Salt & Lavender

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Creamy Garlic Chicken

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This creamy garlic chicken recipe is the ultimate easy comfort food! Tender chicken breast smothered in a creamy garlic sauce is irresistible. Garlic lovers unite!

This easy creamy garlic chicken is a simple and incredibly delicious weeknight meal. The creamy garlic sauce with whole cloves of garlic will have you going back for seconds!

This creamy garlic chicken is ready in about 30 minutes. In my opinion, it’s good enough to serve company, but it’s also one of those dishes that work for a quick weeknight dinner.

So, I have a fairly large backlog of recipes to write up, but I posted a sneak peak of this garlic chicken recipe on my Instagram stories a couple of days ago, and I got multiple positive responses. I decided to post this one ASAP instead of leaving people hanging. 🙂

Creamy garlic chicken sauce where have you been all my life? Weeknight dinners have just been elevated with whole cloves of garlic and tender pan-fried chicken breasts.

How to make creamy garlic chicken

I cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise like I do with similar recipes (such as my creamy Tuscan garlic chicken and my creamy Dijon rosemary chicken) – in my opinion it’s easier than pounding the chicken breasts or leaving them whole. The chicken cooks faster and more evenly, so it remains tender and melt-in-your-mouth.

You dredge the chicken pieces in flour and pan-fry them in butter and oil until they’re golden, then take them out of the pan.

The garlic cloves are then lightly browned and then you add the sauce ingredients.

The chicken goes back in the pan for a few more minutes to finish cooking, and the sauce thickens up. Perfection. And easy too!

This creamy chicken skillet recipe is loaded with garlic and the the most amazing melt-in-your-mouth chicken. Make it for dinner tonight!

A quick note on the recipe: Yes, I include both garlic powder and an entire head of garlic in this recipe… it’s not a typo. Believe it or not, the garlic cloves themselves don’t make the sauce ridiculously garlicky. The flavor of garlic powder is slightly different than the fresh cloves. I’m going for all-out depth of garlic flavor here without making it overpowering.

If you’ve never really cooked with whole garlic cloves before, don’t worry. Cooking them in the sauce mellows them right out… it’s nothing like biting into raw garlic haha.

What to serve with creamy garlic chicken

Try rice, mashed potatoes, or a salad if you want to keep it low-carb. Sweet corn, roasted veggies (try my maple roasted carrots and beets), or green beans would also go great.

A note on peeling the garlic

You don’t have to spend a lot time peeling the garlic cloves. One quick way I recommend is by using this silicone garlic peeler tube (I have a similar one) or by buying garlic cloves that are already peeled if you really want to save a bit of time. I usually just use my knife (here’s a quick video tutorial on how if you’re curious).

If you're looking for an easy cream sauce for chicken, you're in luck with this creamy garlic chicken recipe. Garlic lovers will adore this one!

Will you give this creamy garlic chicken recipe a try? I hope you like it.

Questions? Ask me in the comments below.

This creamy chicken skillet recipe is loaded with garlic and the the most amazing melt-in-your-mouth chicken. Make it for dinner tonight!
4.92 from 24 votes
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Creamy Garlic Chicken

This creamy garlic chicken recipe is the ultimate easy comfort food! Tender chicken breast smothered in a creamy garlic sauce is irresistible.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword creamy garlic chicken recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
  • Flour for dredging
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 whole head garlic cloves peeled
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Parsley chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you have 4 smaller cutlets. Sprinkle them with some salt & pepper and coat them in the flour. 

  2. Add the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, sauté the chicken for 4-5 minutes/side or until it's nice and golden. Take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside.

  3. Reduce the heat to medium (or even med-low if using cast iron), and add the rest of the butter to the pan. Let it melt and then add the garlic cloves. Cook them for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until they're lightly browned on the outside. 

  4. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and garlic powder to the pan. Let it bubble for around 4 minutes or until the liquid is noticeably reduced. 

  5. Stir in the cream and add the chicken back into the pan. Let it cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the sauce is reduced and the chicken is cooked through. Serve with freshly chopped parsley if you wish.

