Amazing 2-Serve Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner

Name: Amazing 2-Serve Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless, skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 small breasts); 8 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 8 oz sea scallops, patted dry; ½ tsp kosher salt; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; ½ tsp garlic powder; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 2 Tbsp unsalted butter; 4 garlic cloves, minced; ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth; ¾ cup heavy cream; 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp lemon zest; 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried); 1–2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional); 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley; Salt and pepper to taste; Cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes (To Serve); Lemon wedges (To Serve)

By anna Boncoeur On October 16, 2025

Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two

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If you’re looking for a weeknight showstopper that tastes like you spent hours fussing, then you absolutely need this Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two recipe in your life. Hi there, I’m Anna! I’m that passionate food lover who believes that making incredible, flavorful meals shouldn’t require a culinary degree or an entire afternoon. My goal is always to share simple and flavorful chicken recipes that make everyday cooking easier and, honestly, a whole lot more joyful.

I know how hectic those evenings get. That’s why I focus on skillet meals that deliver big restaurant flavors using just one pan. This dish, featuring tender chicken nestled right alongside juicy shrimp and scallops swimming in garlic-herb cream sauce, is my go-to when I need something impressive for my partner without stressing out. Trust me, this rich, satisfying dinner comes together faster than you can decide what to watch on TV!

Table Of content

Gathering What You Need for Your Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two

Okay, the beauty of this amazing meal is that it’s all done in one pan, which means cleanup is a dream, but you do need to have everything prepped and ready to go before you start cooking. Seafood cooks so fast, you won’t have time to stop and mince garlic later! Seriously, grab your cutting board and knife first. We’re going to need about two chicken breasts, some gorgeous shrimp, and some nice scallops.

Don’t skip patting the seafood totally dry—that’s how we get that beautiful sear later on. Have your broth, heavy cream, and herbs handy. Here is exactly what you need to pull this off for two people.

Essential Ingredients for This Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two

We need to make sure we have the right amount of everything for this rich sauce to come together perfectly for two servings. I always lay everything out like this before I even turn on the stove!

Ingredient	Quantity	Prep Note
Boneless, Skin-on Chicken Breasts	1 lb (about 2 small)	For searing
Large Shrimp	8 oz	Peeled and deveined
Sea Scallops	8 oz	Patted very dry
Garlic Cloves	4	Minced
Heavy Cream	¾ cup	For richness
Fresh Thyme Leaves	1 tsp	(Or ½ tsp dried)
Fresh Parsley	2 Tbsp	Chopped, for finishing

Preparing Your Skillet for a Perfect Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two

Alright, let’s get this one-pan magic started! Because we are moving fast once the heat is on, the prep work is key here. We want the chicken skin nice and dry so it gets that gorgeous golden crust, and we want the seafood ready to go so it doesn’t sit around getting weird.

Remember, this is a quick dinner, but we need to treat the chicken right first. We’ll sear it, pull it out, and then cook the delicate seafood so nothing is rubbery by the time we serve it. Keep your heat medium-high for the searing steps—we need that sizzle!

Seasoning and Searing the Chicken

First things first: pat those chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels. Seriously, blot them like they owe you money! Take your salt, pepper, and garlic powder and season both sides generously. Don’t be shy with that seasoning mix.

Heat your olive oil in that big skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers—that’s your cue!—gently lay the chicken in away from you. Cook it for about five minutes per side until it’s beautifully golden brown and almost cooked through. Since this is chicken, we need to make sure it hits an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before we pull it out, so use your thermometer here, okay?

Cooking Shrimp and Scallops Perfectly

Once the chicken is resting on a plate, toss in the scallops and shrimp. They cook in a flash, so watch them closely! Shrimp needs about 2 to 3 minutes per side until they turn that beautiful pink and opaque color. Scallops are similar; you want them just firm, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

The key here is pulling them out *before* they look fully done, as they’ll warm up again when we put them back into the sauce later. If you leave them in while you build the sauce, they turn into little rubber bouncy balls, and nobody wants that!

Building the Flavor Base for Your Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two

Now that our chicken and seafood are resting safely on that plate, it’s time for the best part: building that unbelievably rich garlic-herb cream sauce right in the same skillet. Don’t even think about wiping that pan out! All those little brown bits stuck to the bottom—that’s called the fond, and that is pure, concentrated flavor waiting to happen.

We are going to use the residual heat and leftover fat to create a sauce that tastes like it simmered all day, even though it takes about five minutes flat. This is where the skillet shines!

Creating the Aromatic Garlic and Broth Reduction

Turn the heat down to medium; we don’t want to burn our garlic. Drop in the two tablespoons of butter and let it melt until it foams slightly. Then, toss in your four cloves of minced garlic. You only cook this for about 30 seconds until you can really smell that wonderful aroma—if it browns too much, it gets bitter, so watch it like a hawk!

Next, pour in that half-cup of low-sodium chicken broth. Grab a wooden spoon and start scraping up every single one of those dark, flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan. Let that simmer down for a minute or two. This step concentrates the flavor beautifully before we add the dairy.

Incorporating Cream and Herbs into the Sauce

Once the broth has reduced just a tiny bit, it’s time for the good stuff! Pour in your three-quarters cup of heavy cream. Follow that up immediately with your tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, the zest, and your teaspoon of thyme. Remember, if you are using dried thyme, use only half a teaspoon—it’s much stronger!

Keep the heat gentle and let this mixture simmer slowly for about 2 to 3 minutes. You’ll notice it starts to coat the back of your spoon just slightly. We aren’t trying to make pudding here, just a nice, silky sauce that’s ready to embrace all that delicious protein we cooked earlier.

