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Cream Cheese Chicken

Cream Cheese Chicken is a one-skillet dinner with pan-seared chicken breasts and a garlicky cream cheese sauce. The sauce is whisked smooth, then simmered until glossy, so every bite is tangy, rich, and spoonable.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 21 minutes
Total Time 31 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Seasoning
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 Salt and black pepper, to taste
Cooking fat and aromatics
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 garlic, minced
Sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 4 oz cream cheese, cubed and softened
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.33 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken for 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
  3. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil while you make the sauce.
Make the garlicky cream cheese sauce
  1. Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the pan, then simmer for 2 minutes.
  4. Whisk in the cream cheese a few pieces at a time until fully melted and smooth.
  5. Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan, and Italian seasoning, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the skillet, spooning the sauce over the top.
  2. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the chicken is warmed through.
  3. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot, spooning extra sauce over each piece.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, add the cubed cream cheese a few pieces at a time and keep the heat at a gentle simmer once it’s melted. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat to avoid sauce splitting. Freezing is not recommended because dairy sauces can change texture. If you want a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, but simmer a touch longer to help the sauce thicken.