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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Creamy garlic Parmesan chicken is a weeknight chicken skillet with golden seared breasts in a velvety, glossy Parmesan cream sauce. The sauce thickly coats the back of a spoon after a short simmer with garlic, wine/broth, and heavy cream.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt To taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper To taste
  • 1 tsp garlic powder To taste
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika To taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
Creamy garlic Parmesan sauce
  • 6 garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Garnish
  • 0.25 fresh thyme for garnish
  • 0.25 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden.
  3. Check doneness with an instant-read thermometer and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the garlic Parmesan cream sauce
  1. Add butter and the minced garlic to the same pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pan, then cook for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken breasts to the pan, then spoon the sauce over each breast.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme and fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

For the thickest, glossiest sauce, simmer until it visibly clings to a spoon before returning the chicken to coat. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid the cream breaking. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce texture can change. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a thinner but still creamy sauce.