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This Creamy Parmesan Chicken is pure comfort food at its best and a reader favorite for good reason! Tender chicken breasts are dredged in finely grated parmesan, then simmered in a rich lemon and parmesan cream sauce with just the right touch of garlic. If you’ve been searching for the ultimate creamy parmesan chicken recipe, this one is guaranteed to win you over.
It’s the kind of meal that feels gourmet but is simple enough for a weeknight. The balance of parmesan, cream, and fresh lemon gives it both richness and brightness, making it unforgettable. For another cozy option, you’ll also love our Creamy Chicken With Herbs, which brings its own fresh twist to classic creamy chicken.
What Makes This Recipe Work
The beauty of this Creamy Parmesan Chicken lies in its balance of flavors. The parmesan creates a golden crust on the chicken, while the cream sauce blends garlic, lemon, and cheese into a silky finish. It’s a dish that feels both indulgent and refreshing, making it the kind of creamy chicken recipe you’ll want on repeat.
Readers also love how versatile it is. This meal easily shifts from a weeknight dinner to a special occasion centerpiece, thanks to the rich parmesan cream and bright citrus. If you’ve ever craved a creamy lemon chicken with a little extra depth, this recipe delivers everything you’re looking for.
What Goes Into Creamy Parmesan Chicken
This dish keeps things simple yet flavorful with everyday staples that come together in the most delicious way.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are sliced in half to create tender fillets that cook quickly and evenly.
- Parmesan Cheese: Finely grated parmesan adds nutty flavor and helps form a golden crust on the chicken while enriching the creamy sauce.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic brings depth and savory warmth that pairs beautifully with the lemon cream base.
- Lemon Juice: Bright and zesty, lemon juice cuts through the richness of the sauce and balances the parmesan and cream.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Creamy Parmesan Chicken
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- Prepare the Coating: In a bowl, mix the flour and parmesan cheese. Season the chicken fillets with salt and pepper, then dredge in the mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Heat the Pan: Warm the olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts and the pan is hot.
- Cook the Chicken: Place chicken in skillet and fry until golden and cooked, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate once done.
- Sauté the Garlic: Add minced garlic to the pan, adding a light spray of oil if needed. Cook for about a minute until fragrant.
- Build the Sauce: Lower the heat to medium, then pour in the chicken broth and cream. Stir to combine as the sauce begins to come together.
- Add Flavor and Thickness: Mix in parmesan and capers, seasoning with salt and pepper. If sauce is too thin, stir in the slurry and cook until thickened.
- Finish With Lemon: Pour in the lemon juice and let the sauce simmer for another minute before returning the chicken to the pan.
- Serve and Garnish: Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve with pasta, rice, or vegetables. Top with lemon slices, and parsley.
Pair this Creamy Parmesan Chicken with Zucchini Carbonara, a lighter take on classic pasta that adds smoky flavor without overpowering the creamy sauce. For a more earthy option, try Grilled Bruschetta Portobello Mushrooms, whose smoky char and juicy bite pair perfectly with the richness of the chicken.
If you’re craving something cozy and warming, a bowl of Slow Cooker Vegetarian Quinoa Chili makes an unexpected but satisfying partner. Together, these dishes bring balance and variety, turning your chicken dinner into a complete and memorable meal.
Recipe FAQ’s
You can swap the cream for half-and-half or evaporated milk. The sauce will still be deliciously rich but slightly lighter.
Use a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) to quickly thicken the sauce while it simmers. The parmesan also helps create a creamy consistency.
This dish pairs well with linguine, fettuccine, or even zucchini noodles if you want a low-carb option alongside the creamy lemon sauce.
WATCH US MAKE THIS CREAMY LEMON PARMESAN CHICKEN (PICCATA) RIGHT HERE!
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Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken Piccata
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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This photo is being used by another restaurant just so you know. Toninis Italian Market is posting your photo as their own recipe and photo they took to sell their chicken piccata.
Picatta is the only thing I ever order at an Italian restaurant, and I can’t believe how amazing this recipe tastes. I doubled it, used almond milk & powdered parmesan (I’ll buy fresh next time–this recipe’s worth it!) and ate it with spaghetti squash. I used cornstarch but wanted thicker so I ended up letting it reduce forever, next time I’ll use less water when I’m making my better-than-bouillon broth. Can’t wait to make this over & over, thanks so much!
This was delicious and I did make it the day before and reheated it!
FANTASTIC! Easy to do, and excellent dish! My household loved it! Yes!
I will have to try this out!! It looks AMAZING!! I love your blog so much, all of the food you make looks so good!
Kirsten
Thanks Kirsten!
Made this for lunch today. It was the best chicken dish I have ever tasted. My husband thought it was delicious as well. Thank you for posting.
Made this recipe as is, and it was amazing! I’ve never made a piccata with cream before, but that’s what sold me on this recipe, and it was the perfect sauce, especially over noodles! ?
Thanks for sharing!
The recipe looks yummy..”.anyway yo make it low sodium?
I JUST made this recipe and it turned out FANTASTIC! I say this with sincerity! I am a 24 year old that has just been experimenting with different recipes for about a year. I was pretty nervous about this recipe because I have never done anything like this before, especially with capers, but it turned out great! I used about a pound of chicken tenderloins and heavy whipping cream. I actually forgot to dredge the chicken beforehand lol. The sauce was thinner than what I expected but delicious!
The smell of the capers scared me for a bit, but it turned out great!
Husband and I loved this. Added recipe to our “favorites” recipe box and will be making again.