Relish in the flavors of Tuscany with my Creamy Lemon Herb Parmesan Chicken! Using homemade Tuscan seasoning, heavy cream, and kale, this decadent chicken dish comes together in a flash, making it perfect for a weeknight meal. Even the kids will love this creamy chicken! Dairy-free option.
Your new favorite dinner recipe is here! Everyone wants a meal that combines lean protein, a decadent sauce, and dark leafy greens. A dish like Creamy Lemon Herb Parmesan Chicken provides enough richness to feel satisfied but enough healthy ingredients for nutrition benefits.
This is a one-pot meal, so cooking and clean-up are as easy as can be. Simply sear the seasoned chicken breasts in the skillet, then make the sauce.
Finish the chicken inside the sauce so that it cooks all the way through and absorbs all of the wonderful Tuscan flavors. My creamy chicken is perfect served with mashed potatoes, rice, veggies, or your favorite side dish.
If you are vegetarian, this dish can easily be made with just pasta---check out this Easy Weeknight Creamy Tuscan Ravioli or you can use: cauliflower steaks, tofu, or eggplant. I like to use chicken because it is a reliable, tasty protein source that is fairly inexpensive. Plus, chicken takes on any flavor that you pair it with. Once you make this Creamy Lemon + Herb Parmesan sauce once, you'll pair it with everything!
When it comes to cooking, I like to use the best, freshest ingredients possible. High-quality ingredients generally mean more health benefits, prettier colors, and better flavors.
For example, buying pasture-raised chicken means that the chicken had a happy life on the farm. Free-roaming organic chickens tend to have a higher quality of life and taste better than factory-produced chickens. Pasture-raised chickens are also often cared for without growth hormones or antibiotics in their feed.
Chicken provides tons of lean protein. A diet high in protein can lead to a boosted immune system, metabolism, and digestive tract. Chicken is generally considered one of the healthiest animal protein sources.
In addition, kale provides omega-3 fatty acids to this dish. Omega-3s are healthy fats that our bodies thrive on but do not produce on their own. You can also find omega-3 fatty acids in spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, salmon, mackerel, and tuna.
In the end, be sure to look for the highest quality ingredients that you can find. It really makes a difference in the final dish.
The ingredients for this chicken dish are important for developing the right flavor notes. Here’s what you’ll need:
Cooking creamy lemon herb parmesan chicken is generally an easy process—in total about 30-35 minutes. You first start by cleaning and washing your chicken pieces to ensure that they are clean and ready to be seasoned. I like to wash my chicken with both vinegar and lemon to help keep things clean and sanitized.
Once your chicken is clean, then it’s seasoning time! I’m all about seasoning every “layer” of my food, therefore, the chicken gets direct seasoning and so does the sauce. Let everything marinate for 5-10 minutes.
Sure, you can find pre-made seasoning blends at the grocery store. But there’s nothing like the fresh, customized flavor you get by making your own blend. The herbs and spices in the Tuscan spice mix for this recipe are inspired by the fresh herbs that grow in Italy, mixed with a bit of heat from smoked paprika.
You can Store the seasoning blend in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month. Use it on anything from simple roasted vegetables to salad dressing to herb oil for dipping bread.
You can serve this Creamy Lemon Herb Parmesan Chicken with whatever your heart desires. I like to add pasta and some rice to sop up all of the rich creamy lemony herb flavors. It would pair great with white rice, brown rice, roasted veggies, mashed potatoes, or a fresh salad.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat servings in the microwave or on the stove to serve.
You can also freeze leftover chicken for up to six months. Then defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat to enjoy.
Yes! To make this sauce dairy-free, simply use vegan butter instead of the regular butter. Then swap the cream with full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. And use your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese or nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.
If you make this Creamy Lemon Herb Parmesan Chicken, be sure to tag me on Instagram @orchidsandsweettea!
Tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea
Creamy Lemon Herb Parmesan Chicken.
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Made it tonight and I loved it! I will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Hi Faatimah! I'm so happy that you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
I notice in the list of sliced smoked paprika is in there twice. Can you clarify the second amount of smoked paprika. Thanks
Hi Barbara! My apologies! The second smoked paprika should be "oregano" instead. Corrected! Thanks so much for pointing that out! 🙂
Yummmm! This looks amazing 👏
This looks delicious. I am trying to try new things this year in my cooking and this is one that I would love to try,
Thanks so much Lisa! I do hope that you enjoy it!
My husband would love this! Definitely putting it on our meal plan!
Oh my this looks so delicious. It’s full with so many flavors as well. Hmmmm I cannot wait to try this one. Sharing this to my social media.
Thanks so much Anna! It definitely has a ton of flavors and is a sure crow pleaser! Thanks so much for sharing it around!
Ok now this has my attention! Shanika, this looks soooo good girl!
Happy weekend lady love <33
Thanks so much Dana darling! You know that I love seeing that I got your attention! Haha. Have a great weekend girl! Xxo
Oh, that looks sooooo good! I've been really into lemon chicken lately so this is a recipe I definitely HAVE TO try! Yum!
Thanks so much Alissa! It was so delicious, I'll definitely be making it again! I do hope that you enjoy it once you make it!