You're going to love this one pan Creamy Garlic Chicken recipe! The chicken is cooked completely in a skillet and the sauce is made with chicken broth, heavy cream and of course plenty of garlic for optimal flavor.
I was inspired to make this creamy garlic chicken after creating my pan-seared chicken breast recipe, mostly because it's another easy weeknight meal to add to your repertoire.
This dish is the ultimate comfort meal: so creamy but also so quick and easy to prepare.
Recipe features
- An easy chicken recipe that's cooked completely in one skillet
- The creamy garlic sauce is made with only a few simple ingredients
- Ready from start to finish in about 15 minutes
Ingredients
Chicken - I used full size boneless skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will work too. If you're using chicken thighs OR thin-sliced chicken breasts, adjust the cook time as needed.
Flour - All purpose flour, cornstarch or arrowroot are all good options for getting the chicken to be a little crispy on the outside.
Butter and olive oil - No substitution for the butter, but feel free to any another kind of oil if you prefer.
Garlic cloves - No substitution! If you want to speed things up, buy pre-peeled or minced garlic.
Chicken broth - Chicken broth is the main ingredient in the sauce, and since this is a chicken recipe, I wouldn't use any other kind of broth. You could use bone broth though!
Heavy cream - Or sub half and half or whole milk for a slightly lighter sauce.
Coconut aminos - I love using coconut aminos to flavor chicken, and it can usually be found in the Asian food aisle at the grocery store. Need a substitution? Try using soy sauce, but reduce the amount.
Instructions
Step 1: Season the chicken. Pour the flour into a shallow bowl, then lay the chicken on a cutting board and place a piece of plastic wrap overtop. Use a meat mallet to pound the chicken so it's the same size, then dip each chicken breast into the flour, shaking off any excess flour.
Step 2: Pan-sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet, then add the chicken and cook it for 2-3 minutes per side. Use kitchen tongs to remove the chicken.
Step 3: Make the garlic sauce. Next, melt the butter in the same skillet, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Turn the heat to low, then add the chicken broth, heavy whipping cream, coconut aminos, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
Step 4: Cook the chicken. Place the chicken back into the skillet and place a lid on top, increase the heat to medium and simmer the sauce for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened a bit.
Tips and tricks
- Play around with the sauce ingredients: I personally enjoy two tablespoons of coconut aminos, but start out with one to see if you think it needs more. Same with salt and pepper -- add to taste!
- Fresh parsley is a delicious but optional garnish.
- Always use a meat thermometer to check if the chicken is done; it should reach an internal temperature of 165°F. NOTE: chicken will continue cooking for a few minutes once it's removed from the heat, so keep that in mind.
- How to quickly peel garlic: use the side of a knife to partially smash the garlic, which should break the garlic peel and make it quite easy to peel off.
Can I use chicken thighs or thin-sliced chicken breast instead?
Yep! Boneless skinless chicken thighs will take a little longer to cook, and thin-sliced chicken breasts will cook more quickly, so be sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness.
What should I serve creamy garlic chicken with?
Serve garlic chicken breasts over pasta, zucchini noodles or cauliflower mash for a low carb option, or with a side of rice or mashed potatoes.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More chicken breast recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Creamy Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 6 garlic cloves chopped
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos or more to taste (I used 2 tablespoons)
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley for garnish chopped; optional
Instructions
- Pour the flour in a shallow bowl and set aside.
- Lay the chicken on a cutting board, then place a piece of plastic wrap overtop. Use a meat mallet to pound the chicken so all 4 pieces are the same thickness.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip each chicken breast into the flour, shaking off any excess, then place it directly into the skillet. Repeat this with all of the chicken breasts, then cook them in the skillet for 2-3 minutes per side; remove chicken from the skillet.
- Next, make the sauce: place the butter in the skillet and allow it to melt, then reduce heat to medium-low, add the garlic and sauté for 1 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, cream and coconut aminos and stir to combine, then add salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken back in the skillet, place a lid on the skillet and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. NOTE: use a meat thermometer to check for doneness, as the final cook time depends on the thickness of your chicken. Enjoy!
Sara says
This is absolutely delicious! I'm going to double it next time, to have yummy leftovers, because my family of 5 ate every last bite. It's super straight-forward, with not too many ingredients, but tastes absolutely wonderful.
Erin says
I'm so happy the whole family enjoyed the chicken, Sara!
Angelique vH says
Haven't cooked it, but want to. We're dairy-free so plan to use Earth Balance instead of butter and coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
Erin says
YUM -- let me know how it turns out!
Angelique vH says
My 11yo son helped and we were very happy with this! We used non-dairy heavy cream and lactose-free butter. I do wish we had used a little more coconut aminos, salt and pepper, but I was limited by my son's sense of caution. Evenso, it was delicious. "The best chicken I've ever tasted," according to the child!
Erin says
I'm so glad this was a hit with both you and your son!