🧄 Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
📝 Ingredients:
For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
For the sauce:
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream (or half and half for a lighter version)
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup chicken broth (or white wine)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup baby spinach (optional)
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
🍳 Instructions:
Season the chicken
Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Sear the chicken
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear for 4–5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Make the sauce
In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium. Add garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Deglaze and simmer
Pour in chicken broth (or wine), scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes.
Add cream and cheese
Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan. Mix well until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Finish the dish
Return the chicken to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Simmer for another 5–7 minutes until everything is heated through and slightly thickened. Add spinach in the last 2 minutes if using.
Serve
Garnish with parsley and serve with pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread.
