This 30 minute creamy garlic parmesan chicken is a family favorite because it just feels so special, but it's insanely easy to make. It's also my go-to for serving to guests when I'm short on time!
You may also like my Creamy Garlic Chicken or this Parmesan Crusted Chicken.
Why you'll love it
I know you guys are fans of my Chicken Recipes, so I'm thrilled to bring you this one that has all my favorite flavors and is just as easy to make as the rest. Garlic. Parmesan. Juicy chicken. I think you will enjoy how simple it is to throw together on any old weeknight, even without an occasion.
But whenever I do serve this dish for company, no one can resist the garlic and parmesan in the luscious cream sauce. It's lick-your-plate kind of good. If you're thinking of hosting a dinner party for the first time, this is a fantastic recipe for the menu since it's really stress free to put together and will impress everyone.
Ingredients that you will need
- Chicken - we're cutting two boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 4 smaller pieces
- Garlic powder, salt & pepper - for seasoning the chicken cutlets to directly infuse flavor
- Olive oil and butter - for the tasty base for pan frying
- Flour - a thickener for the sauce
- Garlic - we're using 3 cloves, but if you're a big fan, go ahead and add more
- Chicken broth - adds more savory depth to the sauce, but you can go all-out and use white wine
- Cream - we're going with heavy cream for luxuriousness
- Parmesan cheese - for the cheesy, creamy sauce. Always use freshly grated
- Parsley - it adds a pop of freshness
How to make it
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make four smaller cutlets. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Pan fry it until it's cooked through. This will take about 5-6 minutes per side. Take the chicken out of the pan, and transfer it to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add the flour and garlic and cook for a minute. Scrape up the brown bits. Whisk in the broth, and then stir in the cream. Let it gently bubble, and then take it off the heat and put in the parmesan and combine until melted in. Add the chicken back to the pan, spoon the sauce over top and chopped parsley if desired, and serve it right away.
Tips for success
- I highly recommend grating your own parmesan cheese for best results. It tastes and melts a lot better! I use my Microplane to grate it.
- If you decide to use white wine instead of chicken broth, use something dry like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. I don't have a particular brand preference for cooking, so just ensure it's something you'd actually like to drink.
- Substitute the heavy cream with a lower fat alternative at your own discretion. The sauce may not thicken properly, won't taste as good, and is likely to curdle. This is meant to be a treat meal!
Tools for this recipe
- I use my handy cooking tongs to quickly turn the chicken and remove it from the skillet.
- The only totally accurate way to test whether chicken is done (not overcooked or undercooked) is to use an instant read meat thermometer. For this recipe, I suggest taking the chicken out of the pan once it reaches 160F. As it rests, the temperature will increase to 165F, the safe minimum temperature to eat. A bit over is fine, but keep in mind that chicken can go from tender to dry very quickly.
- A splatter guard is useful to keep clean-up to a minimum.
What to serve with it
- Try mashed potatoes to soak up all that perfect parmesan garlic sauce! We also enjoy it with these buttered egg noodles or rice.
- Many veggies pair well. Try roasted green beans, broccolini, maple roasted carrots, or sweet corn.
- It's also fantastic with a simple salad of mixed greens with this creamy balsamic dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- The leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- To reheat this chicken, warm it over a very low heat in a small saucepan so that the sauce doesn't separate.
- I wouldn't recommend freezing leftovers as cream sauces don't fare well in the freezer at all.
Will you give this easy chicken recipe a try? Questions? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
This 30 minute creamy garlic parmesan chicken is a family favorite because it just feels so special, but it's insanely easy to make. It's also my go-to for serving to guests when I'm short on time!
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you have 4 thinner pieces. Season them generously on both sides with salt & pepper and the garlic powder.
- Add the olive oil and butter to a skillet over medium-high heat, and let the pan heat up for a few minutes.
- Cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes/side or until it's nicely seared and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely tent it with foil to keep it warm (turn off the heat while doing this step).
