Creamy Lemon Garlic Sauce for Pasta or Chicken

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

This creamy lemon garlic sauce brightens up any meal with minimal effort.

5 from 54 votes

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, melt the butter. Add the chopped shallot and lemon zest and sauté for 2 minutes, until it’s translucent and golden. Add the garlic and sauté it for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the chicken broth and lemon juice, and stir to combine.
Heat up the milk, half-and-half, or cream before adding it to the pan to prevent separation.
Add it to the pan and stir until it comes to a simmer. Add the thyme (or Italian seasoning) and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
Check on the sauce. To reduce it further, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or add a slurry, which might be necessary if you used milk. See the note below. Stir and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Swap the shallots for ¼ of cup finely chopped white or yellow onion. If you want to use garlic powder, use 2 teaspoons instead of the whole garlic cloves.
If your sauce won't thicken, make a slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water. Mix that liquid into the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes on low.