Recipe Notes

  • I used my trusty 10-1/4" Lodge cast iron skillet to make this recipe.
  • I recommend using fairly large boneless/skinless chicken breasts for this recipe since we're cutting them in half lengthwise. If you have smaller ones, use 4 of them and leave them intact.
  • If your garlic cloves are particularly gigantic like some of mine were, feel free to cut them in half so they're all roughly the same size.

Try more of my tasty recipes:

Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Chicken Bacon Gnocchi
Creamy Chicken in White Wine Sauce

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I made this last night with mashed potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts. It was delicious. The sauce on top of the potatoes really worked too. Thanks!

    Reply

      • I looked at this recipe and said “tonite”! It was awesome! I only had about 5 cloves I found garlic and you are right – it could’ve used the whole bulb if I had it! I made it as you said and put it in the oven in a cast iron pan to finish. It was superb. Probably could add matchstick carrots or some mushrooms or something for more texture but the chicken was moist and the creamy sauce delicious.!!!!

        Reply

    • I want to make this tonight but only have whole milk canned milk or half and half. Could I use one of those instead of heavy cream?

      Reply

      • Hi! I’d use the half and half. I think that should be fine, although the sauce may end up a bit thinner. You may want to read thru some of the comments – other readers have made some substitutions and explained how it worked. Hope you enjoy the recipe! ❤️

        Reply


  2. I made this today! I pan fried the chicken, looked great, but it wasn’t cooking on the inside, so I ended up over cooking them, it was too chewy and tough. The flavor was great except more salt in the sauce would have been better. I’m not sure how you get them to be tender and melt in your mouth as you say.

    Reply

    • Hi Daisy! Hmm… did you slice the chicken in half lengthwise so the pieces were thinner? I gave it 4-5 min./side and then 5 mins in the sauce and it was cooked through without being tough at all… strange! Yup, I always season any dish with extra salt if I think it needs it. I’m glad you liked the taste, though. Let me know if you give it a try again. 🙂

      Reply

      • Yes, I used thinly sliced chicken from the store, breast fillets or cutlets, whatever they are called. I will try this again but bake the chicken first then add it to the sauce. Do I still need to flour the chicken before baking? And how long and at what temp? I’m an amateur cook and I’m so glad I found your blog, thank you!

        Reply

        • Hi Daisy, I wouldn’t bake the chicken first… there’s a good chance it’ll be way overcooked and I have no idea on timing since I have not tested the method myself. I’m thinking you just cooked the chicken way too long and that’s why it wasn’t tender… that has happened to me in the past too. Why not buy normal chicken breasts and just cut them in half lengthwise next time? I’m not sure now if you bought chicken tenders or what, but I really want this recipe to work for you. 🙂

          Reply


      • I pounded the chicken instead of cutting them in half (I like doing things the hard way ☺). The dish turned out great! Melt in your mouth and delicious! My wife loved it. Thank you!

        Reply


    • Hi Daisy. You may have cooked the chicken on too high heat, therefore cooking the outside too quickly and not letting the inside get done. Perhaps try cooking it a lower temperature next time. Just don’t give up. I taught myself how to cook years ago by watching a ton of cooking shows. Blogs like this help me out too. There are so many tips and tricks that have helped me. I threw away a lot of ruined food along the way and, while I don’t consider myself a “chef” by any means, I now feel confident in the kitchen. I love to cook now.

      Reply

      • Thank you so much! I needed this as my confidence lacks in the kitchen, and I really want to be able to cook home made food. I too have thrown away too much ruined food, and I feel so bad and it’s so expensive to buy ingredients. I will try and use lower heat next time, thank you!

        Reply

    • I always make sure to let the chicken sit out at room temp for about 30 minutes before cooking. This can make a huge difference when it comes to them getting cooked properly.

      Reply


  4. Great flavor. When I was tasting the sauce toward the end I honestly didn’t want to stop! Made it with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. Gonna make this again for sure!

    Reply

  7. I wonder if this would work in a slow cooker with full chicken breasts. Pan sear, make the sauce and then combine in the cooker. Thoughts?

    Reply

    • Hmmm I’m not entirely sure. How long do you plan on cooking it for? I’m concerned the sauce may separate in the slow cooker.

      Reply


  8. This was AMAZING! Definitely on the make again list. My husband didn’t have one word to say as his mouth was too busy practically licking his plate. Even the MIL gave compliments on it.

