One skillet
Creamy garlic chicken
This is a one-skillet dinner with plenty of garlic cream sauce to spoon over the chicken. Put some rice or potatoes on while it cooks, or serve it with bread for the sauce.
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
Creamy garlic chicken
This recipe starts at four servings. Change the number to adjust quantities, but check your pan size and allow for a different cooking time.
Serves 4 · About 30 min (estimate)
Ingredients
Method
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Before you start
You'll need: A large skillet with a little room to spare · A food thermometer · A clean plate for the browned chicken
- Choose small breasts of similar thickness so they cook at a similar pace; a thermometer is still the best check.
- Garlic can scorch quickly in a hot pan. Lower the heat before you add it, and have the broth ready to pour in.
- The broth lifts the browned bits from the pan, and the cream thickens the sauce. Taste before adding salt, especially if your broth is already salty.
Brown the chicken first
Pat the chicken dry so it can brown in the oil. You're just getting color on both sides at this point; it finishes cooking in the sauce.
Build the garlic sauce
Turn the heat down before adding the garlic. Once you can smell it, pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits. Stir in the cream.
Finish it gently
Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer gently until the thickest part reaches 165°F on a food thermometer. Move to plates and spoon a little garlic cream sauce over each breast.
Swaps and a few things to watch for
Swaps
- Chicken thighs work instead of breasts; give them a little longer and check for 165°F.
- Half-and-half can stand in for the cream; the sauce will be a little thinner.
- No fresh parsley? A pinch of dried, or simply skip it.
If you need to adjust things
If the sauce thickens before the chicken is cooked, add a splash of broth and keep the simmer gentle. Check the thickest part of each breast with a food thermometer. Larger breasts may need more time than the estimate.
What to serve with it
Rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread work well here. Add green beans, a salad, or another vegetable you have on hand.
Storing leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within two hours (one hour above 90°F), in shallow containers at 40°F or below. Use within 3–4 days, and reheat to 165°F with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce.
FoodSafety.gov leftover guidanceFor 20 dinners with menus and grocery lists, look inside the $19 dinner guide.
