Description
A rich and comforting one-pan chicken dish with a creamy garlic parmesan sauce, ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for easy weeknight dinners with simple ingredients and minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds / 700g)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin recommended)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup chicken broth (240ml, low sodium preferred)
- 1 cup heavy cream (240ml, full fat)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (100g)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or mix of dried basil, oregano, thyme)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional add-ins: 2 cups fresh spinach, 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved), 4 slices cooked bacon (crumbled)
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients: mince garlic, grate Parmesan, and prepare any optional add-ins like spinach or tomatoes.
- Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When butter is melted and bubbling, add chicken breasts.
- Cook chicken 5-6 minutes on the first side without moving to get a golden crust. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, avoiding browning.
- Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the pan. Let simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add heavy cream, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir and let sauce simmer for 3 minutes until it thickens.
- Remove skillet from heat and slowly stir in freshly grated Parmesan until sauce thickens. Add a splash of broth or cream if sauce is too thick. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over, and warm through for 1-2 minutes. Add optional spinach or cherry tomatoes now and let wilt/soften.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Use fresh garlic and freshly grated Parmesan for best flavor and texture. Simmer sauce gently on low heat to avoid breaking the cream. Browning the chicken adds essential flavor and texture. For a glossy sauce, stir in a tablespoon of cold butter at the end. Leftovers reheat best gently in a skillet with a splash of cream or broth. Avoid microwaving without added liquid to prevent drying out. Freezing is not recommended as the cream sauce may separate.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast wit
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Protein: 35
Keywords: creamy garlic parmesan chicken, easy chicken recipe, one-pan chicken, weeknight dinner, creamy chicken, garlic chicken, parmesan chicken