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.
How to Make Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken with Cauliflower
Prep!
Rice the cauliflower (you can reference this post on How to Rice Cauliflower, if needed).
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, thyme, and cauliflower to the skillet and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, and the cauliflower is just tender about 4-5 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and lemon juice.
Present!
Add chicken back to the pan, garnish with additional fresh thyme, and serve hot.
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 leftover Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken with Cauliflower in an air-tight 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 Easy Garlic Chicken, Creamy Garlic Chicken, Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken, and Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chicken.
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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 stock
- 4 cloves garlic * minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 4 cups cauliflower * chopped small
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- fresh thyme * garnish, optional
Instructions
- 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 and cook about 2-4 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add the chicken stock, garlic, thyme, and cauliflower to the skillet and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, and the cauliflower is just tender about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and lemon juice.
- Add chicken back to the pan, garnish with additional fresh thyme, and serve hot.
Notes
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 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 leftover Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken with Cauliflower in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
