This Creamy Garlic Chicken has pan-seared chicken smothered in a creamy sauce made of chicken broth, cream, and garlic. It's extremely easy to make and made in a single skillet. Ready in 20 minutes (or less)!
Looking for more easy chicken dinners? Try my Chicken Marsala next!
About This Recipe
Every once in a while, dinner smells so good that my wife comes out of her home office to check what I'm cooking. This recipe was one of those times. She came out right after I sizzled the garlic.
I don't know what it is about garlic, but the moment it hits hot oil, it fills the house with the most delicious aromas. Whenever my wife says dinner smells amazing, it's almost always because I just finished cooking onions and garlic, or I'm frying up something crispy.
That's why this recipe was a no brainer. A crap ton of garlic mixed with pan-seared chicken? Yes, please! And bringing everything together with a creamy sauce just makes it the most irresistible meal ever.
After a lot of trial and error, I've come up with a sauce that tastes very garlicky but not overpowering. Unlike other recipes, I recommend mincing the garlic instead of cooking it whole. Whole garlic just does not release enough flavor in the short cooking time. However, minced garlic is much more potent. I recommend about 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, or about 5-6 cloves. This is half the amount as other recipes which recommend an entire bulb (10 cloves).
Key Ingredients
Chicken breasts: When deciding the cut of meat, I always take into consideration what type of sauce we are making. In this case, we have a creamy sauce, so I went with a lean protein like chicken breasts.
Dredge: The dredge is made of flour, salt, and black pepper. This forms a protective layer around the chicken which keeps it juicy and allows the chicken to cling to the sauce better.
Olive oil: For sautéing the chicken and minced garlic.
Chicken broth: For this, I combined Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base with water.
Heavy cream: This is where all the creaminess comes from!
Garlic powder: I love adding a hint of garlic powder because it has a nutty flavor that doesn't exist in fresh garlic.
Lemon juice: Of course, any creamy sauce should be finished with a spritz of acid. This brings everything to life.
Instructions
STEP 1: Cut each chicken breast lengthwise to make 4 thinner pieces.
STEP 2: Combine the flour, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Dredge the chicken pieces until they're thoroughly coated.
STEP 3: Heat some olive oil in a pan and sear the chicken on each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
STEP 4: Add some more olive oil and sizzle the garlic for 30-60 seconds.
STEP 5: Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and let it bubble for 7-8 minutes. When the volume of the sauce has reduced by 60%, stir in the lemon juice.
STEP 6: Add back the chicken and cook until warm. Serve immediately.
Creamy Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5-6 cloves)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and black pepper.
- Cut each chicken breast in half to make 4 thinner pieces. Transfer to the bowl of flour and coat each breast evenly.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and minced garlic. Cook for 30-60 seconds until the garlic is lightly browned.
- Pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil then let it bubble for 7-8 minutes until it has thickened and reduced by about 60%.
- Stir in the lemon juice and return the chicken to the pan. Cook for 1-2 more minutes just until the chicken is warmed up. Enjoy!
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