10 Amazing Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet Wins

If you’re tired of endless dishes after dinner but still crave that rich, cozy flavor, then you absolutely must try this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet. Seriously, this is the recipe that changed my weeknight routine!

Hi, I’m Anna, and I’m passionate about sharing simple, flavorful chicken recipes designed to make everyday cooking easier and, honestly, more joyful. I believe dinner shouldn’t feel like a chore, which is why I focus on amazing one-skillet meals like this one. It tastes like you spent hours simmering away, but we get it done in under 40 minutes.

The magic here is in the sauce—it’s velvety, garlicky, and coats those tender chicken cutlets perfectly. Forget scrubbing pots; everything happens right here in one pan. This Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet is about maximum flavor payoff for minimum cleanup. Trust me, you’ll be making this every week!

Gather Your Ingredients for Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

To make this fantastic Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet that serves four happy people, we need to get organized first. Since this is a one-pan wonder, having everything ready to go makes the actual cooking process fly by. We’re aiming for tender chicken bathed in that incredible sauce, so precision with these measurements really matters!

Let’s break down what you need to pull out of your pantry and fridge. Don’t be scared by the list; it’s all straightforward stuff!

Chicken and Dredging Components

We start with about 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You’ll want to slice those into thin cutlets—this helps them cook fast and evenly. Now for the coating: grab 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and mix it in a shallow bowl with 2 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Don’t forget to season the chicken first with 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and just a pinch of black pepper before it hits that flour mixture.

Flavor Base and Sauce Building Blocks

For building that flavor base, we need 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter. The star, of course, is the garlic—you’ll need 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled. For the sauce thickness, set aside 2 tablespoons of flour. Then, gather your liquids and seasonings: 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, and a tiny dash of ground mustard (that’s 1/4 teaspoon). Finally, for the creaminess, keep 1/2 cup of heavy cream and that final 1/4 cup of finely grated Parmesan ready for the end!

Equipment Needed for This Skillet Dinner

Since we are aiming for speed and minimal cleanup, you don’t need a whole kitchen full of gadgets! Your main tool here is a large skillet—make sure it’s big enough to hold all the chicken in a single layer initially. You’ll also need a shallow bowl for dredging the chicken. And please, always have your meat thermometer handy. We want this chicken perfectly cooked, not guessed!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

Okay, let’s get cooking! This is where the magic happens for our Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet. Since everything happens fast, read these steps once before you turn on the stove. We’re moving from raw ingredients to a spectacular dinner in about 25 minutes!

Preparing and Searing the Chicken

First things first: season your chicken cutlets really well with the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Next, take that flour and Parmesan mix in your shallow bowl. You need to dredge each piece, making sure they get a nice, light coat—shake off any excess flour so it doesn’t burn in the pan. Heat the olive oil in your big skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers a bit. Now, carefully lay the chicken in the hot oil. Don’t crowd the pan, or it will steam instead of sear! Let it cook undisturbed for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until you get that beautiful golden-brown crust. Once it looks perfect, pull the chicken out and set it aside on a clean plate while we build the sauce.

Building the Rich Garlic Sauce

Keep the heat right there, but maybe dial it down just a touch to medium. Add your butter to the skillet—let it melt right into those browned bits left from the chicken. Now, toss in those 10 whole garlic cloves. This is my favorite part! Let them sizzle for about 6 or 7 minutes, stirring every so often. They’ll start to soften and smell incredible, losing that raw bite. Once they are fragrant and lightly golden, sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons of flour for thickening and stir constantly for a full minute. This cooks out the raw flour taste. Next, gradually whisk in your chicken broth—slowly!—along with the dried thyme, onion powder, and ground mustard until everything is silky smooth. Keep whisking until it’s lump-free.

Finishing Your Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

Once the sauce is smooth, stir in the heavy cream and let the whole thing come up to a gentle simmer. Don’t let it boil hard, or the cream might separate on you. When it’s simmering nicely, stir in that final 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese until it melts right into the sauce, making it even richer. Now, nestle those seared chicken cutlets right back into the creamy garlic bath. Let everything simmer together for about 5 minutes, just long enough for the chicken to heat through and absorb that flavor. Before you serve, always check the temperature! Stick your thermometer into the thickest part of a cutlet; it absolutely must read 165°F to be safe. That’s it—dinner is served!

Tips for Achieving the Best Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

Getting this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet right is all about respecting the process, especially when we are relying on one pan for everything. A couple of little tricks I’ve learned over the years guarantee that silky sauce and perfectly cooked chicken every single time you make it.