    Reply

    • Hi! You could try. It’ll have a more tangy flavor, but I think it would probably still be tasty. Let me know how it goes! Happy New Year!

      Reply

    • Hi! Hmm I’d probably just leave it out and perhaps cook the cream for a bit longer before adding the chicken back into the pan to reduce the sauce a bit more (the flour helps thicken the sauce). You could definitely try coconut flour, but I’m thinking it’ll alter the taste of the dish.

      Reply


    • I wouldn’t use coconut flour. Try arrowroot flour. It’s great for gluten free gmo free cooking. It’s a great thickener.

      Reply

    • Hi! It’s pretty rich so any steamed veggie works. I will often serve canned corn (not the most exciting but I always have some in the pantry) with recipes like this. Or a salad. I find something lighter balances it nicely. And you can’t go wrong with mashed potatoes or rice. Hope you like the recipe!

      Reply


  13. I made this tonight with rice and sauteed cauliflower and it was an instant hit! I’m already making plans for making it again with mushrooms. Mmmmm….

    Reply

  14. Looks delicious, can’t wait to try. Would it work if I made this recipe with milk instead of cream? And then possibly adding more flour or cornstarch if it needs to thicken?

    Reply

    • Hi Kailyn! I haven’t tested it, so I can’t say for sure. I’m definitely more of a fan of cream (IMO you can’t beat the taste and consistency) in recipes like this, but yeah, I do think adding a bit more flour could get you a thicker sauce that still tastes good. Let me know if you do try it – I’m curious. 🙂

      Reply


  15. I made this last night and it was SO GOOD and so easy to make. I’ve never made chicken that was so tender I swear. And the sauce was delicious. My husband and I loved it so much!! I made it with cauliflower rice and some honey cayenne pepper carrots from Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook. Awesome recipe and would definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing this!! 🙂

    Reply

  17. I enjoyed making this dish, i added bacon once i poured heavy cream and let it simmer for a bit and i also added a spoon of sour cream. Served with white rice and it was great !

    Reply


  18. If I were to use coconut cream as a heavy cream alternative are there any modifications you can think of that may help re-balance the flavor so that coconut doesn’t overpower? (Not that that would be all that bad lol) Thanks! Loved the recipe!

    Reply

    • Hmmm that’s a good question. Honestly I really can’t say without doing a bit of testing. More garlic and lemon maybe? Haha let me know if you do experiment.

      Reply


  19. I used Italian bread crumbs instead of flour on the chicken and made fettuccine pasta and broccoli. It was delicious.

    Reply

  20. Hi Natasha
    My husband and I are trying to follow a Keto diet. Do you think it would work if I substituted almond flour or coconut flour for the white flour?
    Thanks for the advice !
    Lisa

    Reply

    • Hi Lisa! I’d either try almond flour (but haven’t tested it myself) or just leave the flour out entirely but cook the cream sauce a bit longer prior to adding the chicken back in the pan to thicken the sauce up a bit. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply

  21. I had to cook my chicken a little longer because I must have not cut it thin enough and it pretty much removed the creamy sauce! Do you think I could add a little more heavy cream and chicken broth and cook a few more minutes to add more sauce?

    Reply

  22. This is amazing!!! Used minced garlic instead of cloves. I printed the recipe and will make it for my friends next. Thanks!

    Reply

  24. Not a huge fan of chicken breasts so gonna try with boneless skinless thighs. Will let you know how it comes out. Super excited!!

    Reply

  25. I don’t have heavy cream atm but I have cream cheese and whole milk, which would be a better substitute do you think?

    Reply

    • Hmmmm cream cheese will make the sauce more tangy, but I’d say the texture may end up better. Milk will yield a thinner sauce. It’s hard to say!

      Reply


  26. This was a amazing weeknight dinner! My chicken came out so tender! I substituted heavy whipping cream with milk, butter and cornstarch for thickness. I also substituted flour with cornstarch. My 3 sons ages 13, 11, and 6 absolutely loved it and I even impressed my self with this after work meal. I served it with easy stovetop stuffing with peas and carrots. Simple, easy and delicious! Definitely saving this recipe! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply


  27. I cooked this last night and wow! The flavor is so great! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! My kids left no leftovers lol 😂

    Reply


  28. I made this last night. I could tell by my husband’s wide-eyed delight that he thought it was as good as I did. I only had light cream in the fridge which might account for the sauce breaking but the taste was there. I made a little extra sauce so I could serve it over noodles. It’s an outstanding recipe, thanks for posting it!

