Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken with Juicy Seared Cutlets
By Olivia Hayes
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Prep four thin chicken cutlets and keep the finished skillet meal ready for near-term lunches or dinners; the sauce is best made fresh instead of frozen. Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken combines juicy seared chicken with a gently thickened garlic-Parmesan sauce and chopped parsley.
The chicken is halved lengthwise into four cutlets, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder before olive oil and butter sear it. In the same skillet, flour and minced garlic cook briefly before chicken broth or dry white wine is whisked in. Heavy cream reduces gently, while freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly than pre-grated cheese, producing a sauce that coats each portion.
Watch for the broth to reduce by half before adding the cream, then look for gentle bubbles as the sauce thickens to the consistency you want. Rapid boiling is the common problem because it can alter the sauce texture. Sear the chicken until cooked through, but avoid leaving it in the pan too long; thin cutlets can move from tender to dry quickly.
Serve the chicken with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or rice to catch the sauce, with green beans, broccolini, carrots, sweet corn, or a simple spring-mix salad alongside. Keep leftover chicken and sauce together in a covered refrigerator container, then warm them slowly in a small saucepan.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Four thin cutlets make a practical batch for four servings, and each piece gets sauce spooned over it when returned to the skillet.
- Leftovers hold in a covered refrigerator container, while the low-heat saucepan method helps the cream sauce stay together during reheating.
- Skip freezing this batch because cream sauces do not fare well there, making fresh cooking or refrigerated portions the better plan.
- Portion the chicken with sauce rather than storing dry cutlets separately, since the plate juices are returned to the skillet for serving.
- When preparing extra portions, sear chicken in batches if needed so the cutlets can brown rather than crowd and steam.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts smoothly into the sauce, helping refrigerated portions retain a more even texture when warmed gently.
Ingredients
- •2 chicken breasts (cut in half lengthwise)
- •salt (to taste)
- •pepper (to taste)
- •0.5 tsp garlic powder
- •1 tbsp olive oil
- •1 tbsp butter
- •1 tbsp flour
- •3 cloves garlic (minced)
- •0.5 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
- •1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- •0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- •1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 thinner pieces. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- 2
Add the olive oil and butter to a skillet over medium-high heat and let the pan heat for a few minutes.
- 3
Cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes per side, until nicely seared and cooked through. Transfer it to a plate, loosely tent with foil, and turn off the heat.
- 4
Turn the heat back to medium-high. Add the flour and garlic to the hot skillet and cook for about 1 minute, stirring often.
- 5
Pour in the chicken broth or dry white wine and whisk until the flour has dissolved and the liquid has reduced by half.
- 6
Stir in the cream and let it bubble gently for a few minutes until thickened to your desired consistency, lowering the heat if it boils rapidly. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the Parmesan until melted.
- 7
Return the chicken and any plate juices to the skillet and spoon sauce over the top. Season with extra salt and pepper if needed, then sprinkle with parsley.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
457
Protein
31g
Fat
35g
Carbs
5g
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