Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Fall in love with my garlic Parmesan chicken skillet! Juicy chicken pieces in a creamy, buttery garlic sauce topped with melted Parmesan – it’s a weeknight dream that’s perfect for dinner.


garlic Parmesan chicken recipe
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Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩‍🍳 Recipe Tips | 🍚  Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Dinner Recipes | 💬 Comment On & Rate This Recipe


This garlic Parmesan chicken is everything you want in a comforting dinner. The chicken is pan-fried to golden perfection and then smothered in a rich, creamy garlic sauce. Melted Parmesan adds a savoury, umami touch, making this dish irresistible.

Whether you’re cooking for family or entertaining guests, this recipe is sure to impress. Plus, it’s versatile enough to be paired with pasta, mashed potatoes, or even a low-carb option like cauliflower mash. Trust me, once you make this, it’ll quickly become a regular in your meal rotation.

  • Flavour: Juicy chicken, creamy sauce, with a burst of garlic and Parmesan goodness.
  • Nutrition: Protein-packed with optional low-carb serving suggestions.
  • Why Make It: Easy, comforting, and perfect for any weeknight dinner.
  • What Makes It Special: The combination of garlic and Parmesan in a creamy sauce.

👩‍🍳 If you like creamy chicken recipes, check out my red chicken chili, chicken Alfredo with broccoli, Hungarian paprika chicken, or velvety chicken tikka masala.

Creamy chicken with garlic Parmesan sauce
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What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this recipe with garlic Parmesan chicken recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

  • Chicken & Seasoning: Chicken breasts, salt, pepper
  • Cooking Fat: Olive oil, butter
  • Flavour Base: Garlic cloves, lemon zest, lemon juice
  • Sauce: Chicken stock, heavy cream or half-and-half, Parmesan cheese
  • Garnish: Fresh parsley
  • Swaps and Tips:
    • Use diced garlic for a stronger flavor; reduce to 3-4 cloves.
    • Swap heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce.
    • Get ingredients for a side dish; serve over pasta, mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, quinoa, or veggies.

How To Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos.

  • Prep the chicken: Cut each fillet into 3 pieces. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken pieces.
  • Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a skillet, and cook chicken until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side. Don’t overcook the chicken as it will finish cooking in the oven in the sauce).
  • Add butter cubes and garlic to the pan, and cook for another 3 minutes.
Preparing chicken for pan-frying
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  • Make sauce: Remove chicken, add lemon zest and juice, chicken stock, and cream to the pan. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Combine: Return chicken to the pan, coat with sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan.
  • Finish in oven: Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 10 minutes, then broil for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Serve: Over your favourite side dish, garnished with parsley.
How to make garlic parmesan chicken
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Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

  • For a richer sauce: Add Parmesan cheese directly to the sauce, let it melt before adding the chicken back. In this case, you can skip the oven finish.
  • Garlic prep: The reason I like whole cloves in this sauce is that the flavour is more mellow. But, if whole cloves in the sauce are not to your liking, dice them finely and reduce the number of cloves as diced garlic will give you a more intense flavour.
  • Chicken: You can make this dish with chicken thighs. Cook for a few minutes longer than chicken breasts.
Creamy garlic chicken with pasta in a bowl
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Serving Suggestions

Serve this delicious chicken over pasta (my favourite way), mashed potatoes, or a healthier option like cauliflower mash or quinoa. A side of steamed veggies or a fresh salad would also complement it well.

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Garlic Parmesan chicken with creamy sauce in a skillet
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Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Author: Irena Macri
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner Main
Cuisine: American, CuisineItalian Inspired
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5 from 2 votes
Calories: 457kcal
If comfort food had a star, it would be this garlic Parmesan chicken skillet. Think tender chicken in a garlicky, cheesy sauce – a surefire hit for any dinner table. Serve with pasta noodles, mashed potatoes, quinoa or veggies for a low-carb version.

Ingredients 

  • 2 chicken breasts cut into 3-4 thick slices
  • teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 oz butter 50 grams, cold, cut into 5 cubes or dollops
  • 10-12 medium-sized cloves of garlic if using extra-large cloves, cut them in halves
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 2.5 oz Parmesan cheese 70 grams, grated
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper on both sides.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
  • Heat a large skillet or frying pan with deep sides over high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and place the chicken pieces in the pan. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat, moving the pieces around if the heat is uneven under the pan, and then turn them over once they turn golden brown.
  • When you turn them over, drizzle another ½ tablespoon of oil in the pan if it gets dry. Cook for two minutes.
  • Add the butter cubes in the gaps between the chicken pieces. Scatter the garlic cloves into the gaps and let the butter melt in. Swirl it around the pan. Cook the chicken for three more minutes on medium-high heat.
  • Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and place them on a cutting board. Add the zest of ½ a lemon to the pan and stir through the garlicky butter. Then pour in the chicken stock and the juice of ½ a lemon (about 1-1.5 tablespoons). Stir through and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.
  • Now pour in the cream, stir, and cook for 1 minute.
  • Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return to the creamy sauce and stir through.
  • Cover the top with grated Parmesan cheese. Pop the skillet in the hot oven, middle shelf, for 5 minutes. Then change the setting to Grill/Broil and finish for 5 minutes, allowing the cheese to brown slightly on top.
  • In the meantime, prepare a side dish of your choice: pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa, mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, or vegetables.
  • Remove the skillet from the oven. Be careful as it will be hot. Sprinkle parsley on top, and add a little extra pepper and Parmesan if you wish.
  • Serve the chicken and sauce over your preferred side. I made farfalle pasta for the family.

Video

Notes

Storage tips: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
See ingredients tips above in the What You’ll Need section.

Nutrition

Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 932mg | Potassium: 530mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 923IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 251mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords: Parmesan Cheese, Chicken Breast, Chicken Breast Recipes, Dinner Recipes, comfort food, Creamy Chicken, Creamy Garlic Chicken
Tried this recipe?Mention @cookedandloved or tag #cookedandloved

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Irena Macri
By Irena Macri

About the author:Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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5 from 2 votes

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Comments

2 Comments
  1. 5 stars
    Loved all the flavors and how simple this dish was to make. Chicken was very tender. Served over mashed potatoes.

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