Cream Cheese Chicken with Garlic-Dijon Skillet Sauce

Cream Cheese Chicken

These chicken breasts are seared in a skillet, then finished as whole portions in a garlic-Dijon cream cheese sauce. Broth lifts the browned bits from the pan and keeps the sauce fluid enough to spoon over the chicken.

For evenly cooked chicken and a smooth sauce, start with similarly thick pieces and lower the heat before adding the cream cheese. The finished sauce should coat a spoon while still pooling around the chicken.

Serves: 4   Prep: 15 minutes   Cook: 20 to 25 minutes   Total: 35 to 40 minutes

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Chicken

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 680g), cut or pounded into 4 portions about 3/4 inch thick
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 6 ounces full-fat cream cheese (170g), softened and cubed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

How to Make Cream Cheese Chicken

1. Prepare the chicken: Slice particularly thick breasts horizontally or pound the chicken into 4 portions about 3/4 inch thick. Pat dry and season both sides with the salt, pepper, and paprika.
2. Sear: Heat a 12-inch skillet with the olive oil over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add the chicken without crowding; work in batches and divide the oil if needed. Cook uncovered for about 4 to 6 minutes per side, flipping once, until golden in spots. Lower the heat if the seasoning or pan drippings start to burn. Check the thickest part of each piece after searing the second side, then transfer the chicken to a plate. It will finish cooking in the sauce if needed.
3. Deglaze: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir the garlic briefly, just until fragrant. Pour in 3/4 cup broth and scrape up the browned bits, then stir in the Dijon mustard.
4. Make the sauce: Lower the heat to low or medium-low. Add the cream cheese a few cubes at a time, stirring for about 3 to 5 minutes until no large lumps remain. Do not let the sauce boil vigorously. It should coat a spoon but still flow back into the skillet; add a little reserved broth if it is too thick.
5. Finish the chicken: Return the whole chicken pieces and any plate juices to the skillet. Spoon sauce over the chicken and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 2 to 5 minutes as needed. Check each piece with an instant-read thermometer; the thickest part must reach 165°F (75°C). If the chicken needs more time but the sauce is reducing too quickly, cover the skillet briefly. Add reserved broth as needed to keep sauce pooling around the pieces.
6. Rest and serve: Remove the skillet from the heat and let the chicken stand for about 3 minutes. Loosen the sauce with any remaining broth if it has thickened. Scatter the parsley lightly over the chicken and spoon sauce over each portion.

How to Keep the Chicken Evenly Cooked

Chicken breasts that are much thicker at one end can brown before their centers cook through. Bring the pieces to roughly 3/4 inch thick, leave room around them in the skillet, and lower the heat if they darken too quickly. Thickness and crowding affect the timing, so check each piece rather than relying on the clock.

Getting a Smooth, Spoonable Sauce

Softened, small cubes of cream cheese blend into warm broth more easily than cold, large pieces. Keep stirring over low heat if lumps remain. A splash of the reserved broth can help the cheese soften and loosen sauce that has reduced too far. Keep the heat gentle so the sauce stays creamy rather than turning oily.

Serving and Substitutions

Serve the chicken and sauce over rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes, with green beans or a simple green salad alongside. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can replace the breasts, but their cooking time will differ; check each piece for 165°F. For a little heat, stir a pinch of red pepper flakes into the sauce.

For another stovetop dinner with a different finish, try this garlic butter chicken and zucchini skillet.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat the chicken and sauce gently in a covered skillet over low heat until heated through, adding a little broth if the sauce has thickened. Freezing the assembled dish is not recommended for the best texture; the cream cheese sauce may separate after thawing.

Nutrition

Approximate per serving (1 of 4): 420 calories, 42g protein, 26g fat, 3g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of finished dish: 165 calories, 17g protein, 10g fat, 1g carbohydrates. Values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and an estimated cooked yield; actual amounts vary with the ingredients and moisture lost during cooking.