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With a rich, mouth-watering sauce made from garlic, heavy cream, and parmesan, this creamy garlic chicken is comfort food at its finest. Perfectly seasoned chicken breasts are pan-seared, then braised in a cream sauce until perfectly tender. The best part? It’s all done in 30 minutes and in one pan!
Behind This Creamy Garlic Chicken Recipe
Similar to my Southern Country Fried Chicken and Smothered Chicken and Gravy, creamy garlic chicken is another boldly flavored meal in my soulful cooking lineup. It gives you that comforting, down-home flavor that feels reminiscent of dinner at grandma’s house, but it’s quick and easy enough to make on a busy weeknight.
My favorite thing about this creamy garlic chicken is that it’s ready in just 30 minutes and all made in one pan. Yet it’s made from scratch without any pre-made cream of chicken soup or other shortcuts. It’s pretty remarkable what you can achieve with just a handful of very basic ingredients!
This is definitely one for the garlic lovers (hello!). There is an entire head of garlic, but it’s caramelized, which adds depth to the flavor and softens the sharp garlicky taste. It’s pronounced but not overpowering, like raw garlic, which makes this dish great for almost everyone.
Tips from My Kitchen
- Pound the chicken. To ensure quick, even cooking, I slice the chicken breasts horizontally to thin them and then use a meat tenderizer to pound them to even thickness. You want them to be quite thin so that they cook quickly without becoming too dry.
- Use fresh garlic. I’ve never been a fan of jarred garlic, but you definitely do not want to use it in this recipe. First, most jarred garlic is minced. Minced garlic will not caramelize as the cloves do. Second, it just doesn’t have the same flavor. Use fresh garlic here, trust me!
- Chicken thighs work too. Chicken thighs also work in this recipe instead of chicken breasts. Just keep in mind that the cook time will be longer.
- Grate the parmesan cheese. For the best flavor and texture, grate the parmesan cheese from the block yourself. Pre-grated cheese doesn’t melt as easily.
- Whisk continuously. After adding the flour to the pan, be sure to whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes to prevent any lumps. Continue whisking as you add the other ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
When I say this recipe is easy, I am not exaggerating. You can see by the short list below that this creamy garlic chicken recipe is simple to make and delightfully flavored.
- Chicken – I slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally and pound them to an even thickness to ensure perfectly tender, melt-in-your-mouth chicken.
- Flour – For drudging. It adds a perfect texture (light crust) to the chicken
- Garlic – A whole head of garlic is used, or about 10-15 large cloves (don’t worry – they aren’t overpowering).
- Seasonings – Chicken or beef bouillon, onion powder, sprigs of fresh thyme (or dried thyme), S&P, and poultry seasoning or Italian seasoning.
- Chicken stock – The base for the creamy sauce. You could use broth, too. I prefer stock for the flavor.
- Parmesan – Adds a cheesy, salty element to the sauce. Hold off salting your sauce until parm is added.
- Heavy cream – Adds the creamy decadence to the sauce.
- Olive oil and butter – For sautéing.
What To Serve It With
This creamy garlic chicken makes such a cozy, comforting meal with a few simple sides. We love to serve this over mashed potatoes, but buttered egg noodles and rice are also good options. You definitely want something that can soak up every bite of that yummy garlic sauce!
Then, I like to add something green to balance out the richness of the chicken. Asparagus and green beans that are roasted, steamed, or sauteed are great. A simple side salad would work too!
Storage + Reheating
Store any leftover creamy garlic chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. Be sure to store all of the sauce with it!
Reheat the leftovers on the stovetop until the chicken is heated through or in the microwave. If the sauce has thickened too much, add a splash of broth or cream to thin it out again.
Enjoy within 3 days.
Looking For More Easy Chicken Recipes?
Did you love this recipe for this easy creamy garlic chicken breast recipe? Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback. Don’t forget to tag me on IG with any photos; @BadBatchBaking and use #BadBatchBaking
Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup parmesan grated, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Garlic Cream Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 head garlic 10-15 cloves
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 cube chicken or beef bouillon Better Than Bouillon works too
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning or Italian seasoning
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the Chicken
- Slice the chicken in half horizontally, pound to even 1/4 inch thickness, season well on both sides with salt and pepper, Italian seasoning (or your favorite poultry seasoning).
- Heat a large skillet to medium heat and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. While it's heating, combine flour and 1/4 cup of parmesan into a shallow dish. Drudge each piece of chicken into the flour mixture, pressing it into the chicken to coat on both sides.
- Cook chicken (in batches if needed) about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown, only flipping once. Allow chicken to rest on a plate tented with foil while preparing the sauce.
Creamy Garlic Sauce
- Reduce heat to low then add butter into the same pan and allow it to melt, scraping up the brown bits. Add in the garlic cloves and cook for about 6-7 minutes or until they caramelize, flipping to cook evenly.
- Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking continuously.
- Slowly pour in the chicken stock, whisking to incorporate. Whisk in the seasonings and add thyme sprig. Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a low boil. Once slightly thickened, a few minutes, stir in the parmesan cheese, taste and adjust seasonings.
- Nestle the chicken and it's juices back into the cream sauce. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes to braise the chicken. Discard the thyme sprig and serve, spooning the cream sauce atop the chicken and sides.
I rate this 5 stars! It reminds me of a dish that my husband and I had in Greenville, SC called Hot Brown. I am saving as a fav!
This recipe was easy and SO DELICIOUS!!!!! Everyone loved it and wants it added to the rotation. Restaurant quality meal. Thank you for a great recipe!!!!