Mastering the Garlic Flavor

You might look at 10 whole garlic cloves and think, “Wow, that’s a lot of garlic!” But remember, we leave them whole. They aren’t meant to be sharp or spicy; they are meant to soften and sweeten as they cook slowly in the butter. This is crucial! If you chop them, they’ll burn before the chicken is even done searing, and you’ll have bitter sauce. Keep the heat at medium when they are cooking—low and slow for the garlic is the key to that deep, mellow flavor.

Preventing a Clumpy Cream Sauce

The sauce is the star, and nobody wants little white lumps floating around! When you add the chicken broth to your flour and butter mixture (that’s your roux), you have to add it gradually while whisking constantly. Think of it like adding water to cornstarch—slow and steady wins! Once it’s smooth, let it simmer gently before you introduce the heavy cream. Adding the cream when the base is too hot can shock it. A gentle simmer ensures everything incorporates beautifully into that luxurious, velvety coating we are aiming for in this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet.

Ingredient Notes and Simple Substitutions

Most of these ingredients are pantry staples, which is great for a quick meal! If you don’t have chicken breasts, you can totally use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Just know that thighs are a little thicker and might need an extra minute or two when searing, and they might take an extra minute or two to finish simmering in the sauce, but they stay super moist! If you’re out of dried thyme, don’t panic; just use a tiny pinch of dried rosemary instead, or skip it altogether if you only have Italian seasoning in there already. The chicken cutlets should be thin—aim for about a half-inch thick—so they cook through quickly with the sauce.

Serving Suggestions for Your Skillet Dinner

Because this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet has such a rich, luxurious sauce, you need something simple underneath to soak it all up! I usually go for something quick that takes almost no effort. Wide egg noodles are fantastic—they grab onto that sauce so well. If you’re watching carbs, some steamed asparagus tossed with a little lemon juice works brilliantly. Roasted broccoli is another winner. Honestly, any sturdy vegetable or simple starch will let that garlic cream shine without adding more cooking time to your evening!

Storing and Reheating Leftover Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers of this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet, you’ll want to store them correctly to keep that sauce from breaking or separating when you reheat it. Cream sauces can be a little fussy, but it’s manageable! Always let the dish cool down completely before you put it in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container so it doesn’t absorb any weird fridge smells.

Storage Table

• Container type: Airtight glass or plastic container
• Fridge duration: 3 to 4 days
• Freezer feasibility: Yes, for up to 1 month (sauce texture may change slightly upon thawing)

When reheating, never use high heat! Low and slow is the way to go. If you reheat it on the stovetop, add a tiny splash of extra broth or milk and heat gently until just warmed through. Microwaving is fine too, but use 50% power and stop to stir it a couple of times. High heat is what breaks down cream sauces, so take your time!

Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Chicken Skillet Meals

I get a lot of questions about making this recipe my own, so here are a few things I hear most often about making the perfect creamy chicken dish.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts for this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet?

Yes, absolutely! Chicken thighs are very forgiving and usually stay juicier than breasts. Since they are often thicker, you might need to increase your searing time by a minute or two per side. Also, when you return them to the sauce to finish cooking, just make sure they hit that 165°F mark. They might need an extra couple of minutes simmering in the sauce compared to the thin cutlets.

How can I make this creamy chicken recipe lighter?

That’s a great question for keeping things lighter! You can substitute the heavy cream with half-and-half, but I’d recommend using slightly less chicken broth initially, maybe 1 3/4 cups, so the sauce thickens up nicely. You could also use evaporated milk in a pinch, but it won’t be quite as rich. Remember, using low-sodium broth helps control the overall sodium content!

Why are the garlic cloves left whole?

This is one of my favorite chef tricks! The whole garlic cloves soften completely as they cook down in the butter, releasing a deep, sweet, mellow garlic flavor into the sauce base. If you chop them, they cook too fast and can burn, giving you that harsh, acrid taste. The whole cloves melt into the sauce, providing richness without overwhelming the dish. They are the secret backbone of our garlic sauce!

Share Your Successful Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

I truly hope this recipe brings some easy joy to your busy weeknights! If you made this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet and loved how fast it came together, please leave me a rating below. I always love hearing what you thought and seeing how you served it up! Tell me if you added any extra herbs or what you paired it with! You can also find more inspiration on my Pinterest page!

Tips for Achieving the Best Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

Getting this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet right is all about respecting the process, especially when we are relying on one pan for everything. A couple of little tricks I’ve learned over the years guarantee that silky sauce and perfectly cooked chicken every single time you make it.

