Creamy Lemon Chicken with Dill
Creamy Lemon Chicken with Dill
Lemon chicken is my go-to recipe whenever I want to impress guests, or even just myself. This Lemon chicken is creamy and dynamic, using the bright flavors of dill and garlic to make a delightful sauce that pairs well with salad, noodles, or both! This meal is very comforting without being heavy, the secret being a little dollop of mayonnaise at the end that ties everything together. Made all in one skillet, this lemon chicken comes together quickly, making it an easy weeknight meal that the whole family can enjoy. That being said, there is nothing stopping you from making then a decadent weekend meal, that is how delicious this lemon chicken is! I was always intimidated by skillet cooking chicken, afraid that they would be dry and flavorless. I use chicken thighs for this recipe which have a little more fat and flavor than chicken breasts. I think that once you try this recipe, it will be apart of your recipe.
Notes and Tips for Lemon Chicken with Creamy Dill Sauce:
To help infuse the flavor of dill into your chicken, let your thighs marinade for at least 30 minutes, but over night is ideal.
Fresh lemons are best for this dish. The juice and zest add so much flavor that a bottled juice can not always add.
You can usually find fresh dill in the produce section at grocery stores. I find large and fresh amounts of dill at my local H-Mart, so I highly recommend seeing if you have one near you.
If you have leftover dill that you want to save, you can freeze fresh herbs in olive oil, make it into homemade ranch dressing, add it to salads, add it to soups, or add it to cream cheese. If you find a way to use your leftover dill, let me know in the comments in below!
My favorite pairing for this lemon chicken is rice noodles. I add the softened noodles to the lemony dill sauce after the chicken is cooked and it is so good. The noodles soak up the sauce and have the most amazing texture!
If you want to add a little fiber to your lemon chicken, wilt some kale into your lemon dill sauce after your finish cooking your chicken and before adding in the mayonnaise.
I recommend adding some extra dill at the end to really infuse the flavor into your dish. Dill can be a very light flavor so feel free to add it liberally.
Have leftovers and are looking to add a little extra flavor? Try adding a dollop of my basil pesto! So yummy!
How Do You Cook Moist Chicken?
Cooking moist chicken can be easy! No matter what cut of chicken you are using, breast or thigh, a fail safe way is to tenderize your meat with a meat mallet. Tenderizing your meat with a mallet thins your cut of meat and helps evenly cook your chicken. I put my pieces of chicken between parchment paper so that it is easy to clean up.
If you can not tenderize your meat, using chicken thighs is the best cut of meat to use if you want to cook moist chicken.
Do not over cook your chicken, remove from the skillet just before it reaches internal temperature of 165F and let it rest to reach the final temperature.
Recipe for Creamy Lemon Chicken:
- 2 lb chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
- 2 Tbs packed, fresh dill. Separated into 1 Tbs portions and lightly chopped.
- 1/4 cup +2 Tbs Olive Oil
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- Juice and Zest of 1 lemon, separated.
- 2 Cloves garlic
- 1 Shallot, finely chopped
- 1 Cup chicken broth
- 1 Tbs mayonnaise for serving
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Steps and Detailed Instructions:
In bowl, combine the chicken thighs, 2 Tbs olive oil, 1 Tbs dill, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and 1/2 of the lemon juice.
Mix together until the chicken is well coated. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
When ready to cook, bring a pan to medium heat with 3-4 Tbs of olive oil or any neutral oil.
Lightly mince your garlic, set aside
When the pan is hot, add the chicken.
Flip the chicken every 2-3 minutes until both sides are browned and beginning to crisp, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add in the garlic cloves and shallot. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until they are beginning to brown.
Add the chicken stock, the other half of the lemon juice, the lemon zest, and the other 1 Tbs of fresh dill. Stir well.
While the sauce is simmering, chop your chicken into bite-size pieces.
After 5-6 minutes of simmer time, add the chicken back in and incorporate will with the sauce. Continue to simmer until the sauce has thicken and all the chicken is fully cooked, about 5-6 more minutes.
Swirl in the tablespoon of mayonnaise. Your sauce should be creamy beginning to thicken.
Adjust salt and pepper levels and serve over a bed of noodles, with your favorite roasted vegetables or in a salad!
Creamy Lemon Dill Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken thighs (about 4 thighs)
- 2 Tbs packed, fresh dill. Separated into 1 Tbs portions and lightly chopped.
- 1/4 cup +2 Tbs Olive Oil
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- Juice and Zest of 1 lemon, separated.
- 2 Cloves garlic
- 1 Shallot, finely chopped
- 1 Cup chicken broth
- 1 Tbs mayonnaise for serving
- Salt and Pepper to taste