American
Creamy Garlic Chicken
Sear boneless thighs, then simmer them in a garlic, broth, and parmesan cream sauce. It is a one-skillet dinner that still tastes like you cooked.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- One skillet and about half an hour.
- Thighs stay juicy if dinner runs a few minutes late.
- The sauce is garlic, broth, cream, and parmesan. No packet.
- It sits happily over rice, potatoes, or pasta.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken dry. Season both sides with the salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Sear the chicken until deep golden, 5 to 6 minutes per side, and the thickest piece is 165°F. Move it to a plate.
- 3
Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let it brown.
- 4
Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes.
- 5
Stir in the cream, parmesan, and Italian seasoning. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- 6
Return the chicken and any juices. Add the lemon juice and simmer 2 minutes. Taste the sauce, add a pinch more salt if it needs it, and finish with parsley.
Pro tips
- Dry chicken browns. Wet chicken steams and turns gray.
- Pre-grated parmesan often has starch that makes the sauce grainy. Grate a block.
- If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of broth, not more cream.
Easy substitutions
- Heavy cream
- Half-and-half. The sauce will be thinner, so simmer it an extra minute.
- Chicken thighs
- Breasts pounded even. Pull them at 160°F and let them finish in the sauce.
- Parmesan
- Pecorino, using a little less. It is saltier.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Cool, then refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens as it sits.
Reheating
Warm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or milk until the chicken is hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 470
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
Moderate · Stovetop · High Protein
You might also like
Marry Me Chicken
Chicken breasts are seared, then finished in a garlic cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan. The sauce tastes rich and savory, with a tang from the tomatoes and a salty cheese finish.
40 min · Easy
View recipe
Creamy Tuscan Chicken
Seared chicken in a cream sauce with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. It looks like a restaurant plate and uses one skillet.
34 min · Easy
View recipe
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Small pieces of chicken seared hard, then tossed in butter, garlic, and parsley. They take less than 20 minutes and work over rice or next to a salad.
22 min · Easy
View recipe
Cashew Chicken
Chicken is stir-fried with celery, garlic, and a light soy sauce, then folded with roasted cashews. It tastes savory and a little sweet, with a crisp nut against tender chicken.
35 min · Easy
View recipeStill hungry?
More in the same lane, not a random mix.
Chicken Adobo
Chicken thighs simmer in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and bay until the meat is tender and the sauce turns dark. It tastes salty, sour, and garlicky, with a peppery broth you can spoon over rice.
55 min · Easy
View recipe
Chicken Alfredo
A butter, cream, and parmesan sauce tossed with fettuccine and sliced sautéed chicken. The sauce is short, so the pasta does not sit in a puddle.
35 min · Medium
View recipe
Crispy Parmesan Chicken
Thin cutlets get a parmesan and breadcrumb crust, then a fast pan-fry. Lemon at the end keeps the crust from tasting heavy.
27 min · Medium
View recipe
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Breaded chicken cutlets bake until crisp, then get tossed in a butter and hot-sauce coating and set on toasted rolls. The sandwich tastes tangy and spicy, cooled by ranch and crisp celery.
45 min · Easy
View recipeFind something else
From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
Read the affiliate disclosure.