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Creamy Ranch Chicken

Creamy ranch chicken made in a ranch chicken skillet with a thick, tangy cream sauce that pools around juicy, golden seared breasts. Finished with melted cream cheese for a smooth ranch sauce and fresh chives with 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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasonings
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Ranch cream sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 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
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Sear in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove.
Build the ranch sauce base
  1. Cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up browned bits.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and ranch seasoning, then bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
Melt cream cheese into a smooth sauce
  1. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir over medium-low heat until completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
  2. Stir in the dried dill. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon sauce over each breast, then simmer for 3 minutes.
Serve
  1. Garnish with fresh chives and serve with mashed potatoes or pasta.

Notes

Pro tip: Let the cream cheese fully melt on medium-low so the sauce stays smooth and thick. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream and replace cream cheese with a reduced-fat cream cheese for a similar tangy ranch flavor.