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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Creamy garlic Parmesan chicken with golden seared chicken breasts and a velvety, glossy Parmesan cream sauce. You’ll spoon the rich sauce thickly over the chicken after simmering until it coats the back of a spoon.
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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: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the boneless skinless chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to taste.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove the chicken to a plate.
Make the 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 dry white wine and deglaze, scraping up browned bits, then cook for 2 minutes.
  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 to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: For the thick, spoon-coating sauce, keep the simmer at a steady bubble and avoid boiling hard; if it tightens too much, loosen with a splash of chicken broth. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate. Dietary swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce (expect it to be slightly less thick).