Cream Cheese Chicken Skillet (Printable Version)

Juicy chicken breasts in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce with garlic and herbs, ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lb)

→ Dairy

02 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1/4 cup milk
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 2 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, chopped

→ Pantry

09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides, then place in the pan. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
02 - In the same skillet, add the chopped onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the softened cream cheese, milk, and grated Parmesan. Whisk continuously until a smooth, creamy sauce forms with no lumps remaining. Mix in the dried Italian herbs and blend evenly throughout the sauce.
04 - Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon sauce over the top of each breast, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Remove from heat and sprinkle generously with fresh chopped chives or parsley. Serve immediately while hot, spooning additional sauce from the pan over each portion.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the same pan, so you get all those browned bits of flavor without a mountain of dishes.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a cozy bistro, but honestly it takes almost zero skill to pull off.
02 -
  • If the cream cheese is not fully softened you will chase lumps around the pan forever, so plan ahead or microwave it for twenty seconds.
  • Do not skip browning the chicken first because that crust is where half the sauce flavor comes from.
03 -
  • Pound the chicken to an even thickness before cooking so every piece finishes at the same time and nothing dries out.
  • A tiny pinch of red pepper flakes in the sauce wakes up all the flavors without making it spicy, and most guests will not even be able to identify the secret.

Return