Amazing! 30-Minute creamy chicken and seafood medley

By anna Boncoeur On October 16, 2025

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got a secret stash of frozen shrimp and chicken breasts lurking in the freezer, waiting for the perfect moment. Well, that moment is now! This creamy chicken and seafood medley is the ultimate weeknight hero. I’m Anna, and I’m obsessed with turning everyday ingredients into unbelievably flavorful meals without spending hours chained to the stove. I believe cooking should be joyful, not stressful, and this recipe proves you can get that restaurant-quality garlic cream sauce taste in under 40 minutes, all in one pan!

I’ve spent years perfecting quick dinners. I’ve burned sauces, overcooked scallops, and generally made a mess learning what actually works when you’re busy. This medley is the result of that trial and error—it’s reliable, deeply satisfying, and uses techniques that ensure maximum flavor extraction from those browned bits in the skillet.

Why This creamy chicken and seafood medley Becomes Your New Weeknight Favorite

What’s the magic here? It’s the speed and the richness. You get beautifully seared chicken, plump shrimp, and tender scallops swimming in a decadent sauce that tastes like it simmered all day long. But guess what? It comes together while your pasta water boils!

The technique is simple: sear everything separately so each piece gets that beautiful golden crust, then build the sauce right in the same pan using all those flavorful browned bits—that’s where the real taste lives. I promise, once you see how easy it is to get this rich flavor profile in just one pan, you’ll be making this creamy chicken and seafood medley every single week. It just makes dinner feel special without the cleanup headache.

Table Of content

Gathering the Essentials for Your creamy chicken and seafood medley

Okay, let’s get organized! The beauty of this recipe is that once you have your ingredients ready, the cooking moves super fast. You’re working with two main proteins—chicken and seafood—and a few simple pantry staples for that amazing sauce. Don’t stress about running to the store; most of this is standard stuff, but having everything measured keeps the timing perfect for this creamy chicken and seafood medley.

Seriously, take five minutes now to pull everything out and measure it. Trust me, when the pan gets hot, you don’t want to be hunting for the smoked paprika!

Required Ingredients Explained Clearly

The chicken needs a good dusting of seasoning first—that smoked paprika is key for color! For the seafood, the most important thing you can do is handle the scallops with care. You absolutely must pat those scallops dry with a paper towel until they feel almost dusty. If they are wet, they steam instead of searing, and we want that beautiful golden crust!

For the sauce, we’re relying on garlic, broth, and heavy cream. Remember, we need lemon zest and juice at the end to brighten everything up, so have those ready to go.

Equipment for Making a Perfect creamy chicken and seafood medley

You only need a few things here, but the right skillet makes all the difference. Grab your largest, heavy-bottomed skillet—cast iron is amazing if you have one, but any good non-stick pan that fits all your ingredients comfortably will work. You’ll also want tongs for turning the proteins.

And please, please, please, grab a kitchen thermometer! I know I sound like a broken record, but checking the chicken temperature is non-negotiable for safety and perfect results. It takes the guesswork right out of the equation for this quick meal. For more quick dinner ideas, check out this delicious one-pan dinner.

Step-by-Step Preparation Instructions

This is where the magic happens! Since we’re doing this all in one pan, we have to cook things in stages so nothing gets overcrowded or steamed. Follow this order, and you’ll have that gorgeous, rich dinner ready before you know it.

Preparing and Searing the Chicken

First up, the chicken needs flavor! Take those two chicken breasts—make sure they are about an inch thick, pounding them slightly if one side is much thicker than the other. Season them generously on both sides using 1 teaspoon of salt, about a quarter teaspoon of pepper, and that beautiful smoked paprika. The paprika gives it such a nice color!

Heat up your large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Once that butter is melted and sizzling, carefully lay the chicken in the pan. Don’t crowd it! Let it sear undisturbed for about 6 or 7 minutes per side. We are looking for a deep golden brown crust here. The most important part? Use that thermometer! Pull the chicken when it hits 165 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s 74 degrees Celsius) internally. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and set it aside while we deal with the seafood.

Achieving the Perfect Sear on Shrimp and Scallops

Now for the showstoppers! Keep the heat up. Add your scallops to the same hot pan. Remember what I said? They need to be bone-dry to get that beautiful sear. Lay them in a single layer—if your pan is too small, you might have to do this in two batches. Cook them for just 1.5 to 2 minutes per side. You want a lovely, caramelized crust. Once they look golden, scoop them out onto the plate with the chicken.

Next, the shrimp go in. They cook super fast, so keep an eye on them. Just 2 to 3 minutes per side until they curl up and turn totally pink. Pull those out and join the chicken and scallops waiting patiently on the plate.

Building the Rich Garlic Cream Sauce for This creamy chicken and seafood medley

Turn the heat down to medium now—we don’t want to burn the garlic! Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Once melted, toss in your minced garlic. Stir it constantly for about 30 seconds until you can really smell it—that’s when you know it’s ready. Be quick, garlic burns fast!

Now, deglaze! Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up every single brown, flavorful bit stuck to the bottom of the pan. That’s pure flavor gold, don’t waste it! Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, the rest of your salt and pepper, and those optional red pepper flakes for a little kick. Let this mixture simmer gently for about 3 minutes. It should thicken up just enough that it coats the back of your spoon slightly.

