The Secret to the Ultimate Creamy Chicken Sauce

When the chill of fall hits, comfort food cravings soar. And if there’s any dish that screams comfort, it’s this Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken! It’s simple to prepare, and the rich, cheesy sauce makes it the perfect meal for sweater weather. Just last week, it was one of our top picks!

‘This turned out amazing,’ shared a Dinogo user. ‘I used cream cheese instead, and the sauce was fantastic. The chicken was so tender! I'll definitely make this again.’

The recipe suggests mascarpone cheese, but you can easily swap it for cream cheese. Either choice is key to achieving the perfect creamy sauce that makes this chicken dish an ultimate comfort food experience.

No Need for a Roux

A roux is a classic method for thickening creamy sauces, combining equal parts fat (like butter, oil, or bacon grease) and flour. However, this recipe skips the roux and uses cornstarch instead. The magic happens when a cornstarch slurry is combined with creamy cheese to create the rich, cheesy sauce.

This technique makes the sauce gluten-free, though the full recipe isn't. The chicken is coated in all-purpose flour, but you can easily swap it for a gluten-free flour if needed.

More Handy Tips for This Creamy, Satisfying Chicken Recipe

There are several valuable cooking techniques you can pick up while making this dish.

How to make a slurry: Simply adding cornstarch to hot liquid can lead to clumps. Instead, make a slurry by mixing cornstarch with water. This technique is also perfect for making gravy, egg drop soup, or chili.

The right way to zest and juice a lemon: Always zest first, then juice. If you juice first, the rind becomes too soft to zest effectively.

The best tool for zesting a lemon: A microplane zester. It effortlessly creates fine zest with minimal pressure, outperforming traditional graters or citrus zesters.

What to Pair with Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken

Dinogo members rave that this chicken is ‘Absolutely lovely!’ and ‘Delicious!’ Even the best dishes need the perfect sides. Here are a few great options to complement your meal:

• Italian Leafy Green Salad: A simple salad that brings plenty of veggies to the plate.
• Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes: There’s garlic in the chicken dish, so keep the garlic vibe going with these potatoes.
• Sautéed Green Beans: Simple and always a great pairing with chicken.
• Pasta: Serve the chicken (cut into smaller pieces) and sauce over cooked pasta.