Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken with Cauliflower is a delicious low carb, gluten free one pan meal. Seared chicken in a creamy sauce flavored with lemon and fresh thyme make this a main dish the whole family will love.
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The best part of the keto diet, for me, besides all the weight loss, increased energy, and a general feeling of happiness almost all the time now (yay for balanced hormones!) is all the rich, delicious foods. Basically, anything made with heavy whipping cream is sure to be delicious.
Not only does this recipe for Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken with Cauliflower use heavy whipping cream, but I absolutely love it in a cup or two of chai tea almost every single day and in casseroles like Creamy Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole, Ranch Bacon Chicken Casserole, and Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole – all of which also use cauliflower rice.
Why This Recipe Works
There are only 5 net carbs per serving making this recipe very low carb and keto friendly. It’s also naturally gluten free.
This is a very family friendly meal. It helps to make following a keto diet easier when everyone can eat the same dinner.
A good sauce has some kind of magic in it and this is one of those sauces. It’s simple, creamy, and zesty! It’s perfect with the seared chicken breasts and of course we all know how versatile cauliflower is. In this recipe, the cauliflower takes on all of the flavor of the sauce.
This is a quick, easy recipe that’s great for any night of the week.
Step-By-Step Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts: thin cut works best in this recipe.
- 1 cup chicken stock or bone broth
- 4 cups cauliflower: riced or finely chopped.
- Lemon: zested (about 1 teaspoon) and juiced until you have about 1 tablespoon. Fresh squeezed lemon juice is going to give you the best flavor by far.
- 4 cloves garlic: minced.
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme: plus more for garnish.
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt and pepper
The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
Rice the cauliflower (you can reference this post on How to Rice Cauliflower, if needed).
Chef’s Tip: most grocery stores now sell already chopped or riced cauliflower in the produce section. You can use frozen cauliflower, but the final results may vary slightly.
Mince the garlic, strip the leaves off of the stems of thyme, and juice half of a lemon.
Create!
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter, and then cook the chicken until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Flip the chicken oven and cook the other side about 2-4 minutes, or until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle. Remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Add the chicken stock, garlic and cauliflower to the skillet and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to simmer until the cauliflower is just tender about 4-5 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the thyme, heavy cream, lemon zest and juice. Add chicken back to the pan.
Present!
Garnish with additional fresh thyme and lemon slices, if desired.
Tips and Techniques for the Best Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken with Cauliflower
- You can reference this post on How to Rice Cauliflower, if needed, or buy already chopped cauliflower from the produce section of the grocery store. Frozen riced cauliflower can be used, but may result in a watery, mushier texture.
- If you can’t find thin cut chicken breasts, you can pound out regular chicken breasts to about 1/2-inch thickness before cooking.
- If you need to substitute dried thyme for fresh thyme, use only 1/2 tablespoon.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
FAQ’s
Can You Use Frozen Cauliflower Rice?
Yes, you can use frozen cauliflower rice. You may need to cook it a few minutes longer and the final sauce may be a little thinner.
More Low Carb Chicken Dinners to Try
Low carb dinners with big flavor are a must! It’s so much easier to stick to a keto diet if the food is easy to make and super flavorful. Some low carb chicken recipes that fit these requirements are:
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Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken with Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 pound thin cut chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup chicken bone broth (or chicken stock)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 cups cauliflower (rice or chopped small)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- fresh thyme (garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.1 pound thin cut chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter, and then cook the chicken until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook about 2-4 minutes, or until cooked through. The internal temperature of chicken should read 165°F when taken with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part. Remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Add the chicken stock, garlic, and cauliflower to the skillet and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to simmer until the cauliflower is just tender about 4-5 minutes.1 cup chicken bone broth, 4 cloves garlic, 4 cups cauliflower
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the thyme, heavy cream, lemon zest and juice.1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Add chicken back to the pan, garnish with additional fresh thyme, and serve hot.fresh thyme
Notes
Tips and Techniques
You can reference this post on How to Rice Cauliflower, if needed, or buy already chopped cauliflower from the produce section of the grocery store. Frozen riced cauliflower can be used, but often results in a watery, mushier texture. If you can't find thin cut chicken breasts, you can pound out regular chicken breasts to about 1/2-inch thickness before cooking. If you need to substitute dried thyme for fresh thyme, use only 1/2 tablespoon. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days. ** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on January 9, 2019. It was updated with new images, step-by-step instructions, tips, techniques, and FAQ’s in June 2022.
Deborah Ahrens says
It was good but I thought it would be more sauce. We had no sauce and I did use the fresh cauliflower rice.
Emily says
Thanks!
Emily says
Hi, I made this dish tonight and really loved it! My kids (ages 2, 4, and 6) had the chicken with just a bit of the sauce and ate it right up as well! I saw you mention lemon zest at some point in the directions but then it’s not specifically mentioned in the recipe card. I just sprinkled it on at the end. But is there a better time to include it?
Thanks!
Lauren Vavala says
Hi Emily! So sorry about that. The zest can be stirred in with the lemon juice, but the way you used it is good too! I updated the post and recipe card – thanks so much for letting me know! I’m glad you still enjoyed the recipe!!
– Lauren
Emily says
Thanks! I will try that next time. Just made the creamy garlic chicken and that was also a hit!
Lauren Vavala says
Awesome!! So glad you enjoyed that one too!!
Rachel says
I made this tonight for dinner and it was sooo delicious. I used frozen riced cauliflower and the recipe is 100% right that it makes the sauce super thin. I’ll definitely make again with fresh cauliflower.
Lauren Vavala says
Hi Rachel! Glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe. Some people have had success using frozen cauliflower, but most mention that they cook it separate first to get any excess liquids out. This sauce isn’t going to be super thick regardless, so the frozen cauliflower may affect it even more. Just a heads up for next time 🙂
– Lauren
Kiri says
Just made this and it’s absolutely amazing! While cooking, I was taste testing along the way and getting a bit nervous, but the addition of heavy cream and lemon at the end really brought everything together. I threw some capers in at the end. I can’t believe I’ve been low-carb for nearly a year and have never once thought of using cauliflower rice in a risotto-type dish. Thank you!
Lauren Vavala says
Yay! Always happy to hear this recipe has turned out great! Thanks for coming back to let me know and for rating the recipe 5 stars. I appreciate it so much! – Lauren
Kitchen Varieties says
Made these this morning, and followed instructions exactly. They were out of this world. Outstanding! I can’t wait to make these for friends.
Lauren says
Thank you!! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Shana says
This looks delish – one question. Is there a way to make a dairy-free version?
Lauren says
Hi Shana! While I haven’t made this dairy-free, you could probably swap out the butter for an oil like avocado oil, and the heavy cream for an unsweetened dairy-free milk. I would recommend going slow when adding dairy free milk, since it may not thicken up quite the same. Hope this helps and that it works out for you!
– Lauren
Lizzy says
Obsessed with cauliflower rice — what a nice way to make it taste a little more decadent!
Meghan says
Loved this!
Lauren says
Awesome! So happy to hear this 🙂
Edyta says
I love everything about this dish. Cauliflower with lemon chicken is absolutely the best. Wonderful recipe!
Jennifer says
We are all about the cauliflower these days! And this lemon chicken was delish! We will be making this again!
Vicky says
I like that this dish looks fancy but in actuality is pretty prepare. Riced cauliflower is one of my favorite add ons to a recipe. It is simple to make, especially if you buy the pre-made stuff. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a lemon chicken flavor!
Tara says
A good sauce is a miracle worker, isn’t it? So delicious!
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
I love the herbs and fresh citrus in this dish! I also love the creamy and delicious cauliflower under the chicken. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try- pinning for later!