Bringing It All Together: Finishing the creamy chicken and seafood medley

Time for the reunion! Gently nestle the cooked chicken, the seared scallops, and the shrimp back into the skillet, right into that gorgeous sauce. Spoon some of that creamy sauce right over the top of the chicken breasts. Let everything warm through together for about 2 minutes. You aren’t cooking them again, just heating them up so they absorb the sauce flavor.

Taste the sauce now! Does it need a tiny pinch more salt? A little squeeze of lemon? Adjust it now! Finally, sprinkle everything generously with fresh chopped parsley for color and freshness. Serve this amazing creamy chicken and seafood medley immediately over whatever starchy side you chose! You can find more inspiration for chicken dishes like this creamy garlic parmesan chicken recipe.

Tips for Success in Your One-Pan Dinner

I know one-pan meals can sometimes feel intimidating because you’re juggling everything in one space, but honestly, that’s the fun part! The key here is managing your heat and understanding when each element is done. Don’t rush the searing stages; that browning is where all the deep flavor comes from. If you try to speed that up, you end up with pale proteins and a watery sauce later on.

Remember, we are cooking things mostly through before they hit the sauce, so the final simmer is really just about warming and marrying the flavors together. Pay attention to the small details, and this meal will turn out perfectly every time. If you want to see more of our favorite recipes, follow us on Pinterest!

Mastering Protein Doneness

I cannot stress this enough: use a reliable instant-read thermometer for the chicken. Chicken breast is lean, and if you overcook it even by a degree, it turns dry and stringy. Aiming precisely for 165°F (74°C) is your safety net and your guarantee of tenderness. Once the chicken hits that temp, it needs to come out immediately. The shrimp and scallops cook so quickly that you can rely on visual cues—pink and opaque for shrimp, golden crust and opaque center for scallops.

Achieving a Thicker Sauce

If your sauce seems a little thin after the 3-minute simmer, don’t panic! You have two great options. My favorite is simply turning the heat up slightly to medium-high and letting it bubble gently for another minute or two—the cream will reduce naturally. If you need it thicker *fast*, mix one teaspoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water to make a slurry. Whisk that slurry into the simmering sauce, and it will thicken up beautifully within about 60 seconds.

Serving Suggestions for Your creamy chicken and seafood medley

This creamy chicken and seafood medley is so rich and flavorful that it really shines when paired with something simple to soak up all that amazing garlic cream sauce. You really don’t need a complicated side dish because the main event is already packed with protein!

I personally love serving this over a bed of al dente linguine or egg noodles. The pasta catches all the sauce beautifully. If you’re watching carbs or just want something lighter, roasted baby potatoes tossed with a little rosemary are fantastic—the earthiness contrasts nicely with the lemon in the sauce. For a lighter option, consider our spinach artichoke stuffed chicken.

For a low-carb option, steamed asparagus or lightly sautéed spinach are perfect. Just make sure you have some crusty bread nearby for dipping into any leftover sauce. Seriously, don’t waste a drop!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

We usually manage to eat every bit of this because it’s so good, but if you are lucky enough to have leftovers from your creamy chicken and seafood medley, you need to store them correctly. The seafood can get tough if you reheat it too aggressively, so gentle handling is key here. I always separate the protein from any pasta or rice I served it over, as those sides reheat differently.

Keep everything in an airtight container in the fridge. It should stay good for about two to three days, but honestly, the texture is always best on day one.

Storage and Reheating Reference Table

Component	Storage Duration (Fridge)	Reheating Method
Chicken & Seafood Medley (Sauce Included)	2-3 Days	Low heat on the stovetop with a splash of extra broth or cream.
Pasta/Rice (If Served Separately)	3-4 Days	Microwave briefly, adding a dab of water to prevent drying.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe

I always get questions when I share a new one-pan dish because people want to know how to tweak it for their own kitchens. This creamy chicken and seafood medley is pretty flexible, but there are a few things I always advise on to keep that sauce tasting incredible.

Can I Substitute the Seafood in This creamy chicken and seafood medley?

Absolutely! If you can’t find scallops or shrimp, or maybe you just prefer something else, go for it. White fish like cod or halibut work beautifully—just cut them into 1-inch chunks and add them when you add the shrimp, as they cook around the same time. If you want to stick strictly to chicken, you can just double the chicken breast amount and skip the seafood entirely. You might want to add a little extra broth to the sauce if you remove the seafood, as they release some moisture during cooking.

How Can I Make the Garlic Flavor More Intense?

Oh, I love a strong garlic punch! The recipe calls for three minced cloves, which gives you a nice, balanced flavor that won’t overpower the seafood. If you really want that intense, savory hit that sings through the cream sauce, you can easily bump that up to five or even six cloves. Just make sure you keep the heat medium-low when you sauté the garlic. If it browns too quickly, it turns bitter, and we definitely don’t want that bitter flavor messing up our otherwise perfect creamy chicken and seafood medley!

Nutritional Estimates for Your Meal

I always keep an eye on the macros because this creamy chicken and seafood medley is packed with protein, which keeps me full for hours! Since this recipe is scaled perfectly for two people, these numbers should give you a great baseline for tracking your meal. Remember, these estimates don’t include any extra sides like pasta or rice.