This Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken is pure comfort food! Juicy chicken cutlets are pan-seared until golden, then coated in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce that’s rich, smooth, and full of flavor.
Best of all, it’s an easy 30-minute one pan meal, perfect for busy weeknights and meal prep. Serve over fluffy mashed potatoes and veggies for a complete meal!
It’s one of those dishes that feels both cozy and a little fancy. Much like my Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken or Chicken Florentine, this creamy garlic parmesan chicken is simple to make and incredibly flavorful!
The creamy parmesan sauce is amazing! It’s made with fragrant garlic sautéd in butter, cream, and plenty of freshly grated parmesan. It’s creamy, packed with flavor, and perfectly balanced. If you are already a fan of my Creamy Lemon Chicken, you will love this one too!
The great thing about this creamy garlic parmesan chicken recipe is that it pairs well with everything! Keep things bright and fresh with my Lemon Garlic Pasta or serve on top of mashed potatoes.
Jump to:
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy weeknight meal. In just 30 minutes or less, you can have this delicious creamy garlic parmesan chicken on the table.
- Amazing flavor. The combination of garlic, parmesan and juicy chicken never disappoints!
- Pairs well with everything! It can be served with your favorite mashed potatoes, pasta or veggies.
- Great for meal prep. It reheats really well, making it a great option for lunch.
Ingredient Notes
Below are a few notes from recipe testing that I hope you find helpful when shopping for the ingredients.
- Chicken breast cutlets: You can either buy pre-sliced chicken cutlets, or splitting chicken breasts into half to make cutlets. Pound them to a uniform to ⅓-inch thin for even cooking.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to season the chicken. Feel free to add any additional spices that you love here.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and fragrant flavors to the creamy sauce.
- Minced garlic: I’d recommend using fresh garlic since the garlic flavors really shine here.
- Chicken broth: Helps build the base of the sauce with savory flavors.
- Heavy cream: For that smooth, rich and creamy consistency. Don’t use half-and-half or milk (too thin).
- Freshly grated parmesan: Buy a block of parmesan and grate it using a box grater, this way it will melt into the sauce smoothly. Pre-shredded parmesan comes with extra starches that can make the sauce gritty, so definitely avoid that.
- Italian parsley for garnish, olive oil for cooking
As always, ingredient quantities for the creamy garlic parmesan chicken recipe can be found in the recipe card down below.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken
Step 1: Generously season chicken cutlets with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and a few drizzles of olive oil on both sides, making sure everything is well coated.
Step 2: Heat a few drizzles of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until fully cooked and golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet
Step 3: Using the same skillet (do not wipe clean), melt 2 unsalted butter and sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream and bring to a light simmer over low heat. Stir in the freshly grated parmesan cheese until incorporated and slightly thickened. Season to taste.
Step 5: Return chicken to pan and simmer for another 1 or 2 minutes until thickened, spooning some of the sauce over.
Step 6: Garnish with chopped Italian parsley and top with more parmesan cheese. Serve your creamy garlic parmesan chicken over creamy mashed potatoes or your favorite sides.
Tips for Success
- Chicken cutlets: They should be about ⅓-inch thin throughout for even cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan and sear undisturbed per side. Give the chicken room and time to sear and develop a golden crust.
- The brown bits from searing the chicken will release tons of flavor for the sauce, so don’t wipe the skillet clean after cooking the chicken.
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese! This is important. Pre-shredded cheese usually comes with extra starches that will make the sauce gritty. Buy a block of parmesan and grate using a box grater.
- Before adding the cheese, make sure the heat is on low so it melts smoothly.
Make Ahead Tips
Whether you’re making dinner ahead or prepping lunch for the week, this creamy garlic parmesan chicken recipe keeps and reheats very well up to 2-3 days later.
When reheating, add a splash of broth or heavy cream to loosen up the sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave oven.
I would not recommend freezing as dairy doesn’t freeze well.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The cooking time will need to be adjusted slightly, but yes definitely.
I wouldn’t recommend that, as the sauce will not be thick or creamy enough. Use heavy cream to make this garlic parmesan chicken.
Not for this recipe. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt well and can make the sauce gritty. Use freshly grated parmesan cheese and turn heat down to a simmer when adding into the sauce.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Mashed potatoes: Try these easy Spinach Mashed Potatoes, or to double down on the garlic, make my Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Pasta or rice: Lemon Garlic Pasta, Buttered Egg Noodles, Garlic Butter Rice.
Greens and veggies: Sautéd Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Lemon Green Beans.
Need more creamy chicken recipes? Try these!
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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
Equipment
- box grater for the cheese
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breast cutlets - about ⅓ inch thin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves fresh garlic - minced
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream - plus more as needed
- ½ cup freshly shredded parmesan - plus garnish
- Chopped Italian parsley - for garnish
Instructions
- Make sure the chicken cutlets are pounded to ⅓ inch evenly. Season chicken generously with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt (about ¼ tsp per cutlet), black pepper, and a few drizzles of olive oil. Rub to ensure they are fully coated with the seasoning.
- In a large skillet, heat a few generous drizzles of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes per side or until fully cooked and golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside. Tip: Let them sear undisturbed per side so they develop a golden brown crust.
- In the same skillet (do not wipe clean), melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Next, add broth and heavy cream, and bring to a light simmer.
- Turn the stove to low heat, then stir in freshly shredded parmesan cheese until evenly incorporated and lightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return chicken into the pan and simmer for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce is creamy and thickened, spooning some of the sauce over.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and more parmesan cheese. Serve over mashed potatoes or your favorite sides. Enjoy!
Notes
- Important: Use freshly grated parmesan cheese, not the packaged pre-shredded kind.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan so the chicken has enough room to sear.
Sear the chicken undisturbed on each side to get a more even, golden brown sear. - Make ahead and reheating: Make the recipe as directed and let it cool down completely. Store in airtight containers for up to 2-3 days later. Reheat with a splash of broth or heavy cream to loosen up either in a skillet or in the microwave oven.
- Storage: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Do not freeze. Dairy doesn’t freeze well.
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