Mastering the Garlic Flavor

You might look at 10 whole garlic cloves and think, “Wow, that’s a lot of garlic!” But remember, we leave them whole. They aren’t meant to be sharp or spicy; they are meant to soften and sweeten as they cook slowly in the butter. This is crucial! If you chop them, they’ll burn before the chicken is even done searing, and you’ll have bitter sauce. Keep the heat at medium when they are cooking—low and slow for the garlic is the key to that deep, mellow flavor.

Preventing a Clumpy Cream Sauce

The sauce is the star, and nobody wants little white lumps floating around! When you add the chicken broth to your flour and butter mixture (that’s your roux), you have to add it gradually while whisking constantly. Think of it like adding water to cornstarch—slow and steady wins! Once it’s smooth, let it simmer gently before you introduce the heavy cream. Adding the cream when the base is too hot can shock it. A gentle simmer ensures everything incorporates beautifully into that luxurious, velvety coating we are aiming for in this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet.

Ingredient Notes and Simple Substitutions

Most of these ingredients are pantry staples, which is great for a quick meal! If you don’t have chicken breasts, you can totally use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Just know that thighs are a little thicker and might need an extra minute or two when searing, and they might take an extra minute or two to finish simmering in the sauce, but they stay super moist! If you’re out of dried thyme, don’t panic; just use a tiny pinch of dried rosemary instead, or skip it altogether if you only have Italian seasoning in there already. The chicken cutlets should be thin—aim for about a half-inch thick—so they cook through quickly with the sauce.

Serving Suggestions for Your Skillet Dinner

Because this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet has such a rich, luxurious sauce, you need something simple underneath to soak it all up! I usually go for something quick that takes almost no effort. Wide egg noodles are fantastic—they grab onto that sauce so well. If you’re watching carbs, some steamed asparagus tossed with a little lemon juice works brilliantly. Roasted broccoli is another winner. Honestly, any sturdy vegetable or simple starch will let that garlic cream shine without adding more cooking time to your evening!

Storing and Reheating Leftover Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers of this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet, you’ll want to store them correctly to keep that sauce from breaking or separating when you reheat it. Cream sauces can be a little fussy, but it’s manageable! Always let the dish cool down completely before you put it in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container so it doesn’t absorb any weird fridge smells. The goal here is to reheat gently so the heavy cream stays smooth and doesn’t get grainy or oily.

Storage Table

Storage Method	Duration	Notes
Airtight Container	3 to 4 days in the fridge	Ensure it cools fully first.
Freezer	Up to 1 month	Sauce texture might thin slightly upon thawing.

When reheating on the stovetop, use low heat and stir in just a tiny splash of extra chicken broth or milk to loosen things up. Microwaving works too, but use 50% power and stop frequently to stir. High heat is the enemy of cream sauces, so patience pays off here!

Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Chicken Skillet Meals

I get a lot of questions about making this recipe my own, so here are a few things I hear most often about making the perfect creamy chicken dish.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts for this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet?

Yes, absolutely! Chicken thighs are very forgiving and usually stay juicier than breasts. Since they are often thicker, you might need to increase your searing time by a minute or two per side. Also, when you return them to the sauce to finish cooking, just make sure they hit that 165°F mark. They might need an extra couple of minutes simmering in the sauce compared to the thin cutlets.

How can I make this creamy chicken recipe lighter?

That’s a great question for keeping things lighter! You can substitute the heavy cream with half-and-half, but I’d recommend using slightly less chicken broth initially, maybe 1 3/4 cups, so the sauce thickens up nicely. You could also use evaporated milk in a pinch, but it won’t be quite as rich. Remember, using low-sodium broth helps control the overall sodium content!

Why are the garlic cloves left whole?

This is one of my favorite chef tricks! The whole garlic cloves soften completely as they cook down in the butter, releasing a deep, sweet, mellow garlic flavor into the sauce base. If you chop them, they cook too fast and can burn, giving you that harsh, acrid taste. The whole cloves melt into the sauce, providing richness without overwhelming the dish. They are the secret backbone of our garlic sauce!

Share Your Successful Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

I truly hope this recipe brings some easy joy to your busy weeknights! If you made this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet and loved how fast it came together, please leave me a rating below. I always love hearing what you thought and seeing how you served it up! Tell me if you added any extra herbs or what you paired it with!

