Herb Chicken with Lemon Cream Sauce
It’s almost Christmas day and I’m excited to share this luscious main dish with you. I’ve prepared it so many times to great rave reviews. I made it for the Bariatric cooking class I teach monthly as well as for a large group of women recently gathered for a lovely Christmas dinner celebration. It was very well received!
Everyone craves this moist chicken coated in a mustard herb paste, baked or sauteed and then covered in a light, but luscious lemon cream sauce. Keep reading to learn how to pull this dish together.
Keeping chicken nice and moist is everyone’s challenge because it’s so easy to overcook it. This recipe calls for a delicious mustard, olive oil, herb-garlic and lemon paste which you coat all over the chicken pieces. Then I saute each chicken breast in melted butter over medium high heat to brown and seal in the juices. Then reduce the heat to medium and allow chicken to slowly finish cooking. This takes about 10-15 minutes on the stove top and about 25-30 minutes in the oven.
The lemon cream sauce is a basic white sauce with added lemon zest and lemon juice. Melt butter and chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon) along with some garlic to make a paste. White wine or cooking wine (non-alcoholic) is added followed by half and half. Additional basil and red pepper flakes are added along with the lemon zest and juice. It stores well in the refrigerator if you happen to make too much, but honestly that doesn’t happen much. It thickens as it cools, but heating back up restores it’s smooth creamy texture.
I like to serve with a big green salad, like this Winter Green Salad with Pomegranate Dressing. I also think it pairs nicely with the Cranberry Butternut Squash Farro Pilaf I recently posted. And how about a yummy chocolate dessert to finish? Whip up a batch of Chocolate Mint Truffle Cookies or Brownie Cups with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. It’s a lovely Christmas dinner combination that I thoroughly recommend!
Merry Christmas from my house to yours!
- Herb Chicken with Lemon Cream Sauce
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp concentrated chicken base (I use Better than Bouillon)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp (cooking) white wine
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, mustard, lemon zest, garlic, thyme and rosemary; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using your fingers or a brush, work the mixture onto both sides of the chicken.
- Melt butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and sear both sides until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Reduce heat and keep warm. *(See Note below)
- For the Lemon Cream Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan placed over medium heat and add concentrated base (Better than Bouillon). As the two begin to melt add the garlic and cook until everything is melted together and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the flour and whisk vigorously. Everything will come together in a clump. Continue to whisk for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute. Quickly add the white wine and then the half and half, whisking to combine. Stir in basil and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk for a minute and reduce to a simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened. Add the lemon zest, and lemon juice. Continue to whisk until everything is well incorporated. Remove from heat and serve over the chicken.
Notes
*If you prefer, sear chicken in butter on the stove top, 1 to 2 minutes per side until browned on the outside. Then cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from oven and keep warm.
You may also enjoy:
Chicken Cordon Bleu with Butter Lemon Sauce
Lemon and Thyme Grilled Chicken
Lemon Basil Chicken over Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
