Creamy Parmesan Chicken Skillet

Name: Creamy Parmesan Chicken Skillet
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 4 free range organic chicken breasts; Kosher salt and black pepper; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves; 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan; Fresh parsley (for serving)

By: Olivia Updated: 5/12/22

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This Creamy Parmesan Chicken Skillet is ready in just 30 minutes and the Parmesan garlic sauce will make you lick the plate! Mmm.. So good! This will become a new favourite with your family!!

Creamy Parmesan Chicken Skillet Primavera Kitchen Recipe

This Creamy Parmesan Chicken Skillet is one of those chicken dishes that you will NEVER forget. I know this first sentence seems exaggerated, but I promise you I’m being so honest. This is the most flavourful chicken I’ve ever tasted and the best part it’s so easy to make.

This recipe calls for simple ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen, I mean maybe not the sun-dried tomatoes, but it’s pretty easy to find at any local grocery store, just like my Healthy Baked Chicken Parmesan.

This creamy chicken recipe is also very gourmet and full of flavor. What I mean about that? I totally feel that you can make this recipe and impress everyone when you have family or friends over because a) looks so pretty on a dish, b) it’s super flavourful since Parmesan, heavy cream and chicken are a match made in heaven and c) it’s easy to follow step by step and you will have more time to spend with your guests.

why you should make this recipe

Don’t need to use purpose flour, so this recipe is gluten-free and low-carb.
It only takes about 30 minutes to be ready on your table. So, if you have busy weeknights this Creamy Parmesan Chicken recipe is for you.
You can also make this recipe with your favorite white fish, chicken thighs or even shrimp. It tastes delicious.

How to Make This Creamy Parmesan Chicken:

Ingredients

Olive oil — you can use olive oil or any other oil of choice such as avocado oil. You can also use melted butter.
Chicken breasts — free-range organic boneless skinless chicken breasts are what I use. If you use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, you’ll have to adjust the cooking time. It is important to use high-quality chicken as some chicken breasts are injected with a solution of salt water to plump it up so it looks better on the shelves.
Salt and pepper — just a bit!
Garlic — you’ll need to mince a couple of cloves of garlic. Fresh garlic is the best option to make this creamy garlic parmesan chicken.
Fresh thyme leaves — you can also use dried thyme if you do not have any fresh leaves.
Red pepper flakes — for a bit of extra heat. Optional: if you prefer, you can also use a little bit of paprika and onion powder.
Broth — you can use chicken or vegetable broth. Make sure to use low-sodium as we already add salt to the chicken. This will prevent the creamy parmesan chicken skillet from being too salty.
Heavy cream — this is what makes the sauce thick and creamy. You don’t need a lot, so I recommend not skipping it. This ingredient is very important to make this creamy parmesan sauce.
Sun-dried tomatoes — you can use the type in a jar in oil or in a bag. It’s up to you.
Parmesan — I recommend using freshly grated parmesan for the best flavour and results.
Fresh parsley — to garnish the dish with.

Instructions

Prepare the Equipment

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a cast-iron large skillet add olive oil over medium-high heat.

Cook the Chicken

Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Make sure to space the chicken out so they are not overcrowded.
Sear the chicken breasts until golden for about 3 minutes per side.
Set the chicken aside.

Make the Creamy Sauce

In the same skillet, add garlic, thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes and let cook until fragrant for about 1 minute.
Add chicken broth, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan, and season to taste with a bit of salt. Stir all together.
Bring to a simmer.

Bake the Chicken

Return chicken to skillet and place the skillet in the oven.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through and gets an internal temperature of 165ºF.
Garnish with fresh parsley before serving serving over pasta, rice or mashed potato.

What to serve with this creamy parmesan chicken?

Some of my favourite sides to serve with this creamy chicken are my cauliflower rice, zucchini cauliflower rice, some roasted vegetables, parmesan green beans, parmesan lemon asparagus, baked sweet potatoes fries, a salad. For carbs, I love serving the chicken with rice, quinoa, and couscous.

Tip: How do I keep the chicken breasts from drying out?

Try to buy chicken breasts that are of even thickness and size. Doing so will prevent the chicken from being dry as you sear and bake them.

What else can I add to this?

Spinach, kale, mushrooms, or artichoke hearts all make for a delicious addition to this creamy parmesan chicken skillet. Make sure to saute everything before adding the cream and broth.

Can I use a different cheese?

If you do not want to use parmesan cheese, you can use cheddar, Gouda, mozzarella, provolone, Swiss or Gruyere cheese. Feel free to play around to find your favourite cheese.

Recipe tips and notes

Make sure you pat dry your chicken first. The moisture on the skin from thawing it or taking it out of the fridge will make it difficult for your skin to crisp up when you sear the chicken in the pan. Also, keep in mind that you do not have to wash your chicken first according to the USDA. Just simply pat it dry.
Chicken breasts are cooked through once it has reached the internal temperature of 165F. An instant-read meat thermometer is a super helpful kitchen tool.
I love my cast iron skillet but if you don’t have one, a regular skillet will work just as well, you just have to transfer the chicken and sauce to a casserole dish to bake in the oven.
I recommend grating your own parmesan cheese for best results as it’ll taste and melt a lot better than pre-grated parmesan.

How Do I Store And Reheat Creamy Parmesan Chicken?

Leftovers — Transfer leftover chicken and the parmesan sauce to an airtight glass container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating — For the best results, reheat leftover chicken on low heat in a skillet so the sauce doesn’t separate. You don’t want to blast a cream-based sauce on high heat.

Freezing — I don’t recommend freezing this recipe due to the heavy cream in the sauce.

Try these Chicken favorites:

Mediterranean Chicken Skillet: Made in less than 30 minutes, this Mediterranean chicken skillet recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner as it’s all made in one pan.
Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, and Cheese Stuffed Chicken: Stuffed with sun-dried tomato in oil, spinach, and mozzarella cheese, this chicken recipe is so flavourful and your whole family will love it.
One-Pan Balsamic Glazed Caprese Chicken: All made in one pan and 30 minutes, this balsamic glazed caprese chicken comes together quickly and easily on a busy weeknight.
Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast: Made with only a few simple ingredients, this stuffed chicken breasts are full of healthy goodness and your family will love it!

This is my favorite Cast Iron Skillet

There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t pull out cast iron skillet to make my recipes. I love mine (I have three of them actually) and it already became a staple in my kitchen.

Get yours here

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