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Lemon Chicken Scallopini with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce is the weeknight dinner that tastes like a special occasion. Thin, golden cutlets simmer in a bright lemon garlic pan sauce that turns silky and spoonable, perfect over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
This chicken scallopini recipe blends two favorites in one skillet. You get the zesty punch of lemon garlic chicken and the comfort of a creamy lemon sauce, so every bite of Lemon Chicken Scallopini is tender, tangy, and totally satisfying.
What Makes This Recipe Work
Thin, evenly pounded cutlets sear fast, stay juicy, and build flavorful browned bits that power the sauce. A quick deglaze with lemon, garlic, and capers balances richness and brightness, so Lemon Chicken Scallopini tastes fresh and comforting in one bite.
One pan keeps the process simple and the sauce silky, especially when you finish with a splash of cream for creamy lemon chicken scallopini. Pantry staples make this chicken scallopini recipe reliable on busy nights, and the sauce clings beautifully to pasta, rice, or potatoes.
What Goes Into Lemon Chicken Scallopini
A few simple staples make Lemon Chicken Scallopini shine with bright citrus and a silky finish. These are the heroes that build flavor fast and keep the sauce creamy.
- Chicken Cutlets: Boneless skinless breasts halved and lightly pounded cook quickly, stay tender, and soak up the lemon garlic sauce.
- Fresh Lemons: Juice (and a little zest if you like) brings clean acidity that lifts every bite and defines this chicken scallopini recipe.
- Garlic: Minced cloves perfume the pan and anchor the sauce with savory depth to balance the cream and citrus.
- Light Cooking Cream: A splash turns the pan juices into that creamy lemon chicken scallopini finish that clings to cutlets and pasta.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Lemon Chicken Scallopini
- Prep And Season: Pat chicken dry, then season both sides with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over each fillet and rub it in.
- Optional Dredge: Place flour in a shallow bowl and dredge each fillet, shaking off the excess. Set the floured chicken aside while you heat the pan.
- Sear The Chicken: Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high until the butter melts and the pan is hot. Fry chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, then transfer to a warm plate.
- Build The Sauce: Add onion and garlic to the same pan and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low medium, add broth, season with salt and pepper, and simmer about 6 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Make It Creamy: Stir in the light cooking cream and bring to a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened. If needed, whisk in the cornstarch slurry and stir until the sauce thickens, then add lemon juice and Italian herbs and simmer 1 more minute.
- Finish And Serve: Return chicken and any juices to the pan and spoon the sauce over the cutlets until coated. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices, then serve Lemon Chicken Scallopini over rice, pasta, steamed vegetables, or zucchini noodles.
Serve it with Bloomin’ Onion Garlic Bread (Pull Apart Bread) for tear-and-share crunch to soak up the lemon garlic cream, Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli & Green Beans for crisp roasted veg that echo the savory notes, and Avocado Tomato Corn Salad for a cool, juicy finish that brightens the plate.
Recipe FAQ’s
Scallopini refers to very thin slices of meat that cook quickly in a skillet and finish in a pan sauce. In Lemon Chicken Scallopini, the thin cutlets stay tender and soak up the lemon garlic flavors.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts halved and lightly pounded are ideal because they cook fast and evenly. You can trim large pieces into smaller cutlets for consistent results.
Absolutely. Use chicken broth to deglaze the pan and build the sauce. The bright lemon keeps the flavor lively without wine.
Lemon Chicken Scallopini with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce
Ingredients
For The Chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts large, halved horizontally to make 4
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch cracked pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed, juice of half a lemon
- 4 tablespoons flour all purpose or tapioca – optional
For The Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 brown onion medium-sized
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced, or 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¼ cup chicken broth stock
- 2/3 cup light cooking cream
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon of water
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (adjust to your tastes)
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian mixed herbs
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 2 lemon slices or wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Season chicken with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon juice of half a lemon over each fillet, rubbing it into each fillet. (The next step is optional): Add the flour to a shallow bowl and dredge each fillet in the flour; shake off excess and set aside.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet or non stick pan over medium-high heat until butter has melted and pan is hot. Fry the chicken until golden on each side, cooked through and no longer pink (about 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Transfer onto a warm plate.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry until onion is translucent (about 3 minutes). Reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the broth. Season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook to reduce down slightly (about 6 minutes). Add in the cream and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes until it begins to thicken. (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 gently for a further minute to combine. Stir in the Italian herbs. Add the chicken back into the pan, cover with the sauce and serve over rice, pasta, steamed vegetables or zucchini noodles. Garnish with lemon slices or wedges and parsley.
Notes
*If you don’t have access to Italian dried herbs, use 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can I make this recipe the day before? And if so, what would be the best way, to heat up the chicken and sauce? I plan to make it today for tomorrow, Thank you.
Hi Trudy,
Yes, you can make this recipe the day before. Just place it in the refrigerator.
To heat it up, gently reheat the chicken and sauce in a pan on the stovetop over low to medium heat until warmed through. You can also heat it in the microwave in short bursts, stirring occasionally. Happy cooking
Absolutely fantastic sauce! Prep time took way longer that stated, though. I like to get everything in place before I even start cooking. Would make this again!! You almost don’t even need the Chicken, LOL, the rice and sauce is the best part!