Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken

This Creamy Garlic Chicken saved my Tuesday night situation when I had twenty minutes and zero inspiration. My kids were hangry, soccer practice loomed, and all I had were boring chicken breasts sitting in my fridge. Then I remembered my neighbor mentioning this recipe at the school pickup line last week.

Holy moly, what a lifesaver! That first bite had me questioning why I ever ordered takeout when I could whip up something this incredible at home. My husband scraped his plate clean and actually asked if we were having it again tomorrow – that’s how you know it’s a winner, folks!

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Look, I’ve made my share of bland chicken dinners that left everyone reaching for hot sauce. This recipe fixes all that nonsense. The chicken gets this amazing golden crust from the flour coating, and that garlic cream sauce? It’s ridiculously good – like, dangerously good. I caught my daughter eating it straight from the pan with a spoon (don’t tell her I saw). It tastes fancy but takes zero skill, which is perfect for those nights when you’re running on fumes but still want something that doesn’t taste like cardboard.

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📝 Ingredient List

For the Chicken:

• 4 chicken breasts, sliced thin (about 1.5-2 lbs)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter

For the Sauce:

• 1 tbsp minced garlic (3-4 cloves)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

🔍 Why These Ingredients Work

Here’s the deal – every ingredient here has a job to do. Slicing those chicken breasts thin means they actually cook through without turning into hockey pucks. The flour isn’t just busy work; it creates that golden crust and thickens your sauce naturally.

Fresh garlic beats the jarred stuff every time – it mellows out beautifully when you sauté it. Heavy cream makes everything better, obviously. That Dijon mustard might seem weird, but trust me – it adds this subtle tang that keeps the sauce from being too rich. And good Parmesan (not the sawdust in a green can) melts into pure magic.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Big skillet
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Shallow dishes for flour
• Measuring stuff
• Wooden spoon
• Cheese grater

👩🍳 How to Make Creamy Garlic Chicken

Step 1: Slice your chicken breasts horizontally to about 1/2 an inch thick. This isn’t optional – thick chicken equals raw centers or dried-out edges. Nobody wants that.

Step 2: Mix all your dry seasonings with the flour in a shallow dish. This is your flavor base, so be generous.

Step 3: Cover each piece of the chicken in the flour mix, shaking off any excess. You want coverage, not a flour mountain.

Step 4: Get your skillet hot with oil and butter over medium-high heat. When the butter foams up, add your chicken. Don’t crowd the pan – work in batches if you need to.

Step 5: Cook for 4-5 minutes on the first side until it’s golden brown. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until it hits 165°F inside. Pull it out and keep it warm.

Step 6: In the same pan (don’t wash it!), toss in your minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds until it smells amazing. Don’t let it burn or it’ll taste bitter.

Step 7: Pour in your chicken broth and scrape up all those browned bits. Let it bubble for 2 minutes to reduce.

Step 8: Turn the heat down to medium-low and slowly add your cream and mustard. Whisk constantly so it doesn’t curdle on you.

Step 9: Whisk in the Parmesan until fully melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 10: Put the chicken back in and spoon that sauce all over it. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to warm through.

Step 11: Kill the heat, add your parsley and lemon juice. That’s it – dinner’s done.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

What Gordon would say: Get that pan screaming hot before the chicken goes in. You want to hear sizzling right away.

Ina’s approach: Buy good Parmesan and grate it yourself. The pre-shredded stuff doesn’t melt right.

❗ You Must Know

Don’t rush the sauce – seriously. When you add that cream, keep your heat low and whisk like your dinner depends on it (because it does). High heat equals chunky, gross sauce that nobody wants to eat. Also, let your chicken sit at room temp for 15 minutes before cooking. Cold chicken hits a hot pan and you get uneven cooking.

Personal Secret: I always keep some of that seasoned flour mixture on standby. If my sauce looks thin, I whisk in a teaspoon and let it simmer. Works like magic every time.

💡 Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Thin it out: Even chicken thickness means it all gets done at the same time
• Let it be: Don’t flip your chicken until it’s ready – you’ll know when it releases easily
• Taste first: Start light on salt since Parmesan brings plenty
• Room temp cream: Cold cream can shock your hot pan and make things weird
• One pan wonder: Don’t wash between steps – those brown bits are pure flavor

What Not to Do:

• Cramming too much chicken in the pan (you’ll steam it instead of searing)
• Cranking the heat too high on your sauce (curdled cream is not cute)
• Cutting into chicken right away (let those juices settle for a minute)

🎨 Flavor Variations / Suggestions

Mix it up:

• Throw in some mushrooms with the garlic
• Add spinach at the end
• Use fresh herbs instead of dried
• Add red pepper flakes if you like heat
• Extra lemon for brightness
• Splash of white wine instead of some broth

⏲️ Make-Ahead Options

You can prep the chicken and flour it up to 4 hours early – just stick it in the fridge. The whole dish keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Reheat it low and slow, maybe add a splash of cream if it looks thick.

Don’t freeze this one. Cream sauces get weird when you thaw them.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Temperature control is everything here. Your chicken should look golden and feel firm but not hard. The sauce needs to coat a spoon but still pour easily. Too thick? Add cream or broth bit by bit. Too thin? Let it bubble longer to cook down.

Real talk: That Dijon mustard makes this recipe special. It’s not enough to taste mustardy, but it keeps the sauce from being one-note rich. My sister tried to leave it out once and her sauce was just… meh.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

This stuff is incredible over mashed potatoes – like, dangerously good. I’ve also done it over egg noodles when I’m feeling fancy, or cauliflower rice when I’m pretending to be healthy. Honestly, crusty bread for sauce-sopping might be the real winner here.

What goes with it: Simple green salad, roasted broccoli, or asparagus. Nothing too crazy – the chicken’s the star. Oh, and wine. Definitely wine.

This recipe has become my Tuesday night savior, and I’m betting it’ll become yours too. There’s something satisfying about making restaurant-level food at home when you’re running on empty.

Hope this becomes a regular in your dinner rotation! 🍽️

🧊 How to Store Your Creamy Garlic Chicken

Fridge: 3 days max in a container Freezer: Nope, don’t do it Reheating: Low heat on the stove, add cream if needed. Microwave works too on low power.

⚠️ Allergy Information

Has: Dairy and gluten No dairy? Try coconut cream and skip the cheese, or use nutritional yeast No gluten? Almond flour works instead of regular flour Keto? Skip the flour coating or use almond flour

❓ Questions I Get Asked A Lot

💬 Made this recipe? Drop a comment below! Tell me how it went, what you changed, if your kids actually ate it. I love hearing about your kitchen wins .