Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken is a simple skillet dinner with big flavor. Pan seared chicken, a creamy garlic Parmesan sauce, and optional bacon because why not. It’s cozy, straightforward, and reliable.

An Easy Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Somewhere between forgetting why I walked into the kitchen and the dogs staring at me like I personally owe them dinner, this recipe became a regular. Remo asks what’s for dinner, I say chicken, and everyone relaxes. That alone tells me I’m doing something right.

This Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken is simple and reliable. Pan seared chicken, a garlic heavy sauce, and plenty of Parmesan. Nothing fancy, nothing trendy, just a good pan of food that makes everyone sit down and eat.

Key Ingredients and Tips

• Chicken breasts: Slice them lengthwise into thin cutlets so they cook quickly and evenly. This keeps the chicken tender instead of dry.
• Seasoning: Seasoned salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder are enough here. The sauce carries most of the flavor, so there’s no need to pile it on.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic, and be careful not to burn it. If the garlic burns, the sauce will taste bitter and there’s no fixing that.
• Butter and flour: Once you add the flour, stir it constantly for about a minute. This cooks out the raw flour taste and helps the sauce thicken smoothly.
• Chicken broth: Low sodium works best since Parmesan and bacon both add salt. Always taste before adding more seasoning.
• Heavy cream: This is what gives you a rich, stable sauce. Milk or half and half will thin it out and can break more easily.
• Parmesan cheese: Grate it fresh and add it off the heat or over low heat. High heat can cause the cheese to clump.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan: If your skillet is small, cook the chicken in batches. Crowding leads to steaming instead of browning.
• Let the sauce simmer gently: A low simmer thickens the sauce without breaking it. Cranking the heat just causes problems.
• Optional bacon: Use real bacon bits or cooked chopped bacon for the best texture and flavor.

Serving Suggestions

This chicken is all about the sauce, so it pairs best with something that can soak it up or keep things simple on the side. Here are a few good options:

• Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttered noodles to catch every bit of sauce
• Pair it with roasted or steamed green beans, broccoli, or asparagus
• Add a simple green salad if you want something fresh on the plate
• Spoon it over pasta if you’re leaning fully into comfort food

Try These Recipes Next

• French Onion Chicken Bake
• Sticky Maple Dijon Drumsticks
• Instant Pot Homestyle Chicken and Gravy
• Spinach and Feta Chicken Patties
• Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

By: Joanna Cismaru

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken is a simple skillet dinner with pan seared chicken in a rich garlic Parmesan cream sauce, finished with bacon and parsley if you like.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

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Ingredients 

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Chicken

• ▢ 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise into thin cutlets
• ▢ 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce

• ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢ 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1½ cups chicken broth, low sodium
• ▢ ½ cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Optional Finish

• ▢ ½ cup bacon bits
• ▢ fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions 

• Season the sliced chicken with 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder on both sides.
  
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  
• Reduce the heat to medium and add 3 tablespoons butter to the same skillet. Once melted, stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  
• Sprinkle 1½ tablespoons flour over the butter and garlic. Stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
  
• Slowly pour in 1½ cups chicken broth, whisking as you go to keep the sauce smooth. Let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
  
• Add 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
  
• Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the top. Let everything simmer together for 5 minutes, until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce thickens slightly.
  
• Sprinkle with bacon bits if using, and finish with chopped parsley before serving.

Recipe Notes

1. Slice the chicken thin so it cooks evenly and stays tender.
2. Use freshly grated Parmesan for the smoothest sauce.
3. Keep the heat low once the cream and cheese go in to prevent the sauce from breaking.
4. If the sauce thickens too much, add a small splash of chicken broth to loosen it.
5. Bacon is optional, but it adds a nice salty bite if you use it.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 567kcal (28%), Carbohydrates: 15g (5%), Protein: 33g (66%), Fat: 42g (65%), Saturated Fat: 19g (119%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 111mg (37%), Sodium: 1909mg (83%), Potassium: 362mg (10%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 2g (2%), Vitamin A: 1047IU (21%), Vitamin C: 2mg (2%), Calcium: 373mg (37%), Iron: 1mg (6%)