Cream Cheese Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken simmered in a rich cream cheese and Parmesan sauce with garlic and Italian herbs.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lb)

→ Dairy

02 - 7 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1/4 cup milk
04 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 2 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, chopped

→ Pantry

09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs

# How-To Guide:

01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides, then place in the pan. Sear for 3–4 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.
02 - In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir the cream cheese, milk, and Parmesan into the skillet. Whisk continuously until a smooth, creamy sauce forms. Mix in the dried Italian herbs and season to taste.
04 - Return the seared chicken breasts to the pan, spooning the sauce over each piece. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 15–18 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is cooked through.
05 - Remove from heat and sprinkle generously with fresh chives or parsley before serving. Spoon additional sauce from the pan over each portion.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That sauce clings to every bite of chicken like it was made for it, because honestly it was.
  • Six ingredients you probably already have, and zero fancy techniques required.
02 -
  • Do not rush the cream cheese melting step because a broken sauce is heartbreaking after you already did everything else right.
  • Resist the urge to crank the heat during simmering because low and slow is what keeps the chicken juicy and the sauce silky.
03 -
  • A quick pound with a mallet or rolling pin turns uneven chicken breasts into something that cooks uniformly and looks better on the plate.
  • Deglaze the pan with a splash of chicken broth before adding the cream cheese if you want to unlock a whole extra layer of flavor from those browned bits on the bottom.

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