Tips for Achieving the Best Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

Getting this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet right is all about respecting the process, especially when we are relying on one pan for everything. A couple of little tricks I’ve learned over the years guarantee that silky sauce and perfectly cooked chicken every single time you make it.

Mastering the Garlic Flavor

You might look at 10 whole garlic cloves and think, “Wow, that’s a lot of garlic!” But remember, we leave them whole. They aren’t meant to be sharp or spicy; they are meant to soften and sweeten as they cook slowly in the butter. This is crucial! If you chop them, they’ll burn before the chicken is even done searing, and you’ll have bitter sauce. Keep the heat at medium when they are cooking—low and slow for the garlic is the key to that deep, mellow flavor.

Preventing a Clumpy Cream Sauce

The sauce is the star, and nobody wants little white lumps floating around! When you add the chicken broth to your flour and butter mixture (that’s your roux), you have to add it gradually while whisking constantly. Think of it like adding water to cornstarch—slow and steady wins! Once it’s smooth, let it simmer gently before you introduce the heavy cream. Adding the cream when the base is too hot can shock it. A gentle simmer ensures everything incorporates beautifully into that luxurious, velvety coating we are aiming for in this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet.

Ingredient Notes and Simple Substitutions

Most of these ingredients are pantry staples, which is great for a quick meal! If you don’t have chicken breasts, you can totally use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Just know that thighs are a little thicker and might need an extra minute or two when searing, and they might take an extra minute or two to finish simmering in the sauce, but they stay super moist! If you’re out of dried thyme, don’t panic; just use a tiny pinch of dried rosemary instead, or skip it altogether if you only have Italian seasoning in there already. The chicken cutlets should be thin—aim for about a half-inch thick—so they cook through quickly with the sauce.

Serving Suggestions for Your Skillet Dinner

Because this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet has such a rich, luxurious sauce, you need something simple underneath to soak it all up! I usually go for something quick that takes almost no effort. Wide egg noodles are fantastic—they grab onto that sauce so well. If you’re watching carbs, some steamed asparagus tossed with a little lemon juice works brilliantly. Roasted broccoli is another winner. Honestly, any sturdy vegetable or simple starch will let that garlic cream shine without adding more cooking time to your evening!

Storing and Reheating Leftover Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers of this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet, you’ll want to store them correctly to keep that sauce from breaking or separating when you reheat it. Cream sauces can be a little fussy, but it’s manageable! Always let the dish cool down completely before you put it in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container so it doesn’t absorb any weird fridge smells. The goal here is to reheat gently so the heavy cream stays smooth and doesn’t get grainy or oily.

Storage Table

Storage Method	Duration	Notes
Airtight Container	3 to 4 days in the fridge	Ensure it cools fully first.
Freezer	Up to 1 month	Sauce texture might thin slightly upon thawing.

When reheating on the stovetop, use low heat and stir in just a tiny splash of extra chicken broth or milk to loosen things up. Microwaving works too, but use 50% power and stop frequently to stir. High heat is the enemy of cream sauces, so patience pays off here!

Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Chicken Skillet Meals

I get a lot of questions about making this recipe my own, so here are a few things I hear most often about making the perfect creamy chicken dish.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts for this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet?

Yes, absolutely! Chicken thighs are very forgiving and usually stay juicier than breasts. Since they are often thicker, you might need to increase your searing time by a minute or two per side. Also, when you return them to the sauce to finish cooking, just make sure they hit that 165°F mark. They might need an extra couple of minutes simmering in the sauce compared to the thin cutlets.

How can I make this creamy chicken recipe lighter?

That’s a great question for keeping things lighter! You can substitute the heavy cream with half-and-half, but I’d recommend using slightly less chicken broth initially, maybe 1 3/4 cups, so the sauce thickens up nicely. You could also use evaporated milk in a pinch, but it won’t be quite as rich. Remember, using low-sodium broth helps control the overall sodium content!

Why are the garlic cloves left whole?

This is one of my favorite chef tricks! The whole garlic cloves soften completely as they cook down in the butter, releasing a deep, sweet, mellow garlic flavor into the sauce base. If you chop them, they cook too fast and can burn, giving you that harsh, acrid taste. The whole cloves melt into the sauce, providing richness without overwhelming the dish. They are the secret backbone of our garlic sauce!

Share Your Successful Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet

I truly hope this recipe brings some easy joy to your busy weeknights! If you made this Easy Creamy Garlic Chicken Skillet and loved how fast it came together, please leave me a rating below. I always love hearing what you thought and seeing how you served it up! Tell me if you added any extra herbs or what you paired it with!

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