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Chicken Breasts in Creamy Garlic Sauce

Chicken breasts in creamy garlic sauce with juicy, golden sear and a thick, velvety garlic cream sauce that pools around the edges of the plate. Roasted-and-fresh style garlic flavor is built by toasting minced garlic, deglazing, and simmering the cream until glossy.
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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: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Pat dry so the sear browns evenly.
Seasoning
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.
  • smoked paprika To taste.
Pan sauce base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 8 garlic, minced Minced so it toasts quickly without burning.
Deglazing and cream
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine Or use chicken broth.
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated Use finely grated for faster melting.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper Adjust to taste for heat.
Garnish
  • fresh thyme For garnish.
  • fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika 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, then remove the chicken.
Make the garlic cream sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and starting to turn golden. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  2. Pour in the dry white wine and cook for 2 minutes to deglaze. Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer.
  3. Add the Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and cayenne pepper, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy, stirring as needed to prevent scorching.
Finish and garnish
  1. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and spoon the garlic cream sauce over each breast. Simmer very briefly just to rewarm, then remove from the heat.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley, then serve hot with extra sauce pooled around the edges of the plate.

Notes

For the most velvety sauce, keep the cream at a steady simmer (not a hard boil) after adding Parmesan so it thickens without splitting. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of cream or broth. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. Dietary swap: use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce (it will be slightly thinner).