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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Creamy garlic Parmesan chicken with golden seared breasts and a velvety, glossy Parmesan cream sauce that coats the back of a spoon. This Italian-American chicken skillet is an easy weeknight chicken dinner with garlic, white wine, and fresh herb garnish.
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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: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Use even thickness for faster, even searing.
Seasonings
  • salt Season generously on both sides.
  • pepper Season generously on both sides.
  • garlic powder Season generously on both sides.
  • smoked paprika Season generously on both sides.
Skillet sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For searing the chicken.
  • 6 garlic, minced Minced for even flavor throughout the sauce.
  • 1 tbsp butter Adds richness to the sauce after searing.
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine or chicken broth Use either; deglazing lifts the browned bits.
  • 1 cup heavy cream Creates the velvety Parmesan sauce.
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth Balances richness and thins to a spoon-coating texture.
  • 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated Stir in off-heat if you want extra smoothness; here it simmers briefly.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning For classic Italian-American skillet flavor.
Garnish
  • fresh thyme Lightly scatter over the plated chicken.
  • fresh parsley Lightly scatter over the plated chicken.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season chicken breasts generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika on both sides.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden; cook to an internal temperature of 165°F, then remove to a plate.
Build the garlic Parmesan cream sauce
  1. Add butter and minced garlic to the same pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Deglaze with dry white wine (or chicken broth) and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the pan.
  3. Stir in 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.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer so it stays glossy and thick without breaking. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate when thawed. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and simmer a minute or two longer to thicken.