Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken Recipe
May 22, 2018, Updated Nov 01, 2023
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Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken is made with pan-seared chicken breasts cooked in a creamy sauce infused with garlic and herbs. This fantastic dinner is not only full of flavor but also conveniently prepared in a single pan, all in just 30 minutes.
This creamy garlic herb chicken dish epitomizes a hassle-free weeknight dinner, providing a quick, amazing meal without the mess of multiple pots and gadgets. It’s simplicity and deliciousness all cooked up in one pan!
Why I Love This Creamy Chicken Recipe
- All The Flavor: Garlic, herbs, and cream cheese create a flavorful, creamy chicken dinner.
- Quick Fix: Whip up this delicious dish in just 30 minutes!
- One Pan, No Fuss: Enjoy easy cooking and cleanup.
Ingredients For Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken
- For the Chicken: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- For the Cream Sauce: butter, garlic, all-purpose flour, milk, cream cheese, dried basil, dried oregano, and dried thyme.
- For Garnish: freshly shredded parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley.
How To Make Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken
- Season: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness and season them with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cook: Heat olive oil in a skillet, sear the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until done, and then set aside.
- Melt and Sauté: In the same skillet, melt the butter and sauté the garlic until fragrant.
- Make the Sauce: Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly for 20 seconds. Add milk while continuously whisking. Drop in the cream cheese cubes, whisking until melted and smooth. Stir in the basil, oregano, and thyme, allowing the sauce to simmer gently.
- Combine and Serve: Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon the sauce over, and let it heat through for a minute. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Even Cooking: For uniform cooking and a perfect sear, pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before seasoning and searing them.
- Don’t Rush the Sear: Allow the chicken enough time to sear undisturbed on each side. This ensures a good caramelization and locks in the juices.
- Low and Slow: When preparing the cream sauce, keep the heat at a medium-low setting to prevent the dairy from curdling, ensuring a smooth and velvety texture.
- Rest Before Serving: Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
What To Serve With Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken
While this recipe is packed with flavor, add a delicious side dish of Garlicky Steamed Broccoli and make it a complete meal. It can be served with other sides, including One-Pot Caprese Pasta, or keep it lighter with this Pasta Carbonara with Zucchini Noodles.
Storing and Reheating
- Store the leftover chicken and sauce in separate airtight containers and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat slowly over medium-low heat on the stove, stirring occasionally.
More Creamy Chicken Recipes
- One Skillet Creamy Lemon Chicken with Asparagus
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata
- Creamy Pesto Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Sauce Chicken
- Spinach Artichoke Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Basil Chicken
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Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken Recipe
Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken is a quick, one skillet dinner prepared with pan-seared chicken breasts cooked with a creamy, garlicky herb sauce.
Ingredients
For The Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and fresh ground pepper,, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For The Cream Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 4 ounces low fat cream cheese,, cut up into cubes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- freshly shredded parmesan cheese, , for garnish, optional
- chopped fresh parsley,, for garnish, optional
Instructions
For The Chicken
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness and then season them with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook undisturbed for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts and continue to cook for about 6 more minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from skillet and set aside.
For The Cream Sauce
- Return the skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds or until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the garlic and continue to stir constantly for 20 seconds. Whisk in the milk. Add the cream cheese, and continue to whisk until the cream cheese melts.
- Stir in the basil, oregano, and thyme; let the sauce come to a slow simmer. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and continue to cook for 1 minute, or until heated through.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley.
- Serve.
Video
Notes
- Even Thickness: Pound the chicken breasts to the same thickness for consistent cooking and a great sear.
- Chicken Doneness: Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness and remove the chicken from the skillet when its internal temperature reaches 165˚F.
- Fresh Ingredients: Use fresh garlic and quality herbs to boost the flavor.
- Searing: Let the chicken sear without disturbance on each side to lock in juices and enhance flavor.
- Slow Cook the Sauce: Keep the heat at a medium or medium-low when making the cream sauce to avoid curdling and achieve a smooth texture.
- Let the Chicken Rest: Allow the chicken to rest before serving to redistribute juices and ensure tenderness.
- Store leftovers for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. If possible, store the sauce and chicken in separate containers.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 318mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 1.1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make a recipe? Leave a rating
My husband and I love this dish!
That’s wonderful to hear you and your husband love the dish! Thank YOU! 🙂
I was a bit short on milk so I just added a bit of sour cream to make up the difference. I made this with 2 large breasts, steamed broccoli and penne-after I pulled the chicken, I tossed in the freshly drained pasta with a bit of the pasta “stock” to make a little extra sauce-I used fresh thyme, basil and dried rosemary, Italian seasonings and parsley. I love this. We have plenty of plans to make this in different ways! Awesome and easy!
I loved this. I have made it several times now. I do add more garlic (because we love our garlic). I double the sauce because I usually serve this with oven roasted baby potatoes. The biggest difference in mine is that I add fresh Parmesan to the sauce and mix it in (and add some over top). Soooo good!!!!
That’s great to hear! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