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Creamy Ranch Chicken

Creamy ranch chicken skillet with seared juicy chicken breasts smothered in a thick ranch cream sauce that pools richly around every piece. Tangy ranch seasoning, cream cheese, and dill create a smooth, spoonable sauce that looks freshly made with herbs and cracked pepper.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Pat dry for better browning.
  • 0.5 tsp salt To taste.
  • 0.5 tsp pepper To taste.
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder To taste.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 cup chicken broth
Ranch Cream Sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
  • 4 oz cream cheese Cubed.
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 fresh chives For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear until golden, 5-6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove to a plate.
  2. Check the skillet for browned bits and keep them for flavor. If the pan looks dry, add a small splash of broth before the next step so the fond loosens easily.
Build the ranch cream sauce
  1. Cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds over medium heat until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and ranch seasoning, then bring to a simmer. Keep the sauce at a steady simmer until it looks slightly thickened and cohesive.
  3. Add the cream cheese cubes and stir over medium-low heat until completely melted. Continue stirring until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
  4. Stir in the dried dill, then return the chicken to the pan. Spoon sauce over each breast and simmer for 3 minutes to heat the chicken through and coat evenly.
Serve
  1. Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately. Spoon the thick ranch sauce over chicken and serve over mashed potatoes or pasta.

Notes

Pro tip: cube and melt the cream cheese on medium-low, stirring constantly, so the sauce stays smooth instead of grainy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and use reduced-fat cream cheese (sauce may be slightly thinner).