30-Minute Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken

Easy, quick 30-Minute Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken is a miracle meal! Loaded with creamy, zesty garlicky flavor, you’ll never look at bland chicken breast the same way! 

Not only does it only take 30 minutes from start to finish to prepare this dish, but it gives a fancy vibe in spite of being incredibly simple.

I’d like to introduce you to my latest obsession.

This incredibly simple recipe takes 30 minutes tops from start to finish and requires only 9 basic ingredients. The end result is a dish that is rich in flavor, has marvelous texture, and you’d never guess it was so dang simple!

To put the icing on the cake, this dish is low-carb (keto friendly), paleo, whole30, clean and fresh tasting!

I’ve been making this creamy lemon garlic chicken for meal prep so that I can just reheat it for lunches or dinners during the week. I recommend doubling or tripling the batch depending on how many people you’re cooking for or how much leftovers you want.

Serve it with rice, sautéed or roasted vegetables, or any of your favorite side dishes. I go with brown rice and sautéed veg!

What are these 9 fabulous ingredients, you ask? Let’s chat.

Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken Ingredients:

Avocado Oil: A touch of avocado oil is all we need to sauté the onion and brown the chicken before adding the coconut milk for the sauce. I use avocado oil because it has a high smoke point, ideal for cooking at high temperatures.

Chicken Breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts are the lean protein source here. You can either purchase thinner chicken breast fillets or tenders, or if you buy standard chicken breasts, be sure to slice them in half (length-wise) to create a thinner cutlet. You can absolutely use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer.

Using bone-in chicken thighs works too, just note that the cook time will be longer for bone-in pieces.

Onion & Garlic: Both onion and garlic provide that warm and inviting flavor that makes a dish so palatable. A generous amount of garlic makes this creamy lemon chicken a garlic lover’s dream! I use red onion but you can use any type of onion you like. I also garnish the dish with green onion, which I find gives the dish a very fresh flavor, but you can omit the green onion if you want and the chicken will still be great!

Lemon Zest & Juice: Lemon zest is what gives this dish that smooth lemon flavor and lemon juice gives it a tang. Don’t be afraid of adding lots of zest! This is where much of the flavor comes from.

Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: The “creamy” portion of this recipe. In order to keep the recipe dairy-free, I use full-fat canned coconut milk, which is very rich and lends an amazing creamy sauce to the dish. 

You can’t taste the coconut milk, as the lemon zest + juice, onion and garlic mask the coconut flavor. If you prefer heavy cream, feel free to replace the coconut milk with 1 ⅔ cups of heavy cream.

Dried Parsley and Sea Salt: Parsley adds a nice herby flavor which is always a bonus in savory recipes like this, and sea salt brings out all of the flavors. Any time you think a dish tastes bland, simply add sea salt until the flavors begin to shine.

Let’s make it!

How to Make Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken Ingredients:

Add the avocado oil to a large skillet and heat to medium-high. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to sweat, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Note: if you’re using standard boneless chicken breasts (instead of pre-sliced thinner fillets or tenders), be sure to slice the breasts in half (length-wise) to create a thinner cutlet. This ensures the chicken cooks quickly, evenly, and doesn’t dry out.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with sea salt and place them in the hot skillet. Allow them to brown for 2 to 3 minutes per side. 

Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet and stir everything around. Bring to a full boil, then reduce the heat slightly. Continue cooking at a full, controlled boil until the sauce reduces by ⅓ to ½ its original volume and the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve with your choice of sides and enjoy!

What to Serve With Chicken:

My top side dish recommendations are brown rice or Lemon Garlic Rosemary Rice, Stir Fry Vegetables, My Go-To Balsamic Roasted Vegetables, Apple Cider Glazed Roasted Carrots, or Crispy Vegan Cheesy Roasted Broccoli. 

Love this dish? Be sure to check out my other healthy chicken recipes.

More Healthy Chicken Dishes:

• Chicken Marsala (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Easy Greek Chicken
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• 30-Minute Mexican Chicken and Zucchini Skillet

Enjoy!