Description
This Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken Bake combines perfectly seared chicken breasts with a velvety garlic cream sauce for the ultimate comfort food dinner. Golden-brown chicken nestled in a rich, silky sauce made with cream cheese, Parmesan, and plenty of garlic creates a restaurant-quality meal with minimal effort. Perfect for busy weeknights yet impressive enough for company!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ lbs total)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for a gentle kick)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Season each chicken breast generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
- In a large oven-safe skillet, melt the butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the chicken breasts and sear until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let it burn!).
- Add the softened cream cheese, heavy cream, and chicken broth. Whisk until the cream cheese melts completely into a velvety sauce.
- Stir in the Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using). Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the creamy sauce. Spoon some sauce over each piece of chicken.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
- Serve each chicken breast with plenty of the garlic butter sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
- For extra crunch, mix 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle over chicken before baking.
- Chicken thighs can be substituted for breasts for richer flavor. Adjust baking time to about 5 minutes less.
- If your sauce is too thin after baking, remove the chicken and simmer the sauce on the stovetop for a few minutes to reduce.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and Neufchâtel cheese for regular cream cheese.
- Add vegetables like mushrooms, spinach, or cherry tomatoes to make it a more complete one-pan meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 37g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 195mg
Keywords: creamy garlic butter chicken, baked chicken breast recipe, garlic cream sauce, comfort food dinner, one-pan chicken dinner, easy weeknight meal, gluten-free chicken recipe