Lemon Butter Chicken
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Easy crisp-tender chicken with the creamiest lemon butter sauce ever – you’ll want to forget the chicken and drink the sauce instead!
Happy New Year! I know I should really be sharing some sort of salad or quinoa recipe with the start of the year but you know me and my chicken thigh obsession. I just can’t get enough, especially when a lemon butter cream sauce is involved.
And if you’re in the need of some clean greens for the new year diet, well, this dish has plenty of baby spinach. Good enough, right?
Plus, these chicken thighs carry quite a bit of punch with that fresh, zingy lemon flavor and that smoky goodness from the paprika. And this cream sauce is absolutely heavenly. Just be sure to have a spoon ready because you’ll want to sip on it straight from the pan!
Lemon Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Season chicken thighs with paprika, salt and pepper, to taste.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side; set aside.
- Melt remaining tablespoon butter in the Dutch oven. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmesan, lemon juice and thyme.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat, stir in spinach, and simmer until the spinach has wilted and the sauce has slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Return chicken to the Dutch oven.
- Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 25-30 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
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I know this recipe wasn’t intended to be low carb, but I’m on a keto diet and always looking for new chicken thigh recipes to mix things up so i don’t get bored.
This really hit the spot with me and my boyfriend. I will have to check out your other stuff. Thank you!
Hi, I would love to try this recipe however my apartment doesn’t have an oven would I be able to sear and then finish in the crockpot with the sauce? Do you have any suggestions?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Because my oven wasn’t working, I finished this recipe on the stove top, in the skillet, uncovered and on Simmer. It turned out perfectly. I did begin with a roux for thickening, doubled the sauce ingredients, added the zest from one lemon and served it on Angle Hair Pasta. Ohhh myyy GOODness!!! There wasn’t a single bite or drop left over!
I made this lemon butter chicken today, but using bone-in breasts as that is what I had on hand. I followed the recipe otherwise, adjusting the cooking time accordingly; this dish was awesome and my family loved it. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for this wonderful (and easy) recipe. And yes, you do want to eat the sauce with a spoon, it is that good!
Delish! Or as my kids put it…”it’s super duper duper duper good!”
So delicious! We’re not crazy about spinach so we substitute mushrooms and it’s super good.
Just discovered your site today via Pinterest. Made this for dinner tonight, My husband absolutely flipped for it. Served it over rice, it was delicious. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes. So happy to find another that is “obsessed with chicken thighs”!
The sauce was amazing!! The chicken was tender!! I will definitely put this in my dinner rotation!! Thank you so much!
DEEEEeeelish … my hubby doesn’t even like thighs and he loved this dish. So easy and quick. I’ll be making this for friends and family. Thank you!!!
The video does not mention baking – or did I miss something? It just says reduce heat and simmer. I am going to follow the written directions. I am making this tonight and just put it in the oven – it smells great.
First off LOVE your recipes…I have tried so many and every one has been delicious! Friends have subscribed to your site after I have shared a recipe with them, i.e. fire cracker meatballs (yummy) Can I substitute ghee for the butter? Just discovered this product and am looking for more ways to use it. Thanks this will be on my menu this weekend.
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
this might be the best thing that I’ve ever made, ever. I kind of just want to make the sauce and drink it forever.
One thing really worth noting is that this is LCHF/Keto friendly. Which is nice because I’ve always wanted to be friends with lovely things.
Fresh or frozen spinach
Fresh.
I made this this evening and it was so good! I used EVOO along with the butter, added garlic and onion powder, Italian seasoning, marinated artichoke hearts and a bit more parmesan cheese than called for. I also didn’t have any spinach on hands so I used green peas and served over penne pasta….delish! I will double the sauce next time though! Thank you for the recipe!
Chungah,
Loved your lemon butter chicken. I prepare butter chicken at home; never tried this one though. Shall definitely check it out this weekend and let you know my response.
Thanks for sharing recipes like this. Appreciated.
Great recipe!! Been making for about a year now. Family loves it!!
Does searing it make that much of a difference?
Yes, absolutely!
I baked this on the grill – and got distracted. It really over-cooked. The sauce and spinach had burnt down to nothing. Nooooo! But the chicken was still perfect. And the sauce made the most incredible fond!!! It was so good. Maybe the best chicken I’ve ever had.
I will make it again, but am conflicted on whether to cook it the right way, or the wrong way.
And I will make this again. I used a big cast iron pan. Maybe I will finish cooking it on the stove? Thanks
This is unbelievably delicious. Thank you!
If spinach is a ‘clean’ green, what is a ‘dirty’ green? so tired of the fad labels!
Just tried it tonight and seriously it was damn delicious!!! My whole family loved it. I really am just meh about online recipes, but this one made me change my tune. That sauce. holywowbatman! I wanted to lick my plate for reals.