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This creamy garlic chicken recipe is the ultimate easy comfort food! Tender chicken breasts smothered in a creamy garlic sauce are irresistible. Garlic lovers unite!
Love creamy chicken recipes? Try my Creamy Tuscan Chicken, this Creamy Bacon Chicken, or my Creamy Mushroom Chicken.
Why you’ll love it
This creamy garlic chicken is ready in about 30 minutes. It’s good enough to serve company, but it’s also one of those dishes that works for a quick weeknight dinner. A lovely reader said that it’s “one of the best things I have ever eaten!!!” It was an early hit on the blog and actually shaped the direction of S&L towards easy comfort food.
Yes, I include both garlic powder and an entire head of garlic in this recipe. It’s not a typo! Believe it or not, the garlic cloves themselves don’t make the sauce ridiculously garlicky. The flavor of garlic powder is slightly different than the fresh cloves. I’m going for all-out depth of garlic flavor here without making it overpowering.
What you’ll need
- Chicken – we’re using two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise to cook faster and more evenly, so it remains tender and melt-in-your-mouth
- Flour – for a tasty crust on the exterior of the cutlets, and it also helps thicken the sauce
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Garlic cloves – use an entire head of garlic. Don’t worry if you don’t have the exact same number of cloves as I used. It’s not precise.
- Chicken broth – for the savory base of the sauce
- Lemon juice – a little bit of acidity for balance
- Garlic powder – for a different garlicky aspect! It’s a staple in my pantry.
- Heavy cream – it’s what makes the sauce luxuriously rich
Do I eat the garlic cloves?
- You do! If you’ve never really cooked with whole garlic cloves before, don’t worry. Cooking them in the sauce mellows them right out. It’s nothing like biting into raw garlic.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- You don’t have to spend a lot time peeling the garlic cloves. Use a silicone garlic peeler tube, or buy garlic cloves that are already peeled if you really want to save a bit of time. I usually just use my knife. Here’s a quick video tutorial how.
- This is my trusty 10.25″ Lodge cast iron skillet, and I use a chef’s knife to cut the chicken.
- Chicken is safe to eat at 165F, and the best way to never have undercooked or overcooked meat is using an instant read thermometer.
How to make creamy garlic chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut the chicken breasts into four cutlets, season with salt & pepper, and coat with flour. Pan fry until golden, and then take them out of the skillet. Lightly brown the garlic cloves in the same pan.
Add the broth, lemon juice, and garlic powder to the skillet. Let it up bubble for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced somewhat. Pour in the cream, and return the chicken to the pan to cook until it reaches 165F inside and the sauce thickens. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Substitutions and variations
- Sub the cream at your own discretion. If you use something like milk or half-and-half, the sauce may curdle due to the high heat and end up thinner. I recommend reading through the reader comments. There’s tons of tips from readers who have tweaked this recipe to their liking.
- I use boneless/skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You can substitute for chicken thighs, but keep in mind those may take a bit longer to cook.
- For an elegant touch, swap the chicken broth for a dry white wine like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.
- Readers have tried minced garlic in a jar, but the results won’t be the same and our kitchen has not tested that. You’re welcome to experiment.
What to serve with creamy garlic chicken
- Try Mashed Potatoes, a classic Easy Baked Potato, Stick of Butter Rice, pasta, or scoop up those tasty garlic cloves with fresh crusty bread.
- For veggie sides, I suggest sweet corn, Maple Roasted Beets and Carrots, or my very delicious Easy Roasted Cauliflower recipe. Green beans would also go great.
- If you’re pairing it with a salad, I love this Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad or going all out with my popular 10-Minute Caesar Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers of this creamy chicken in the fridge in a covered container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat in a saucepan slowly and over a low heat until warmed through.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one. The chicken will dry out, and creamy sauces don’t hold up well in the freezer.
More 30-minute chicken recipes
If you made this creamy garlic chicken recipe, leave a star rating and comment below! You can find me on Instagram and showcase your creations.
Creamy Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Flour for dredging
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 whole head garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Parsley chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you have 4 smaller cutlets. Generously season them with salt & pepper and coat them in the flour.