    Reply

    • Hi! You could do water or a combo of water and a stock/bouillon cube. I use broth because it packs in a lot of flavor. Just make sure to salt the recipe properly.

      Reply


  31. Just made this tonight and it was mouth watering delicious!! Left the chicken in the sauce for longer than 5 min while my asparagus finished cooking and we ate it over a bed of white rice. The sauce thickened up even more since we cooked it a bit longer but it was very creamy and not overpowering with garlic. Will definitely make this again, but I will make more of the sauce because of how good it is! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply


  32. Writing this in a food coma, be warned. Followed the recipe exactly and it came out amazing! I’ve never prepared anything with a cream sauce before so this was a nice introduction. My family, that hates anything new, demolished their plates and loved it! I served it with assorted roasted potatoes and green beans.

    Thanks Natasha!

    Reply

    • Hi! When you say chicken strips, do you just mean raw, cut-up chicken breasts/chicken fillets? It really depends what size they are, but yes, if you want plenty of sauce, no harm in doubling the recipe. 🙂

      Reply

    • Hi! You could try but the sauce will be less thick. There’s some comments from readers who have done various substitutions – you may find some useful tips. ☺️

      Reply

  35. I made this last night for my husband and me. It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe. We will have it again with company!

    Reply

  37. Hi,
    This recipe looks amazing. My question is, is this good re heated? Looking for a comfort dish for a friend who just lost his Mom and wanted to bring him a meal.
    Thank you

    Reply

    • Aww I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s mom. I recommend reheating this on a low temperature so the sauce doesn’t separate and/or reduce too much. It is best fresh, but I think it could definitely work.

      Reply


  38. Just made this for lunch and MAN!! DEE.LISH.SHUSH!!!! Chicken was so tender and juicy, sauce was perfect. I did add some salt and cayenne pepper to make it spicy. FOR THE WIN!!

    thanks a bunch, love your blog Natasha!

    Reply


  39. Oh honey, I enjoyed this meal I made it different(crushed garlic, sautéed onions and mushrooms to add in plus used cream cheese in sauce) but the flavor base was all you. Such a delicious sauce. I also had to bake mines bc I had to cook a lot and didn’t have enough room in pan. Definitely on the menu now. I did a loaded bake potato and spinach apple and pecan salad. You had me in here acting like a chef hun😘

    Reply


  40. Added a 1/2 lb sliced portabella with the cloves, a generous splash of dry sherry with the broth to help deglaze and a tied spring of thyme. Freaking delicious!

    Reply

  41. Will this recipe still come out the same in a regular skillet or does it have to be a cast iron skillet for best results? Thank you. The recipe looks delicious.

    Reply


  42. I made this recipe tonight for dinner and it was delicious! I served it with broccoli–to keep it low carb. I am excited to try more of your recipes–you have a lot that look really good!

    Reply

  43. I made this dish the other night. I used minced garlic instead of whole clove. I cooked everything else to your recipe. It was delishes!! I’ve been looking for different recipes online and came across your recipe. I wanted something that is different from my usual dishes I cook. And something quick to cook. Wonderful dish. I’ll definitely cook this dish again. Thanks for the recipe

    Reply

  45. Hi! I’m planning on making tonight. I’m a little confused about ‘cutting the chicken’. Someone said they pounded them instead, so are we trying to make thinner? Or narrower? I was envisioning cutting them like tenders? Thanks for your help.

    Reply

    • Hi Carrie! Yes, I cut the chicken to make it thinner. Basically, I find the big, thick breasts tend to dry out before they’re fully cooked through. Pounding them is definitely an option, but I find it more work. Pounding does tenderize too, so that’s something you could do for sure. So if you can see on the photos, I cut the chicken lengthwise so that the 2 breasts turn into 4 thinner cutlets. You could cut the chicken into strips if you want to, though. I just find browning the chicken easier when you’ve got the 4 pieces vs. a bunch of strips. I hope this helps! Let me know if I am not explaining it clearly.

      Reply

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