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Easy Cream Cheese Chicken

Easy cream cheese chicken with juicy pan-seared chicken breasts and a tangy, velvety cream cheese sauce thick enough to coat every bite. Finished with lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh herbs for bright, creamy weeknight flavor.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.25 tsp onion powder to taste
Searing & Sauce Base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
Cream Cheese Filling
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed and softened
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Garnish
  • 1 fresh chives for garnish
  • 1 lemon zest for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sear them in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes per side until golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove.
Build the tangy sauce
  1. Cook the minced garlic in the same pan over medium-high heat for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the pan.
  3. Add the cream cheese cubes and stir over medium-low heat until fully melted and smooth.
  4. Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning over medium-low heat until the sauce is creamy and well combined, and do not boil after adding sour cream.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the seared chicken breasts to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast.
  2. Garnish with fresh chives and lemon zest.

Notes

Pro tip: cube and soften the cream cheese so it melts quickly into a smooth, thick sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended for best creamy texture. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and low-fat sour cream to reduce calories while keeping the tangy lemony flavor.