- Add the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, sauté the chicken for 4-5 minutes/side or until it’s nice and golden. Take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium (or even med-low if using cast iron), and add the rest of the butter to the pan. Let it melt and then add the garlic cloves. Cook them for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until they’re lightly browned on the outside.
- Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and garlic powder to the pan. Let it bubble for around 4 minutes or until the liquid is noticeably reduced.
- Stir in the cream and add the chicken back into the pan. Let it cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the sauce is reduced and the chicken is cooked through. Serve with freshly chopped parsley if you wish.
Notes
- I recommend using fairly large boneless/skinless chicken breasts for this recipe since we’re cutting them in half lengthwise. If you have smaller ones, use 4 of them and leave them intact.
- If your garlic cloves are particularly gigantic like some of mine were, feel free to cut them in half so they’re all roughly the same size.
- This recipe also can be found in the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hello. May I ask if these substitutes work? Panko bread crumbs or bread flour for flour. White wine for chicken broth/stock. Half/Half for whipping cream. Thank you.
Hi! I’d probably use bread flour or skip it altogether. The panko may get soggy in the sauce. White wine, absolutely. Half and half… I recommend reading thru the comments regarding this one. You may need to use some more flour or cornstarch to thicken the sauce, and there’s always a chance the sauce will curdle when you don’t use cream with a high enough fat %. Lots of people have made substitutions, though, so I think it’s worth trying.
This recipe is super yummy and easy. Tried it for the first time and definitely going to make it again nd again and I’m going to cook more recipes from your page
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it, Sheetal! So glad you found my site!
I made this dish tonight accompanied by rice and steamed green beans. My husband and daughter (and I) loved it! My 13 year old literally licked her plate (I let her waiver on table manners this time!) this recipe is going into the “keepers” binder. Thank you for posting this delicious meal. 🙂
Awww that’s awesome!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!!
So I made a few adjustments for my diet. I used almond flour instead of regular flour and it was awesome. I have also used pork chops with this recipe and WOW. JUST WOW.
So glad you were able to adapt the recipe! 😀
omg – this was just about the most delicious thing I’ve ever made for my hubs. I was so glad I had all the ingredients on hand, and added some baby spinach at the end and served over rice. It was most definitely restaurant-quality delish. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
I made it and it’s delicious thank you.
So glad to hear it!
I don’t have lemon juice will it be OK? I do have Apple cider vinegar Will that work for a tang?
It’ll be ok without the lemon. I’m a little hesitant to add vinegar unless you add a TINY amount because it is very strong.
Will it be okay with minced garlic instead of garlic cloves?
Hi! It won’t come out quite the same. I would definitely add less minced garlic if you’re going to go that route. The whole cloves brown on the outside, soften, and mellow out.
Absolutely loved this dish! I was a little worried because I didn’t have enough cream and I didn’t have flour, but even then it turned out wonderfully and the family loved it. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear that!
Any time I’m running low on cream I add a little milk and cuts a few calories! Mine turned out absolutely delicious it’s a house favorite
Great!
This was so good! I made it with ingredients we had at home and it was a nice change from the same things I’ve been making! My husband called it restaurant quality. I paired it with Japanese short grain rice and the sauce mixed in with the rice reminded us of risotto. So happy, thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad to hear that!!
Cooking this now! My house smells amazing! I’m already tweaking it a little. Added some Parmesan to the flour when I dredged it, and going to add a little Parmesan to the sauce, as well.
Yum… can’t go wrong with extra parm!!
Delicious! Added some mushrooms and I only had half and half and that worked fine! Yum
Wonderful!
Hi Natasha,
We’ve been having the same turbo roasted chicken over and over during […] Since all I have in my freezer are chicken, chicken, chicken so I thought of giving this recipe a try. I’m so glad I did! Now I can’t wait to share with my family elsewhere.
Thanks
I’m so glad this was a small change from your other chicken recipe! I appreciate you sharing the recipe! 🙂 (I edited your comment because bloggers are being told not to use buzzwords associated with current events because it may impact search engine rankings).
I am 18 and just starting to cook after having a seizure. I thought I’d give this one a try, for my 65 year old dad and 16 year old sister. They both fell in love with it, though if you are cooking in the mountains, it would be wise to add a lid when cooking the chicken, in order to cut the time.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! 🙂