Creamy Garlic Chicken
This Creamy Garlic Chicken features juicy chicken breasts smothered in a velvety garlic cream sauce loaded with herbs and Parmesan. Ready in just 30 minutes with simple ingredients, it's a restaurant-quality comfort meal perfect for busy weeknights or impressing dinner guests with minimal effort.
Equipment
- Large skillet with lid
- Tongs
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced (yes, six – we're not playing around here)
- 1 shallot finely diced (or 1/4 red onion)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, divided
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, for heat
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional for serving: mashed potatoes pasta, or crusty bread
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. If the breasts are very thick, slice them horizontally to create thinner cutlets (or pound them to even thickness). Pat dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Wet chicken = sad, non-browned chicken, so don't skip the drying step!
- Get that golden sear. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and almost cooked through (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Look at that beautiful color you just created!
- Build your flavor base. In the same pan (don't you dare wash it - those brown bits are flavor gold!), reduce heat to medium and add butter. Once melted, add minced garlic and shallot, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and softened but not browned. Burnt garlic is bitter garlic, and we're going for delicious here.
- Create the roux. Sprinkle flour over the garlic and shallots, stirring constantly for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. This will help thicken our sauce without lumps.
- Make it saucy. Slowly pour in chicken broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce for 2-3 minutes, scraping up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Bring on the cream. Pour in the heavy cream and add thyme, rosemary, half the parsley, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine and let simmer for 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken slightly.
- Cheese, please! Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Add lemon juice to brighten all the flavors. Taste and adjust seasonings – need more salt? Pepper? Add it now.
- Reunite the chicken with its sauce. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, nestling it into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5-7 minutes until chicken is completely cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F/74°C).
- Finish with flair. Sprinkle with remaining fresh parsley and serve directly from the skillet for a rustic presentation, or transfer to plates. Spoon plenty of that liquid gold sauce over each piece of chicken!
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream (it won't be quite as thick but still delicious).
- Chicken thighs work beautifully in this recipe if you prefer dark meat – just cook them a bit longer.
- Make-ahead tip: The sauce can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat gently and add chicken to finish cooking.
- For extra flavor, add 1/4 cup white wine before the chicken broth and let it reduce for 2 minutes.
- This sauce is fabulous with a handful of fresh spinach stirred in at the end to wilt.