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Garlic Herb Chicken Breast with Mashed Potatoes

Garlic herb chicken with mashed potatoes featuring golden seared, herb-crusted breasts and a quick garlic-herb pan sauce over creamy, smooth Yukon Gold mash. Comfort food chicken dinner made in one pan for rich browned-bits flavor and an elegant drizzle finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter divided
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 /2 cup chicken broth
Mashed Potatoes
  • 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream or whole milk warmed
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the mashed potatoes
  1. Boil the Yukon Gold potatoes in salted water for 15-18 minutes until fork-tender, then drain thoroughly.
  2. Mash the potatoes with butter, warmed heavy cream or whole milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until smooth and fluffy; keep warm.
Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F; remove to a plate.
Make the garlic herb pan sauce
  1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same pan, then cook the minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Add the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until a simple pan sauce forms.
Plate
  1. Spoon the mashed potatoes onto plates and place the chicken on top.
  2. Drizzle the pan sauce over the chicken and potatoes.
  3. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the potatoes warm (covered) so they stay fluffy when you plate; avoid over-mashing once they’re smooth. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Freeze chicken and sauce for up to 2 months (mash texture may change after thawing). For a lighter option, use whole milk instead of heavy cream for the mash.