- Turn the heat back on to medium-high and sprinkle in the flour and garlic to the skillet (the pan should still be hot, but if it's not, let it warm up a bit first). Let it cook for about a minute or so, stirring often.
- Pour in the chicken broth and whisk it until the flour has dissolved and the liquid has reduced by half.
- Stir in the cream and let it bubble gently for a few minutes until it's thickened to your desired consistency (turn the heat down if it's rapidly boiling). Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the parmesan until it has melted into the sauce.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet (and any juices from the plate) and spoon some sauce over top. Season with extra salt & pepper if needed and sprinkle the parsley over top.
Notes
- I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer to test when the chicken is done (165F). It can go from undercooked to overcooked very fast.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Calories: 457kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 31gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 172mgSodium: 479mgPotassium: 524mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1189IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 192mgIron: 1mg
Kathy says
Made this tonight and it was so yummy!!! My two college kids loved it! I used white wine instead of chicken broth and cut chicken in cubes. Sauce was amazing!!!! This will be a keeper for sure!
Natasha says
I'm thrilled it was a hit and enjoyed all around, Kathy! 😀
Nicole Rivera says
Made this for dinner tonight.. I didn’t see the ingredients amounts until the end and put too much broth in but just added flour to thicken it. But turned out great and will definitely make this again!
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
So happy it worked out! Yup, the recipe card always has exact measurements whereas the blog post has tips for success. 🙂
Nancy says
Once again...you did it with this recipe. My family absolutely loved this recipe. We paired it with mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach....Super Yummy!!!
I always go to your site first for new recipes...Thank you so much!!!💞
Natasha says
Aww thank you, Nancy!! 🙂 You're very welcome!
Barbara Jameson says
I made this for my family while we were on vacation and wow what a hit .It was absolutely so delicious and easy to make.The sauce was perfect over mashed potatoes.It’s a family favorite!
Natasha says
Awesome!! 😀 Thanks for letting me know. So happy you all enjoyed it!
Emily says
Is there a substitute for the heavy whipping cream that I can use?
Natasha says
Not that I've tested. You may want to read through other comments to see if anyone has tweaked it. I don't recommended any subs as it'll alter the texture, taste, and may lead to curdling if lower fat.
Emily says
I actually found online that you can use 3/4 cup of half&half and 1/4 cup of melted unsalted butter as a substitute for 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. I used that and it came out pretty good but it was a bit dark. I think maybe pieces from the chicken that were left in the pan made it dark. Next time I’ll make it using the heavy whipping cream so that I can compare them.
Olivia says
SO YUMMY!! I love this recipe and it is so easy to add whatever twist you would like on it! I used chicken tenderloins and added some lemon zest, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes and it ended up so delicious. Can’t wait to make it again, thank you!!
Natasha says
Thank you so much!
AngelaML says
Hi Natasha,
I made this last night along with your delicious Easy Baked Potatoes - definitely it was a hit! I added a bag of baby spinach to wilt in at the end it was delicious. Will definitely be adding to the chicken rotation! I really enjoy all the variations you create with chicken. ❤️
Natasha says
I'm so happy to hear that!! 😀 Thank you!
Kristina Schaffer says
Would you recommend chicken brother or a dry wine (Chardonnay) for best results?
Natasha says
Personally, I prefer using wine to chicken broth.
MELISSA SHELLEY says
Wish I had doubled the sauce!
Family devoured it!
Natasha says
Yay!!
Tammy says
There’s no measurements?
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Hi Tammy! Keep reading.
Kynzie Washington says
HOLY CRAP!! I am not exaggerating even a little when I say that this is one of the yummiest things I’ve ever tasted and it was SO easy. Made some air fried broccoli to go with it and…holy moly…I’m just in love with this recipe! Making this for every occasion!
Natasha says
Aww that's so nice to hear!! Thank you!! 😀