Creamy Garlic Chicken

Creamy garlic chicken with tender seared chicken in a rich Parmesan cream sauce. Balanced, silky, and perfect over pasta or mashed potatoes.

Course Chicken Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword garlic chicken

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 488kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons salted butter
8 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for finishing

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep the chicken. Place the chicken breasts (2) between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness (about ½ inch). Season both sides with garlic powder (1 teaspoon), onion powder (1 teaspoon), Italian seasoning (1 teaspoon), salt (1/2 teaspoon), and a few cracks of black pepper.
Sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil (2 tablespoons) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3–5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked to about 160°F (71ºC) internally. Transfer to a plate; the chicken will finish cooking later in the sauce.
Build the sauce base. Reduce heat slightly to medium. Add the butter (2 tablespoons) to the skillet. Once melted, add the garlic (8 cloves) and cook 30–45 seconds, just until fragrant — do not let it brown.
Toast the flour. Sprinkle in the flour (2 tablespoons) and stir constantly for 60–90 seconds, allowing it to cook out and lightly toast without darkening.
Deglaze + thicken. Pour in the white wine (2 tablespoons), scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Let it cook for about 30 seconds, then whisk in the chicken stock (1 cup), heavy cream (1 cup), and Dijon mustard (1 teaspoon). Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Add Parmesan off heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup) until fully melted and smooth. Return to low heat only to keep the sauce warm — do not boil.
Finish the dish. Return the chicken (and any juices) to the skillet and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is silky.
Finish & serve. Sprinkle with fresh parsley (1-2 tablespoons) and a final crack of black pepper. Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice.

Notes

Don’t rush the garlic. Minced garlic burns fast. Cooking it just until fragrant keeps the flavor sweet and mellow instead of bitter.
Toasting the flour matters. That extra minute of cooking the flour in butter makes the sauce taste rich and polished — not starchy.
Add Parmesan off the heat. Parmesan can seize or turn grainy if boiled. Stirring it in off the heat keeps the sauce smooth and silky.
Finish with pepper + herbs. Fresh cracked black pepper and parsley wake up the whole dish and keep the cream sauce from tasting heavy.

Nutrition