I’m sharing my Crock Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts recipe and a simple Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken method that pairs beautifully with pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.
I never thought a slow cooker could turn chicken into something both bright and velvety, but this Crock Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts did exactly that. Cream cheese folds into a lemony sauce made with fresh lemon juice so the whole thing tastes creamy without feeling heavy, and you’ll keep wondering how it’s that simple.
I bring this when I want applause but not effort, and it usually sparks a million questions because people swear it came from a restaurant. If you search Lemon Chicken Crockpot Recipes Healthy or Chicken Breast Recipes Slow Cooker you’ll see why, give it a try.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: lean protein, low carb, filling, soaks up flavors real good
- Cream cheese: gives creamy tang, adds fat and calories, makes sauce velvety but rich
- Condensed cream of chicken soup: thickens sauce, adds savory umami and sodium
- Lemon juice and zest: bright acid, adds sour freshness and cuts richness, citrus punch
- Garlic: pungent aromatics, gives depth and slight sweetness when cooked
- Chicken broth: thins sauce slightly, adds savory base and extra saltiness
- Italian seasoning and parsley: herb mix, adds earthiness, bright green finish when sprinkled
- Butter: optional, enriches sauce, makes it silkier and slightly richer
- Onion powder: subtle savory note, complements garlic without visible onion bits
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs)
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 to 2 lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for serving (optional)
How to Make this
1. Pat 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; searing them in a hot skillet 1-2 minutes per side is optional but gives more flavor so do it if you want.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the
10.5 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup, 8 oz softened cream cheese (cube it so it blends easier), 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon onion powder until mostly smooth.
3. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot in a single layer, then pour the creamy lemon mixture over the top making sure the chicken is mostly covered.
4. Dot the top with the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter if using, it melts into the sauce and makes it richer.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C) and is tender.
6. When cooked, remove the chicken to a plate and shred or slice as you prefer; give the sauce a good stir to fully incorporate any remaining cream cheese lumps.
7. Return the shredded or sliced chicken to the crock pot, stir to coat with the sauce and let it sit on WARM for 10 minutes so the flavors marry and the sauce thickens slightly.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed; if the sauce is too thin you can remove a cup of sauce, whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional) and return it, cooking on HIGH for another 10 minutes until thicker.
9. Serve the creamy lemon chicken over pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley if you like for color and freshness.
Equipment Needed
1. Crock pot or slow cooker (6 to 7 quart)
2. Large skillet or frying pan (optional for searing)
3. Medium mixing bowl
4. Whisk (or wooden spoon if you prefer)
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board (for zesting lemons and mincing garlic)
7. Instant read meat thermometer
8. Tongs or spatula and a couple of forks for shredding/serving
FAQ
Crock Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Condensed cream of chicken soup: swap with 1 cup plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup chicken broth + 1 tsp chicken bouillon, or make a quick white sauce (2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour, whisk in 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup broth until thick)
- Cream cheese: use mascarpone 1:1 for similar richness, or stir in 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt for a tangier, lighter finish
- Chicken broth: replace with low-sodium vegetable broth, or 1/2 cup water plus 1/2 to 1 tsp chicken bouillon (or 1 bouillon cube) if you dont have broth
- Fresh lemon juice/zest: swap lemon juice 1:1 with lime juice, or use white wine vinegar (use slightly less, about 3/4 the amount) and add a pinch of sugar to balance if needed
Pro Tips
– Soften the cream cheese right, it saves you a ton of stirring. Cut it into cubes and microwave 10-15 seconds or grate it cold into the bowl, then whisk with a few tablespoons of warm chicken broth before adding the rest. That way you get a silky sauce not a lumpy one.
– Sear the chicken if you can. Pat the breasts dry and get the pan really hot, a quick 1-2 minute per side brown adds flavor you cant get from the crock pot alone. If you want more crust, dust with a little flour or smoked paprika first.
– Brighten it at the end. Zest and a splash of lemon juice added right after you shred the chicken make the sauce pop, and keeps the lemon from tasting flat or bitter from long cooking. Save a bit of zest or juice to finish.
– Fix texture problems fast. If the sauce is too thin mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water, stir into a cup of the hot sauce then return and cook on high for 10 minutes. For lumps, an immersion blender or a quick whisk in a blender smooths everything out. Reheating? Add a splash of broth so it doesnt tighten up.
Crock Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts Recipe
I’m sharing my Crock Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Breasts recipe and a simple Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken method that pairs beautifully with pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.
4
servings
799
kcal
Equipment: 1. Crock pot or slow cooker (6 to 7 quart)
2. Large skillet or frying pan (optional for searing)
3. Medium mixing bowl
4. Whisk (or wooden spoon if you prefer)
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board (for zesting lemons and mincing garlic)
7. Instant read meat thermometer
8. Tongs or spatula and a couple of forks for shredding/serving
Ingredients
-
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs)
-
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
-
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese softened
-
1/2 cup chicken broth
-
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 to 2 lemons)
-
1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
-
2 cloves garlic minced
-
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
-
1 teaspoon onion powder
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
-
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for serving (optional)
Directions
- Pat 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts dry and season both sides with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; searing them in a hot skillet 1-2 minutes per side is optional but gives more flavor so do it if you want.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the
- 5 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup, 8 oz softened cream cheese (cube it so it blends easier), 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon onion powder until mostly smooth.
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot in a single layer, then pour the creamy lemon mixture over the top making sure the chicken is mostly covered.
- Dot the top with the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter if using, it melts into the sauce and makes it richer.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F (74 C) and is tender.
- When cooked, remove the chicken to a plate and shred or slice as you prefer; give the sauce a good stir to fully incorporate any remaining cream cheese lumps.
- Return the shredded or sliced chicken to the crock pot, stir to coat with the sauce and let it sit on WARM for 10 minutes so the flavors marry and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed; if the sauce is too thin you can remove a cup of sauce, whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional) and return it, cooking on HIGH for another 10 minutes until thicker.
- Serve the creamy lemon chicken over pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley if you like for color and freshness.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 438g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 799kcal
- Fat: 41.5g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.5g
- Monounsaturated: 7.5g
- Cholesterol: 270mg
- Sodium: 1047mg
- Potassium: 833mg
- Carbohydrates: 12.5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 6g
- Protein: 85g
- Vitamin A: 800IU
- Vitamin C: 4mg
- Calcium: 150mg
- Iron: 0.8mg