Description
Cream Cheese Chicken is a creamy, comforting dish featuring pan-seared boneless chicken breasts smothered in a rich sauce made from cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and savory spices. It’s a quick and satisfying meal perfect for a weeknight dinner, combining tender chicken with a luscious cheesy sauce that’s full of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil to prepare for cooking the chicken.
- Cook chicken: Once the oil is hot, place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook them for 6-7 minutes on each side until fully cooked and reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate to rest.
- Deglaze skillet: In the same skillet, pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom to build flavor.
- Add cream cheese: Reduce heat to low and stir in the cream cheese, allowing it to melt slowly into the broth to form a creamy base.
- Incorporate cheddar cheese: Once the cream cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth, add the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until fully melted and incorporated.
- Season sauce: Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to the sauce and stir to combine evenly.
- Return chicken to skillet: Place the chicken breasts back into the creamy sauce, making sure each piece is coated well.
- Simmer: Cover the skillet and let the chicken simmer in the sauce on low heat for 5-7 minutes to meld flavors and thicken the sauce slightly.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve the chicken with the creamy sauce spooned generously over the top.
Notes
- To ensure juicy chicken, avoid overcooking and use a meat thermometer to check for 165°F internal temperature.
- For a slightly tangier sauce, substitute some chicken broth with white wine or add a splash of lemon juice.
- This dish pairs well with steamed vegetables, rice, or mashed potatoes for a complete meal.
- If cream cheese is too thick to incorporate easily, warm it slightly before adding to the skillet.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
