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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Creamy garlic Parmesan chicken with golden seared breasts and a velvety, glossy Parmesan cream sauce that thickly coats the back of a spoon. A one-skillet Italian chicken skillet with garlic, white wine/chicken broth, and fresh thyme and parsley for a weeknight-ready dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 710
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Use evenly thick breasts for even searing.
Seasoning
  • 1 Salt Season generously on both sides.
  • 1 pepper Season generously on both sides.
  • 1 garlic powder Season generously on both sides.
  • 1 smoked paprika Season generously on both sides.
Searing and sauce base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For browning the chicken.
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced Cook briefly until fragrant; don’t brown.
  • 1 tbsp butter Adds richness to the sauce.
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine or chicken broth Choose one for deglazing and flavor.
Creamy sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream Creates the velvety texture.
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth Adjusts sauce thickness if needed.
  • 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated Freshly grated melts smoothly.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Herb-forward flavor in the sauce.
Garnish
  • 1 Fresh thyme and parsley for garnish Float over the sauce just before serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden.
  3. Continue cooking until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, then remove to a plate.
Build the garlic Parmesan cream sauce
  1. Add the butter and minced garlic to the same pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, watching that the garlic doesn’t brown.
  2. Deglaze with the white wine and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the skillet.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast so it coats the tops and sides.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: grate the Parmesan fresh so it melts into a smooth, glossy sauce instead of turning grainy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; rewarm gently over low heat with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in the cream. For a lighter option, swap half the heavy cream with evaporated milk or use a cooking cream labeled for sauces.