Creamy Garlic Chicken

A chicken breast in creamy garlic sauce on a plate with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

5 from 3 votes

Creamy Garlic Chicken is simple to make with tender, juicy chicken cutlets, a rich pan sauce, and plenty of caramelized garlic cloves. This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes so it's perfect for weeknights, but fancy enough for dinner guests or weekend cooking as well.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 566kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 Tablespoons salted butter, divided
2 whole heads garlic, peeled (about 20-24 cloves)
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise using a sharp knife to create 4 smaller cutlets. Of if using four small chicken breasts, you may want to place each between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound the thick end with a meat mallet to flatten them slightly for even cooking. Sprinkle the chicken breasts evenly with the salt and pepper.
Place the dredging flour in a shallow plate or dish, then dip each chicken breast in the flour, turning to coat on both sides and shaking off any excess. Discard any unused flour.
Heat 1 tablespoon each of the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot and the butter has melted, add the chicken and let it sear without moving for 2-4 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook on the other side for another 2-4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to keep warm. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this point.
Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and add the remaining oil and butter. Once the butter has melted and the oil is hot, add the whole garlic cloves. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until nicely browned.
Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic powder, and onion powder. Bring to a simmer and let it bubble for 4-5 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half.
Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese, then nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the pan, spooning some of the sauce over the top of the chicken. Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through to 165°F when tested with a digital meat thermometer.
Serve sprinkled with the freshly chopped parsley, if desired. It's excellent on its own or with mashed potatoes or pasta and green veggies like asparagus, green beans, or broccoli.

Notes

Storage: Leftovers stay good in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing: You can freeze this for 3 months and reheat in the microwave or thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a 325°F oven for 20-25 minutes the next day.
Other proteins: This recipe and technique also works great with pork chops, salmon, shrimp, or even steak.
Adding veggies: If you want to add some veggies, I recommend either sauteeing some sliced mushrooms after cooking the chicken but before cooking the garlic, or wilting a few large handfuls of spinach with the chicken broth before adding the heavy cream and chicken back to the pan.

Nutrition