Home · Recipes · Main dishes · Chicken breast in creamy garlic sauce

Main dishes

Chicken breast in creamy garlic sauce

30 min, 25 active4 servings413 kcal per servingEasy
Chicken breast in creamy garlic sauce
Example photo: MBC Foods from Australia · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

This creamy chicken is a weeknight lifesaver: half an hour, one pan and a dinner that tastes far more effort than it is. The breast is cut into strips and seared quickly so it stays juicy, then the same pan becomes a sauce of onion, garlic, cream and melted cheese. The chicken goes back in for just a couple of minutes so it never dries out. There's enough sauce to coat pasta or spoon over rice or mash. The recipe serves four.

Method

Tap a step to mark it done.

  1. Cut the chicken into 1-1.5 cm strips and season with salt and pepper. Finely chop the onion, crush the garlic and grate the cheese.

  2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the chicken in one layer and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning, until white all over and lightly coloured. Transfer to a plate.

  3. Lower the heat to medium, melt the butter and cook the onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic for 30 seconds.

  4. Pour in the cream and add ½ teaspoon of dried herbs. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened.

  5. Stir in the cheese until melted. Taste and adjust the salt.

  6. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan and warm through in the sauce over low heat for 3-4 minutes. Scatter over chopped parsley.

Tips for success

  • Don't crowd the pan. If the chicken doesn't fit in one layer, cook it in two batches or it will stew and toughen.
  • Don't boil the sauce hard once the cheese is in, or it can turn grainy.
  • If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with 2-3 tablespoons of water or stock.
  • Keep the chicken in the sauce for no more than 5 minutes; breast dries out quickly.

Serving and storage

Serve over pasta, rice, mashed potatoes or buckwheat with plenty of sauce. A green salad with cucumber balances the richness.

Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently with a splash of milk or water to bring the sauce back together.

Variations

  • Mushroom: fry 200 g of sliced mushrooms with the onion until the liquid evaporates.
  • Spinach: stir a handful of spinach into the sauce a minute before the end.
  • Mustard: add 1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard with the cream.

Calories and macros

Per serving (about 258 g):

413kcal
39.7protein, g
24.8fat, g
5.2carbs, g

Per 100 g: 160 kcal, P 15.4, F 9.6, C 2. An estimate based on average ingredient values. Your daily calories ›

QuickNo ovenGluten-free

Cooked this or have your own version? Share photos and secrets in the community, where readers talk home cooking.

Share a recipe

Similar recipes

Main dishes ›
30 min650 kcalNavy-style pasta with beef minceMain dishes · easy150 min647 kcalLasagne bologneseMain dishes30 min307 kcalChicken and vegetable stir-fry with soy sauceMain dishes · easy80 min664 kcalStuffed peppers with meat and riceMain dishes · easy

Frequently asked questions

What cream is best for a creamy chicken sauce?

Cream with about 20% fat is ideal: it thickens quickly and won't split when it simmers. Lighter cream works but gives a thinner sauce, so simmer it longer or thicken it with a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with water.

Why does my chicken breast turn out dry?

Breast dries out when it's cooked too long. Cut it into strips, sear over high heat for 5-6 minutes until just cooked, and only return it to the sauce at the very end for 3-4 minutes.

Can I use milk instead of cream?

Yes, but you need to thicken it. Cook 1 tablespoon of flour with the onion, then gradually whisk in 300 ml of milk and simmer for 3-4 minutes until thick. The sauce will be lighter than with cream.