Delicious light and healthy chicken and artichokes with lemon dill sauce for a weeknight meal, under 300 calories, and ready in 20 minutes!
Are you looking for a delicious, light, and healthy weeknight meal?
If so, this recipe for Chicken and Artichokes is for you!
Golden brown pan-seared chicken fillets and artichokes come together and nestled in a bright rich lemon dill cream sauce. The sauce is what makes this chicken dish so good! It’s thick and creamy and pairs well with rice, potatoes, or even pasta!
Don’t let the words cream sauce fool you. It’s healthy despite the fact it has heavy cream. This dish is under 300 calories per serving and comes together in less than 30 minutes.
David and I both love artichokes, but I don’t cook with them often enough. So when I saw this recipe in Eating Well Magazine, I figured it would be a great opportunity to try something easy, delicious, and different.
Like you, I’m always searching for healthy and quick recipes for serving during the week. I love this recipe, and I think you will too.
Let’s make some chicken!
The Ingredients
A detailed list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Oil: Only a small bit is used to grease the pan. I use extra-virgin olive oil.
Chicken: For this recipe, I used one whole chicken breast, cut it in half into two breasts, then filleted them to make four chicken cutlets about ¼-inch thick.
Seasoning: Only Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper are used. Al the flavor comes from the cream sauce.
Cream: If you cutting calories, don’t cringe! There is only ¼ cup of heavy cream in this entire recipe. When you divide it into four portions, we’re only talking a tablespoon per serving. Don’t skimp!
Lemon Juice: always fresh, NEVER from a bottle!
Cornstarch: this helps to thicken the sauce.
Garlic: The original recipe did not call for garlic. Why not?? Use one clove finely minced.
Broth: Unsalted chicken broth works best because you can control the amount of sodium in the recipe.
Artichokes: Don’t bother with fresh artichokes. They are a lot of work. Use canned artichoke hearts that have been drained, rinsed, and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
Dill: Always use fresh dill whenever possible. The flavor is more fresh and bright. I used “freshly frozen” from last summer’s harvest.
How To Make Chicken and Artichokes With Lemon Dill Sauce
This recipe is made using only one skillet, making it a one-pot wonder! Cleanup is a breeze!
Prepare The Chicken:
Cut the whole chicken breast in half. Then fillet the two halves into four thin cutlets. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cook The Chicken:
Heat the olive oil in a large stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets to the pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan. If there isn’t enough room, only cook two chicken cutlets at a time.
Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook until cooked through, about 3 to 4 more minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken is no less than 165 degrees F.
Transfer to a plate and loosely tent with foil to keep warm.
Make the Lemon Dill Sauce:
Pour the broth into the pan and bring to a simmer over high heat, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook the broth until it reduces by half, about 5 minutes.
Whisk the cream, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl, then pour it into the skillet with the broth. Whisk the cream mixture until it thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Combine:
When the sauce has thickened, add the chicken and any juices from the chicken in the bottom of the plate to the pan along with the artichokes and dill; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until warmed through.
Serving:
Serve immediately with your favorite rice, potatoes, or pasta with lemon wedges on the side.
What to Serve With Chicken and Artichokes
- Steamed Green Beans
- Wild Rice
- Mashed Potatoes
- Broccoli
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Pasta
Chicken and Artichokes FAQs
Absolutely! Canned and frozen artichokes can be used interchangeably. However, the artichokes need to be thawed and drained of excess moisture. So plan ahead!
Yes, but it will cost you more for the butcher to do the extra filleting for you unless you can find them on sale.
Learn more here: How To Fillet A Whole Chicken Breast.
Yes, absolutely, yes! Boneless skinless thighs would make a great substitute.
Sure! Use dried dill but decrease to 1 teaspoon because dried spices are more potent. Make sure you check the date on your dried dill before using it. If it’s old, toss it!
I hope you like this recipe as much as we did. It’s definitely going into our meal rotation. I can’t wait to make it again!
Making this recipe? We’d love to hear your feedback. Leave us a comment and a star rating below. We really appreciate it!
See ya on the mountain!
Chicken and Artichokes and Lemon Dill Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound chicken cutlets
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1 14 ounces can artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
PREPARE THE CHICKEN:
- Cut the whole chicken breast in half. Then fillet the two halves into four thin cutlets. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
COOK THE CHICKEN:
- Heat the olive oil in a large stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets to the pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan. If there isn’t enough room, only cook two chicken cutlets at a time.
- Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook until cooked through; about 3 to 4 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and loosely tent with foil to keep warm.
MAKE THE LEMON DILL SAUCE:
- Pour the broth into the pan and bring to a simmer over high heat, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook the broth until it reduces by half; about 5 minutes.
- Whisk the cream, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl then pour it in the skillet with the broth. Whisk the cream mixture until it thickens; about 2 to 3 minutes.
COMBINE:
- When the sauce has thickened, add the chicken and any juices from the chicken in the bottom of the plate to the pan along with the artichokes and dill; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until warmed through.
SERVING:
- Serve immediately, with your favorite rice, potatoes, or pasta with, lemon wedges on the side.
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