Easy Creamy Chicken Skillet

My Creamy Chicken Skillet – If you’re on the lookout thinking “I want an easy chicken recipe,” here it is. I’m not only giving you easy, but a lot more. It happens in a flash in one skillet (start to finish in less than 30 minutes) with super simple everyday ingredients. Yet it’s absolutely delicious.

Just one look at my golden seared chicken smothered in creamy sauce, sprinkled with colorful veggies, and everyone around the table is happy. It’s like you’ve been served a restaurant quality chicken dish in the comfort of your own home. Pin or bookmark this one for your every day dinner.

I love easy recipes that taste good. You will find plenty here on GypsyPlate. Life can be demanding, with a million things to tackle and finish. And then comes dinner time… what to cook? This one doesn’t need Einstein’s mind. This one demands so much less.

This recipe is incredibly flexible. I can use whatever I have on hand, and it always turns out delicious. I can throw any veggies into the creamy sauce with the chicken, and it works with any cut of chicken too. It’s all about the sauce for me, that’s what really makes the dish.

Ingredients Needed

• Chicken – I am normally a chicken thigh and leg person, but today all I had was some boneless skinless chicken breasts in the fridge. I said why not? Let me try cutting them into cutlets to make them flat. This yields tender, moist meat and shortens the cooking time. I have made this with bone-in or boneless chicken thighs as well. You just have to adjust the cook time, as bone-in will take more time to cook.
• Veggies – Mushrooms and bell peppers (any color will do).
• Garlic
• Herbs – Dried thyme and rosemary, fresh parsley.
• Spices – Onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper
• Heavy Cream
• Parmesan cheese
• Oil and butter

How to Make Chicken Skillet

First, I butterfly the chicken breast and then mix dried herbs and spice powders in a bowl. I sprinkle this mixture generously on both sides of the chicken cutlets. Next, I heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and place the chicken cutlets in, making sure not to overcrowd them so they sear rather than steam. It takes about 7-8 minutes per side to get them golden brown. Once they’re nicely browned, I plate them out.

In the same pan, I melt some more butter and sauté sliced mushrooms and bell pepper strips, along with garlic, salt, and pepper for a couple of minutes. Then I add parsley, thyme, and rosemary, and cook everything for another minute.

Next, I stir in some cream and mix it well, making sure to scrape up any brown bits left from the chicken off the bottom of the pan into the sauce. I then add in parmesan cheese, stir it all together, and let it cook for another minute.

Then it’s time to put the chicken back into this delicious sauce. I cover the pan and let it cook for about 5-6 minutes, or until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F. This doesn’t take long since the chicken is almost cooked already. I’m really just finishing it off and letting that wonderful sauce soak into the meat. I taste it and adjust the salt and pepper as needed, and finally, garnish with more parsley.

Variations

1. I have added other veggies in this skillet in the past. Broccoli, green beans, cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, peas, corn, carrots, asparagus… so anything. 🙂
2. Use different herbs, whatever are your favorites. Oregano, basil, tarragon, sage. Fresh basil will really add incredible flavors.
3. I like to play with cheeses also here. Think asiago, Romano, or even mozzarella.
4. Going for a more low cal option? Use half and half or evaporated milk. You might need to thicken the sauce with a little flour.
5. Fry some bacon in the beginning and cook the chicken in bacon grease. At the end, throw the crumbled bacon into the sauce.
6. Sprinkle in some lemon juice to add a citrusy kick to the sauce.
7. Add a splash of white wine when you are cooking the mushrooms. This adds tons of flavor.
8. I absolutely love some creole seasoning some days to make it another level of flavor bomb.

Serving Suggestions

1. I normally serve it with pasta (any shapes, colors or varieties), rice (regular or brown), or mashed potatoes… all our regulars.
2. Some days, some crusty bread or baguette go great with this chicken skillet. My miracle no-knead bread is great with this skillet.
3. Something a little less ordinary? Try couscous, freekeh or quinoa.
4. For low carb options, try cauliflower rice or mash, chaffles, keto bread, zoodles, shirataki or palmini noodles.

Alpana’s Tips

• Even Chicken Thickness: Butterflying the chicken breasts into half cutlets helps them cook evenly. If the chicken breasts are really thick, I sometimes gently pound them with a meat mallet to get an even thickness before I season them. This makes sure they cook nicely all the way through.
• Hot Pan for Searing: I always make sure that the skillet is hot before adding the chicken. A hot pan is key to achieving that beautiful sear on the chicken, which really enhances the flavor and texture.
• Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: If your skillet is on the smaller side, it’s better to sear the chicken in batches rather than overcrowding the pan. Overcrowding can lead to uneven cooking.
• Scraping Brown Bits: When sautéing mushrooms and bell peppers in the same pan, make sure to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. These bits are packed with flavor and will enhance your sauce.
• Check Chicken Temperature: To make sure the chicken is fully cooked, I use a meat thermometer and check for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This guarantees that the chicken is safe to eat without overcooking it.

So that’s it… This chicken mushroom cream combo is beloved by all ages everywhere. Look no further and give it a try tonight.

Like with us, in no time this is one meal that will be going in your regular rotation. Skillet meals… Aren’t they great? 🙂

Easy Creamy Chicken Skillet, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other great chicken skillet recipes:
Pollo a la Plancha
Marry Me Chicken
Chicken Vesuvio
Pesto Chicken Skillet
Coca Cola Chicken

Easy Creamy Chicken Skillet

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This creamy chicken skillet is your weekday best friend. It's super easy, it's super tasty and it's a low carb bomb. Start to finish in 30 minutes, this just may become a new staple in your rotation.

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Ingredients

To sear chicken

• 3 chicken breasts (butterflied into half cutlets)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp butter

For creamy sauce

• 1.5 Tbsp butter
• 8oz mushrooms, sliced
• 3 small colored bell peppers (red, green and yellow), ringed or striped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp dried rosemary
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1.5 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Mix onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl and sprinkle this mixture generously on both sides of chicken cutlets.
2. Heat oil and butter on medium high heat in a skillet and place in the chicken cutlets, not overcrowding them. In the case of a smaller pan, cook them in batches. Cook undisturbed for 7-8 minutes. Flip and cook for another 7-8 minutes. Remove to a plate.
3. In the same pan, melt the butter and add in sliced mushrooms and peppers along with garlic, salt and pepper and sauté for five minutes, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan into the mixture. Stir in parsley, thyme, rosemary and cook for a minute.
4. Stir in cream and mix well for a couple of minutes.
5. Add in parmesan and mix well. Return chicken cutlets and cook for 5-8 minutes till chicken is fully cooked (internal temp 165°F).
6. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

1. For a lighter version, replace cream with either half & half or evaporated milk.
2. If you want to thicken up the sauce, mix a little flour with some milk or water and gradually add in to the sauce until you get the desired consistency.
3. Leftovers : This is great for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Just reheat with a splash more cream on the stove top or in the microwave. It's a great meal prep option.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 396Total Fat 31gSaturated Fat 18gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 135mgSodium 533mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 24g

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.