I have a slight addiction to chicken. I mean, I would eat it every day of the week (and probably more than once) and be totally happy. This Creamy Lemon Thyme Chicken gives me just one more excuse to do exactly that.

If you love creamy chicken dishes, you definitely should try this Creamy Tuscan Chicken too.

A pan with 4 cooked chicken breasts in a creamy sauce

This chicken recipe is the next in a group of recipes I’m putting together to create a gorgeous Mothers Day menu. We started with these Honey Grilled Prawns with Chorizo Dukkah which are the perfect, light introduction to a menu you could serve for a decadent lunch, late lunch or dinner party.

Keep an eye out for the Mothers Day Dinner Party roundup coming up soon.

In it you will find, every recipe you need plus some substitutions for each course. The roundup will include a sneaky little drink recipe to have with it and some ideas for how to make it a gorgeous dinner party to remember.

A grey plate with a chicken breast, potatoes and a cream sauce

Cooking with thyme

Thyme, with it’s small leaves and the aromatic flavour is one of the most commonly used herbs in the world. As well as being used in cooking, thyme is also used medicinally, ornamentally in gardens and in aromatherapy.

Thyme is versatile, flavourful, easy to grow and just happens to be in my top 3 fresh herbs to use in cooking.

What is a sprig of thyme?

Often in cooking, a recipe will call for a sprig of thyme. Thyme is made up of loads of little leaves on each stem and a sprig refers to one of those stems. If a recipe calls for a sprig of thyme, it normally means to leave it intact.

In this recipe, I’ve used a spoon measure which means just the leaves picked from the stems. Very young, soft stems can be used in cooking but older ones will be a bit woody – you’ll easily be able to see the difference.

To pick the leaves from the stems, hold the top with one hand, then gently drag down the stem with your other. The leaves will come away quite easily.

How to make Creamy Lemon Thyme Chicken

2 photos: Raw chicken breasts on a chopping board seasoned. Then cooked in a pan.

Start by seasoning raw chicken breasts with salt and pepper (photo 1). Heat some oil in a pan and cook the chicken breasts for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through (photo 2). Set them aside.

Mix the flour with a little stock until you have a paste then add that with the rest of the stock into the hot pan, plus a little butter.

2 photos: A pan with chicken stock, onions and thyme, then with cream added.

Now add the thyme and shallots (photo 3) and cook until the shallots have softened a little. Add the cream, lemon juice and parmesan (photo 4) and let the sauce come to a simmer until it’s thickened and reduced a little.

4 chicken breasts in a pan with creamy sauce.

Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer for another minute (photo 5), turning it over in the sauce before serving.

I make chicken cutlets for this recipe (chicken breasts sliced into two pieces). If you want to know more check out my full guide to chicken cutlets.

Substitutions

  • Dried thyme vs fresh thyme: The flavour is different so if you can get fresh thyme, use that. However, dried thyme still works nicely. Substitute just 1 teaspoon of dried thyme for 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme.
  • Other herbs: You could use rosemary, sage – which are my other 2 favourite herbs, oregano and tarragon would also go beautifully. For a much more subtle herb flavour try just some parsley.

Both cream and parmesan make this sauce silky and super creamy while the lemon gives it a great tang. Perfect for smothering the succulent chicken breasts. Parmesan also adds a great umami flavour and pairs perfectly with the fresh thyme.

This chicken dish is great served with a lovely Warm Potato and Asparagus Salad (which just happens to be the side for this yummy Mothers Day menu, coming to the blog in 2 weeks).

Click here to Pin this recipe for later!

A closeup of a cooked chicken breast in a creamy sauce

I know you’ll love this Creamy Lemon Thyme Chicken as much as I do. It’s just incredible flavour and totally comforting with just a few simple, everyday ingredients and an easy dish to make any time.

More recipes in this menu

More chicken recipes

A grey plate with a chicken breast, potatoes and a cream sauce

Creamy Lemon Thyme Chicken

Yield: 4 serves
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
5 from 3 ratings
Creamy Lemon Thyme Chicken is all made in one pan or skillet. Easy to prepare, ready in under 30 minutes and a tangy, creamy sauce, this simple chicken dish is an insanely delicious dinner for any night of the week.
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Ingredients

  • 4 (approx 600g) small chicken breasts (or 2 large cut in half)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons plain (all-purp) flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, not packed
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 1/4 cup Juice of one a lemon
  • 1/3 cup (20g) finely grated parmesan
  • Slices of lemon and torn fresh parsley to serve

For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided

Instructions
 

  • Season the chicken breasts well with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through (see notes).
  • Reduce the heat to low-medium. Mix the flour with 2 tablespoons of the stock until you have a paste, then mix it back into the rest of the stock. Now pour the stock mixture into the pan to deglaze it. Add the butter, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the shallots and thyme and cook for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and the shallots have softened.
  • Add the cream and lemon juice and parmesan and stir to combine. Let the sauce come to a simmer, then simmer for 1 minute or until it reduces by about a third.
  • Add back the chicken along with any juices it's sitting in and simmer for another minute. Turn the chicken to coat it well in the sauce.
  • Serve with steamed green beans or Warm Potato and Asparagus Salad.

Notes

  1. Cooking time for the chicken will vary, depending on size.

FOR MORE CHICKEN RECIPES, CLICK HERE

Calories: 291kcal
Author: Marie Roffey
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Chicken, Italian
Have you tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.

A closeup of a cooked chicken breast in a creamy sauce with potatoes