Finishing the Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two

We are so close to eating! This final stage is just about bringing everything back together into that gorgeous sauce so all the flavors marry nicely. It’s important to do this gently so we don’t ruin the texture of the perfectly cooked chicken and seafood we set aside earlier. This is the moment the whole Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two comes alive.

Reintroducing Protein and Heating Through

Take your plate of chicken, shrimp, and scallops and gently nestle everything back into the simmering sauce. Don’t stir aggressively! You want to spoon that heavenly cream sauce over the top of the chicken breasts so they soak up the flavor. Let everything simmer together for just 2 to 3 minutes. This step is only to get everything piping hot and evenly coated, not to cook the seafood any further.

Final Touches and Plating Suggestions

Before you pull the skillet off the heat, taste that sauce! Does it need a tiny pinch more salt or pepper? If you are using Parmesan cheese—and I highly recommend it for extra savory depth—stir in that tablespoon or two now until it melts smoothly in. Next, stir in the two tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley for a pop of green color and freshness.

To serve this incredible meal, ladle the chicken and sauce over a bed of your favorite accompaniment. I love using fettuccine pasta because those noodles grab onto every drop of that cream sauce, but rice or creamy mashed potatoes work just as well. Don’t forget those lemon wedges on the side for a final bright squeeze!

Tips for Your Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two Success

Making this Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two is all about timing, not complicated steps. Since we are working with quick-cooking proteins, focusing on technique ensures everything is tender and delicious when it hits the plate. Don’t worry about fancy ingredient swaps; mastering these simple steps is what makes this recipe shine every time.

The secret sauce here is organization and respecting the cooking times of each ingredient. If you follow the order—sear chicken, remove, cook seafood, remove, build sauce, combine—you simply cannot fail. It moves fast, but it moves smoothly! If you’re looking for more one-pan wonders, check out this delicious one-pan dinner idea.

Key Temperature Check for Chicken Safety

I know it’s tempting to just poke the chicken, but for peace of mind and perfect results, you must use a meat thermometer when dealing with chicken. Since we are only searing it initially and then just reheating it later in the sauce, accuracy is vital. You need to pull that chicken out of the pan when it hits 165°F (74°C) internally. If you skip this step, you risk either dry chicken or, worse, undercooked chicken. Always check the thickest part! For more tips on getting chicken just right, see my guide on juicy baked chicken breasts.

Avoiding Overcooked Seafood

Seafood is the most delicate part of this dish. Shrimp cooks when it turns opaque and curls into a C-shape. If it curls into a tight O-shape, it’s overcooked! Scallops are done when they are opaque throughout and feel firm to the touch—not mushy, but not rock hard. Because we remove them early, they finish gently in the sauce without turning tough. It’s a quick dance, so pay attention during those final minutes!

Storing and Reheating Your Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two

If you manage to have any of this incredible meal left over—which is honestly rare in my house—storing it properly keeps the sauce from breaking and the proteins tasting fresh. This rich skillet dinner freezes surprisingly well, though I usually aim to eat leftovers within a couple of days for the best texture.

Best Practices for Storing Leftovers

Make sure the food cools down a little before you seal it up. I always use shallow, airtight containers because they help the food chill faster in the fridge, which is safer and better for texture. Don’t leave leftovers sitting on the counter for too long; get them put away within two hours of cooking!

Storage Guideline	Time Frame	Reheating Tip
Refrigeration	Up to 3 days	Gently reheat on the stove; add a splash of milk or broth if the sauce seems thick.
Freezing (Sauce/Chicken)	Up to 1 month	Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat slowly on the stovetop.

Answering Common Questions About This Skillet Dinner

I always get a few questions when people see this recipe for the first time—it looks fancy, but it’s so simple! I wanted to gather the most common things folks ask me about making this quick, flavorful chicken and seafood dish so you feel totally confident before you even start prepping. Trust me, once you master the timing on the seafood, you’ll be making this all the time.

We cover everything from what to serve it over to how to keep that sauce from separating. Don’t stress about the details; a few simple rules will make this a huge success!

What Side Dishes Pair Well with This Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two?

This is one of my favorite questions because the sauce is just begging to be soaked up! Since the main dish is already rich with chicken and seafood, you want something that can handle that gorgeous garlic cream sauce.

My absolute favorite way to serve this Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two is over a bed of cooked fettuccine or linguine. The noodles grab every bit of that savory sauce! If you prefer something lighter, plain white rice or even fluffy mashed potatoes are fantastic choices. If you want to sneak in some veggies, I highly recommend tossing in some sautéed spinach right at the end, or serving it alongside some bright, roasted asparagus. Anything that can soak up that extra sauce is a winner in my book!

Can I substitute the heavy cream?

You really shouldn’t if you want that luxurious, restaurant-quality texture. Heavy cream is essential because of its high fat content, which prevents it from curdling when it simmers with the broth and lemon juice. If you absolutely must lighten it, you can try using half-and-half mixed with a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in cold water stirred in at the end, but honestly, for such a small batch, just go for the heavy cream—it’s worth it!

Do I have to use fresh lemon zest and juice?

Yes, please use fresh! Bottled lemon juice just doesn’t have the same vibrant kick. The fresh lemon zest and juice aren’t just for flavor; they are crucial for cutting through the richness of the cream and butter. It keeps the whole dish bright and stops it from tasting too heavy. It only takes a minute to zest one lemon, and it makes a huge difference!

Share Your Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two Experience

I truly hope this recipe helps you put a delicious, stress-free dinner on the table tonight! I’m always excited to hear how things turn out in *your* kitchen. Did you serve it over pasta or rice? Did you sneak in extra garlic? Please leave a comment below and let me know how your Creamy Chicken and Seafood Dinner for Two turned out. Happy cooking, everyone! You can also see more of my favorite recipes on Pinterest.