Description
Creamy Garlic Chicken is a comforting skillet dish featuring golden, crispy bone-in chicken thighs simmered in a luscious garlic Parmesan cream sauce. This easy-to-make recipe combines aromatic garlic, savory Italian seasoning, and rich Parmesan to create a flavorful dinner perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4-5 bone-in skin on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5-8 cloves garlic, sliced in half
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
For Serving (Optional)
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, adjusting quantities to your preference.
- Sear the chicken skin-side down: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 6-8 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy.
- Cook the other side: Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside temporarily.
- Sauté the garlic: In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the halved garlic cloves and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, avoiding browning.
- Make the sauce base: Sprinkle the flour over the garlic and whisk quickly to combine. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan’s bottom for extra flavor.
- Finish the sauce: Stir in the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Simmer the sauce for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until it thickens slightly.
- Return chicken to the skillet: Nestle the chicken thighs back into the creamy sauce and simmer for 5-8 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and is fully cooked through.
- Serve: Plate the chicken with a generous spoonful of the cream sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges if desired for a bright, fresh finish.
Notes
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs provide the best flavor and texture but boneless thighs can be used with adjusted cooking time.
- For a spicier kick, add more crushed red pepper flakes.
- If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a splash of additional chicken broth or cream.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for optimal flavor and smooth sauce texture.
- This dish pairs well with mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
