Garlic Parmesan Chicken | Cookies & Cups

Why I Love This Garlic Parmesan Chicken Recipe

There’s nothing better than a saucy, cozy skillet dinner to warm up the table on a cold weeknight. This garlic parmesan chicken is breaking up the parade of Instant Pot chili and Instant Pot chuck roast lately, which has been getting us through this cold weather. I gave my Instant Pot the night off, though, and turned to my trusty cast iron skillet instead! This chicken turned out so delicious, smothered with creamy parmesan garlic sauce. Here’s why I’m a fan:

• Rich and creamy. This recipe packs a seriously decadent parmesan garlic sauce into a 10” skillet. Simple ingredients like butter, flour, and heavy cream make the texture thick and velvety.
• One pan. You’ll use the same pan to sear the chicken and make the sauce. It builds loads of flavor while keeping clean-up easy afterward.
• Quick. All of this happens in about 30 minutes or less. My kind of dinner! It’s fast, easy to make, and tastes delicious over a bed of mashed potatoes for a weeknight family meal.

What You’ll Need

The star of this garlic parmesan chicken recipe is the pan sauce. It’s a garlicky variation of Alfredo sauce, made with just a few extra ingredients. I’ve included notes on what you’ll need below. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable list with the full recipe amounts.

• Chicken – I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Be sure to cut larger chicken breasts into smaller halves. Thighs will also work, keeping in mind they may need a bit of extra cooking time. You’ll season the chicken with salt and pepper before you cook it.
• Olive Oil – Or another cooking oil, like avocado oil, for pan-searing.
• Butter and Flour – You’ll cook all-purpose flour off with a little butter to make a roux, for the base of the garlic sauce.
• Garlic – You’ll want to use freshly minced garlic for this recipe. It makes all the difference!
• Broth – Low-sodium chicken broth or stock. You can substitute the chicken stock with a dry white wine, like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay if you prefer.
• Heavy Cream – You can also use half-and-half.
• Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated parmesan will have the best flavor.
• Parsley – Feel free to use another herb, like thyme, oregano, or basil.

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken 

Take out a large 10” skillet, and let’s make this saucy garlic parmesan chicken in just a few quick steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable instructions.

Recipe Tips

• How to tell when your chicken is done: Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature at the thickest part of the breast. Chicken is cooked when it reaches 165ºF.
• Don’t add the cheese while the sauce is boiling. Make sure to reduce the heat to medium-low before you stir in the parmesan cheese, otherwise, the cheese might split or curdle in the high heat.
• Avoid low-fat dairy. On the subject of splitting and curdling, I wouldn’t suggest using lower-in-fat dairy, like whole milk, in place of heavy cream or half-and-half in this recipe. Milk tends to separate at high temperatures.
• Use sour cream or cream cheese if you’d prefer an even richer sauce. You could also stir in mascarpone cheese like I use in my other creamy garlic chicken recipe.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Store any leftover chicken and sauce airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Reheat. Warm this garlic parmesan chicken in a skillet on the stovetop, or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout.
• Freeze. You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating.