Cream Cheese Chicken (Printable)
Juicy chicken breasts in a rich, creamy cheese sauce with garlic and herbs for a comforting main dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 lbs)
→ Dairy
02 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1/4 cup milk
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 2 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, chopped
→ Pantry
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs
# Method:
01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides, then place in the pan. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside on a plate.
02 - In the same skillet, add the chopped onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the softened cream cheese, milk, and grated Parmesan. Whisk continuously until a smooth, creamy sauce forms with no lumps remaining. Mix in the dried Italian herbs until evenly incorporated.
04 - Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the sauce generously over each piece. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Sprinkle generously with fresh chopped chives or parsley just before serving. Plate each chicken breast with a generous spoonful of the creamy sauce drizzled on top.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in the same pan so every bit of flavor from searing the chicken gets folded right back in.
- It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but requires zero fancy technique and only one skillet.
02 -
- If the cream cheese is not fully softened it will leave lumps in the sauce no matter how hard you whisk.
- Do not skip browning the chicken first because that fond on the bottom of the pan is where half the flavor lives.
03 -
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness before searing so the thickest part and the thinnest part finish cooking at the same time.
- Let the finished dish rest for two minutes off the heat before serving so the sauce thickens slightly and clings to the chicken.