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Irresistibly Delicious Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken: Your New Favorite Comfort Food

Get ready to fall in love with this Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken! This recipe isn’t just a hit; it’s a monumental reader favorite that consistently earns rave reviews for its incredible flavor and comforting appeal. We take tender chicken breasts, dredge them in finely grated parmesan cheese for an extra layer of savory crispness, then serve them in a vibrant, rich, and zesty lemon and parmesan cream sauce, perfectly infused with aromatic garlic. It’s the quintessential gourmet comfort food, offering an elegant twist on a classic that will impress everyone at your table.

This dish is truly one of my personal favorites, and it’s clear so many others share that sentiment! For those who appreciate succulent chicken cooked to perfection in a delectable sauce, this recipe delivers. And if you’re looking for another delightful chicken dish, be sure to check out our Creamy Chicken With Herbs for more tender, flavorful options.

Delicious Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken Piccata served on a plate — A mouth-watering view of Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken, garnished and ready to enjoy.

The Allure of Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken

What sets this recipe apart from typical chicken dishes? It’s the harmonious blend of textures and tastes that creates an unforgettable dining experience. Imagine: crispy, golden-brown chicken cutlets, tender and juicy on the inside, lightly simmered in a dreamy sauce bursting with fresh lemon, pungent garlic, and a generous “double parmesan hit.” This unique combination transforms a simple weeknight meal into something truly extraordinary.

Our Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken takes inspiration from the classic Italian Garlic Chicken Piccata, but elevates it with an irresistible creamy element and an intensified parmesan presence. The light flouring combined with the parmesan cheese for dredging isn’t just for coating; it creates a flavorful, slightly crunchy exterior that beautifully contrasts with the tender chicken and smooth sauce. This thoughtful layering of flavors and textures is what makes this dish so incredibly impressive and utterly delicious.

Why This Recipe Will Become a Family Favorite

Explosive Flavor Profile: The zesty brightness of lemon, the savory depth of parmesan, and the aromatic kick of garlic are perfectly balanced in a rich cream sauce, creating a taste sensation.
Perfectly Cooked Chicken: Each chicken breast is crispy and golden on the outside, yet incredibly tender and juicy within – a testament to proper preparation and cooking.
Speedy Preparation: Despite its gourmet appeal, this dish comes together remarkably quickly, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights when you crave something special without spending hours in the kitchen.
Incredible Versatility: This chicken pairs beautifully with almost anything you can imagine! Serve it over pasta, fluffy rice, healthy zucchini noodles, or a medley of steamed vegetables. It’s adaptable to any meal plan.
Impressive for Guests: Whether it’s a casual family dinner or a gathering with friends, this dish looks and tastes like it’s from a high-end restaurant, ensuring you’ll receive compliments galore.
Comfort Food Redefined: It offers the comforting warmth of a home-cooked meal while delivering a sophisticated flavor that feels truly indulgent.

Creamy sauce being poured over golden Parmesan Chicken — The final touch: luscious creamy sauce lovingly poured over the perfectly cooked chicken.

Mastering the Ingredients: What You Need to Know

The secret to this Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken lies in a few key ingredients and how you handle them. Let’s delve into the components that make this dish a standout.

Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts: The Foundation

We opt for boneless, skinless chicken breasts for their ease of preparation and ability to cook quickly and evenly. For optimal results, we recommend halving larger chicken breasts horizontally to create four thinner cutlets. This technique ensures that the chicken cooks faster, stays incredibly juicy, and provides more surface area for that delightful parmesan crust. If your chicken breasts are very thick, you might also want to lightly pound them to about ½-inch thickness using a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Uniform thickness is key to preventing dry spots and achieving that perfect golden sear.

The Non-Negotiable: Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Parmesan cheese is not just an ingredient in this recipe; it’s a star, contributing significantly to the “double parmesan hit” that makes this dish so unique. We use it for dredging the chicken and again in the creamy sauce. For both applications, the quality of your parmesan makes all the difference.

Crucial Tip: For this recipe, it is absolutely essential to use freshly and finely grated parmesan cheese. You can grate a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano yourself using the smallest holes on a box grater, or purchase it freshly grated from a specialty food store. The flavor of fresh parmesan is vibrant, nutty, and complex, and its texture melts into a smooth, luxurious sauce.

