Cream Cheese Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Juicy chicken breasts in a velvety cream cheese and Parmesan sauce with garlic and herbs.

# What you'll need:

→ Poultry

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 lbs)

→ 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

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Place chicken in the skillet and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate.
02 - In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the softened cream cheese, milk, and grated Parmesan to the skillet. Whisk continuously until a smooth, creamy sauce forms. Stir in the dried Italian herbs until evenly incorporated.
04 - Return the seared chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken to coat evenly. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
05 - Remove from heat and sprinkle with freshly chopped chives or parsley. Serve immediately over rice, pasta, or alongside steamed vegetables.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the same pan, so every browned bit from the chicken becomes part of the flavor.
  • It tastes like something you would order at a restaurant but takes barely any effort to pull off on a random weeknight.
  • Since it is naturally gluten free, you can serve it to almost anyone without second guessing.
02 -
  • If the cream cheese is cold when you add it the sauce will look broken at first but keep whisking over low heat and it will come together.
  • Do not skip browning the chicken before making the sauce because those fond bits are where half the flavor lives.
  • Covering the pan while simmering is essential or the sauce reduces too much and the chicken dries out before it finishes cooking.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for two minutes after simmering before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the plate.
  • If you want a slightly thicker sauce, simmer uncovered for the last three minutes and it will tighten up perfectly on its own.

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