Creamy Garlic Chicken

$9.21 recipe / $2.30 serving
by Marsha - Budget Bytes
4.83 from 63 votes
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Every now and then you come across one of those recipes that just leaves you speechless. Well, today I’m introducing you to one of those recipes. This Creamy Garlic Chicken is so delicious, so flavorful, and so easy to make for a quick weeknight meal! It starts with tender, pan-seared chicken breasts that are then covered with a creamy, garlic-infused sauce. The moment my family tried this recipe, they instantly loved it! It honestly took everyone’s breath away. If you love simple recipes that are packed with flavor and made with a luscious cream sauce, then make sure to add this one to your weekly rotation!

Overhead view of Creamy Garlic Chicken in a skillet with parsley garnished on top.

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Ingredients For Creamy Garlic Chicken

Here’s everything you need to make this creamy garlic chicken recipe:

  • Chicken: If you’ve seen a couple of my recipes, then by now you probably know I love using chicken breasts. So I opted for two boneless, skinless chicken breasts that I cut in half. But you can certainly use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead.
  • All-purpose flour: A little bit of flour adds a light breading to the chicken breasts and the perfect compliment to the creamy garlic sauce.
  • Garlic: Garlic is the star of the show for this dish, so we’re using lots of it. One whole head of garlic to be exact. The garlic cooks down and infuses the sauce without overpowering the dish. 
  • Olive Oil and Butter: Both are used to cook the chicken breasts and a little more butter is used to sauté the garlic cloves. 
  • Chicken Broth and Heavy Cream: The rich garlic sauce is made with a combination of chicken broth and heavy cream. Both of them simmer together, along with the garlic cloves, until a creamy, flavorful sauce is formed.
  • Seasoning: The chicken breasts are seasoned with a little salt, pepper and Italian seasoning; and the sauce is seasoned with garlic powder plus a little salt & pepper to taste.

Can you eat the garlic cloves?

You may be curious if you can eat the whole garlic cloves with your chicken. The answer is YES! Sautéing the garlic cloves in the butter, then simmering them in the sauce, removes any overpowering, strong garlic taste and leaves a very subtle, delicious flavor. I love to spoon the garlic over the chicken along with the creamy sauce right before serving.

Recipe Tips!

  1. After all the garlic cloves are peeled, I like to carefully smash them with the side of a large chef’s knife by pressing down on the side of the knife with the heel of my hand. Smashing the cloves releases more of their flavorful oils and gives the sauce a stronger garlic flavor.
  2. Make sure you stir the garlic cloves frequently when sautéing them in the skillet with the butter. You don’t want the garlic to burn. As soon as it starts to turn a light brown color, add in the liquids and stir.

What To Serve With Creamy Garlic Chicken?

Creamy sauce recipes like this creamy garlic chicken are perfect to serve with Mashed Potatoes, so the potatoes can soak up all of that extra sauce. You can also serve the chicken and sauce over a bed of pasta or rice, or serve it with a simple side salad or in our case a Caesar Salad. You really can’t go wrong with any side that you choose!

Side close up view of Creamy Garlic Chicken with sauce being spooned over the top of one of the chicken breasts.
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Creamy Garlic Chicken

4.83 from 63 votes
This Creamy Garlic Chicken will leave you speechless! It’s made with a luscious, garlic-infused sauce and it's perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
Overhead view of Creamy Garlic Chicken in a skillet with parsley garnished on top.
Servings 4
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Total 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lbs. total) ($6.49)
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.05)
  • 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour ($0.06)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
  • 2 Tbsp butter, divided ($0.27)
  • 1 whole garlic bulb (about 8-9 garlic cloves) ($0.64)
  • 1 cup chicken broth ($0.17)
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream ($1.08)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste ($0.04)
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Instructions 

  • Using a sharp knife, carefully fillet each chicken breast into two thinner cutlets (or use thin-cut chicken breasts).
  • Season each breast with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Then sprinkle the flour over both sides of the chicken breasts and rub it in until the chicken is evenly coated.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and 1 Tbsp of butter. Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken and cook on each side until golden brown and cooked through (about 4 minutes per side). Remove the cooked chicken to a clean plate and cover to keep warm.
  • While the chicken is cooking, peel the garlic cloves and then carefully smash them with the side of a large chef's knife by pressing down on the side of the knife with the heel of your hand.
  • Once the chicken is removed, to the same skillet add the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter, then add the garlic cloves. Turn the heat down to medium-low and sauté the garlic for 3 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Make sure to stir the garlic frequently to prevent it from burning.
  • Next pour the chicken broth and heavy cream into the skillet, then add the garlic powder. Stir and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Allow the sauce to simmer in the skillet for 8-10 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened by about 50%. Taste the sauce at this point and add salt and pepper if needed (I added about ⅛ tsp of salt and ⅛ tsp of black pepper).
  • Finally, return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon the creamy sauce over top. Allow the chicken to heat through. Serve with fresh chopped parsley (optional), and enjoy!

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Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 518kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 34gFat: 38gSodium: 741mgFiber: 0.4g
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How to Make Creamy Garlic Chicken – Step by Step Photos

Four chicken breast cutlets, seasoned, and floured on a cutting board.

Using a sharp knife, carefully fillet 2 chicken breast into two thinner cutlets (or use thin-cut chicken breasts). Season each breast with 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Then sprinkle 1/4 cup all-purpose flour over both sides of the chicken breasts and rub it in until the chicken is evenly coated.

Chicken breasts seared in a skillet.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp of butter. Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken and cook on each side until golden brown and cooked through (about 4 minutes per side). Remove the cooked chicken to a clean plate and cover to keep warm.

Garlic cloves sautéed in skillet with butter.

While the chicken is cooking, peel the garlic cloves from 1 whole head of garlic. Then carefully smash them with the side of a large chef’s knife by pressing down on the side of the knife with the heel of your hand.

Once the chicken is removed, to the same skillet add the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter, then add the garlic cloves. Turn the heat down to medium-low and sauté the garlic for 3 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Make sure to stir the garlic frequently to prevent it from burning.

Chicken broth and heavy cream added to skillet.

Next pour 1 cup chicken broth and 3/4 cup heavy cream into the skillet, then add 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Stir and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Allow the sauce to simmer in the skillet for 8-10 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened by about 50%.

Chicken breasts added back to skillet and covered with creamy garlic sauce.

Taste the sauce at this point and add salt and pepper if needed (I added about ⅛ tsp of salt and ⅛ tsp of black pepper). Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon the creamy sauce over top. Allow the chicken to heat through.

Overhead view of Creamy Garlic Chicken in a skillet with parsley garnished on top.

Serve with fresh chopped parsley (optional) and enjoy this creamy, flavorful sauce with mashed potatoes, pasta, or any of your favorite sides.

Overhead view of Creamy Garlic Chicken on a white plate served with Caesar Salad.
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  1. I’m not sure if it’s normal for so many ads to pop up on a page and I didn’t know if you knew your page was having ads constantly so I wanted to let you know. It’s very hard to get to the recipe and instructions because the ads pop up all over and your recipes are too good to have ads get in the way because I almost went back to click on different recipe because I was tired of the ads but so glad I didn’t since it was absolutely the best chicken ever!!