Avoid at All Costs: Please, DO NOT use the pre-grated parmesan cheese from a container or shaker bottle. These products often contain anti-caking agents that prevent them from melting properly, and their flavor is typically dull, overly salty, and sometimes even chalky. Using inferior parmesan will compromise both the texture and the exquisite taste of your Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken.

Flavor Powerhouses: Lemon, Garlic, and Capers

Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is paramount. It provides the essential bright, zesty tang that cuts through the richness of the cream sauce, preventing it from being too heavy. Start with the recommended amount and adjust to your personal preference – some like it extra zesty!
Garlic: Minced fresh garlic infuses the entire dish with an incredible depth of flavor and a wonderful aroma. We call for two generous tablespoons, ensuring the garlic’s presence is prominent but not overpowering.
Capers: These briny, pickled flower buds are a classic addition to any piccata dish. They add a salty, tangy pop that beautifully complements the lemon and cream, providing a delightful complexity and enhancing the overall gourmet feel.

The Creamy & Flavorful Sauce Base

The luxurious sauce is what brings all the elements of this dish together. It starts with chicken broth as its foundation, enriched with your choice of dairy:

Half and Half: A lighter option that still provides a good amount of creaminess without making the sauce excessively rich.
Heavy Cream: For a truly decadent and indulgent sauce, heavy cream is the preferred choice, creating a thicker, more luscious texture.
Evaporated Milk: A fantastic substitute for a creamy texture with a slightly lower fat content, or if you simply don’t have fresh cream available.

While traditional piccata often uses copious amounts of butter and oil, this recipe is mindful of that. We’ve found that using half the oil (olive oil) and only a quarter of the butter of traditional recipes still yields a wonderfully rich and flavorful dish without being overly heavy. This thoughtful reduction allows the natural flavors of the chicken, lemon, and parmesan to shine through.

Dry Chicken Piccata pieces coated with parmesan and flour — Seasoned chicken breasts coated in the flour and parmesan mixture, ready for cooking.

Cooked chicken slices stacked in a bowl — Perfectly golden and cooked chicken pieces, waiting to be reunited with their creamy sauce.

How To Make Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken: Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these detailed steps to create a show-stopping Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken that’s worthy of any occasion, yet simple enough for a weeknight.

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4.91 from 104 votes

Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken Piccata

By Karina

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 people

The ultimate in gourmet comfort food with parmesan cheese, garlic and a creamy lemon sauce, this Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken is out of this world.

Ingredients

For The Chicken:

▢ 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts large, halved horizontally to make 4
▢ 2 tablespoons flour (all purpose or plain)
▢ 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese finely grated
▢ 1 teaspoon salt
▢ 1 pinch cracked pepper

For The Sauce:

▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 2 teaspoons butter or oil
▢ 2 tablespoons garlic minced
▢ 1 1/4 cup chicken broth (stock)
▢ 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream or evaporated milk
▢ 1/3 cup parmesan cheese finely grated, fresh
▢ 2 tablespoons capers plus 2 tablespoons extra to garnish
▢ 1 teaspoon cornstarch or cornflour, mixed with 1 tablespoon of water
▢ 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice juice of 1 lemon, adjust to your tastes
▢ 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Instructions

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and parmesan cheese. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in the flour mixture; shake off excess and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 teaspoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter has melted and pan is hot. Fry the chicken until golden on each side and cooked through and no longer pink (about 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Transfer onto a warm plate.
Add the garlic to the oil in the pan (spray with a light coating of oil if needed) and fry until fragrant (about 1 minute). Reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the broth and cream.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer; season with salt and pepper to your taste; add in the parmesan cheese and capers. Continue cooking gently for about 2 minutes until thicker. (If the sauce is too runny for your liking, add the cornstarch/water mixture into the centre of the pan and mix through fast to combine into the sauce. It will begin to thicken immediately).
Pour in the lemon juice, allow to simmer for a further minute to combine. Add the chicken back into the pan, allow to simmer gently in the sauce for about a minute to soak up all of the flavours in the sauce.
Serve with the sauce over pasta, steamed vegetables, zucchini noodles or rice. Top with extra capers to garnish, lemon slices and parsley.

Notes

Tips: I prefer to use fresh and finely grated parmesan for a nicer texture and fuller flavor.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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