especially. This will definitely become a regular in my home for dinner.
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious!
Thanks Sally!
So glad you enjoyed it, Rosa!
If I use bone in chicken thighs, can I leave the skin on?
Hi Donna, you can leave the skin on or take it off–whichever you prefer. Directions remain the same, but you may need to cook the chicken for a shorter period of time depending on its thickness.
Will this adapt to a crockpot? It’s too hot to use the oven right now!
Hi Linda, we haven’t tested it in a crockpot, but let us know if you try anything!
This was fantastic. I’m pregnant at the moment and was in dire need of some simple yet satisfying recipes that wouldn’t have me on my feet for too long, and this certainly did the trick. The sauce went wonderfully with rice as well. I will definitely be making this again!
So glad you enjoyed this one, Tmar!