One pan skillet chicken dinners have become a specialty of mine! I love how quick and easy they are, and you’ll find many flavors and varieties of this easy chicken recipe here on the blog.
If you haven’t yet made my Chicken Florentine, Boursin Chicken, Marry Me Chicken, Creamy Lemon Chicken, or Chicken Stroganoff recipes, check them out too! I have lots of recipes with creamy sauces for chicken for you to try.
All of these recipes use the same basic cooking method, so once you have it down you’ll be able to cook a tasty dinner every night, stress-free!
Creamy Tomato Chicken is a new recipe that we can’t get enough of.
Served with a big pile of mashed potatoes or simple Olive Oil Pasta, this garlicky, creamy chicken is the ultimate comfort food and the best meal for a busy weeknight. Switch up the sides to enjoy a keto-friendly, low-carb chicken dinner instead.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
How To Make Chicken in a Cream Sauce with Garlic
Recipe Tips
Instead of chicken breast: Use boneless skinless chicken thighs that have been trimmed and pounded to an even thickness. You can also use chicken tenderloins. Don’t burn the garlic: Whatever you do, don’t let the garlic cloves burn! The flavor of burnt garlic is unpleasant, and it will ruin the dish. Keep a close eye on the pan during this part of the recipe, and be ready to deglaze the pan when it’s time. Add some wine: Feel free to use a half cup of dry white wine to deglaze the pan. Then add the broth once it’s cooked down a bit. This is optional but adds sophisticated flavor. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice takes this chicken in cream sauce to a whole new level. The acidity balances the richness of the sauce perfectly. It’s still delicious without lemon, but if you have it, add it. Freshly grated parmesan is always going to be more flavorful than any pre-grated cheese. Use a microplane or the smallest holes in a box grater to grate it super finely so that it melts easily into the sauce. Add in some veggies: You can add vegetables directly to this chicken dish! Saute peppers, zucchini, onions, or mushrooms with the garlic, or toss in a handful of baby spinach at the end to wilt down into the sauce. Make it gluten free: Use your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour to dredge the chicken, and instead of soy sauce, use tamari or regular table salt. Don’t have Italian seasoning? I always have a batch of my homemade Italian seasoning on hand, but if you don’t have it, you can use a mix of dried thyme, oregano, and basil. If you only have one or two of those, that’s fine too. Use what you have. Give it a kick by tossing in a pinch of dried pepper flakes.
Storing Tips
Store any creamy garlic chicken leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Chicken Breasts: Three large chicken breasts, each sliced into 4 thin cutlets are needed for this recipe. The thinner your chicken cutlets are, the faster they’ll cook. If your chicken breasts are smaller, you may want to use 4 of them, and cut each into 2 cutlets, or simply pound them down to an even thickness. Seasonings: For the chicken, we’ll season it simply with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Flour and Parmesan: While we could just use flour to dredge the chicken with, adding some parmesan cheese adds an extra layer of flavor. The flour coating protects the chicken from drying out, giving you tender chicken breasts. Plus, flour aids in making the cream sauce nice and thick. Olive Oil and Butter: When I’m cooking chicken cutlets in a pan, I use a combination of both olive oil and butter. I get the most flavor this way, and the mixture won’t burn as quickly as just butter will. We’ll use a bit more butter to make the creamy sauce too.Garlic: How much do you love garlic? I hope the answer is, “a lot!”. You need 8-10 whole cloves for this sauce. Simply peel them, no need to mince or crush the garlic. Chicken Stock: a cup of chicken stock, or broth if that’s what you have, creates the base of the sauce and adds savory flavor. Heavy Cream: We can’t make a creamy garlic chicken without some cream. I suggest using regular full-fat heavy whipping cream to get the best texture. Low-fat cream or milk won’t thicken the way that heavy cream does in this recipe.Flavorings: To finish this tasty sauce we’ll add Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, soy sauce, more parmesan cheese, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Yum!
To reheat, use the microwave, or gently reheat in a covered skillet on low heat.
Creamy Garlic Chicken is the ultimate easy comfort food! I hope you try making this one-pan skillet chicken dinner very soon or Pin the recipe for later.
Carbs: Mashed potatoes are great, but you should also try this dish with a side of instant pot roasted potatoes, quinoa, polenta, or brown rice.
Something to soak up all of this creamy and delicious sauce is key! You could also make Crushed New Potaotes, Garlic Bread, or easy 30 Minute Rolls to dip into it.
For a Low Carb Meal: Skip the potatoes and rice, and instead serve this creamy chicken with cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or roasted air fryer vegetables.
With a Salad: Get some healthy veggies in with my Kale Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, or a copycat Olive Garden Salad.
Don’t Forget Dessert! My Blackberry Cobbler Recipe is amazing, or you can make up a batch of homemade Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream to share.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
