This one pan cream cheese chicken recipe is my new dinnertime hero. I quickly cook up some chicken breasts on the stovetop, then combine them with a luscious cream cheese sauce that is the perfect balance of cheesy and tangy. Made with everyday ingredients in just 30 minutes, this creamy chicken breast is the kind of family-friendly dish I know I can whip up without stress!
Chicken Breasts with Cream Cheese Sauce
My kids absolutely devoured my Boursin cheese chicken, so I knew I’d have a hit on my hands with this recipe too. I used cream cheese as the base of my sauce, then added Dijon mustard, heavy cream, and parmesan to get an extra thick, creamy, and tangy result to pair with some thin-sliced chicken breast. I love how quick and easy this dish is using just one pan — proof that simplicity is best when it comes to cooking!
🙈 Learn from my mistake!
Adding half a block of cold cream cheese to the pan left me with a lumpy sauce that took forever to melt…which means it also completely separated.
💡Lesson Learned: Give the cream cheese plenty of time to soften and warm slightly to room temperature. Be sure to cut it into small cubes as well, so that it melts evenly in the pan. This will ensure you get a silky, creamy sauce that coats the chicken perfectly!
Cream Cheese Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in half lengthwise*)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard (**)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup heavy cream (room temperature***)
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened and cubed)
- chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season both sides with salt and pepper to taste.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, ground black pepper
- Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium heat.1 tablespoon salted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Once the skillet has hot, place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side; or until the chicken is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165℉. Work in batches if necessary. Remove the chicken from the pan and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add in the chicken broth, dijon mustard, garlic powder, parsley and salt. Whisk to combine, deglaze the pan, and bring mixture to a low boil.¾ cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and softened cream cheese. Continue cooking and whisking frequently until the cream cheese has completely melted into the mixture and the sauce is smooth and thickened.½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, 4 ounces cream cheese
- Return the chicken to the pan to warm through, and spoon the sauce generously over each cutlet to coat.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.chopped fresh parsley
Notes
- Softened, room temperature cream cheese ensures a smooth sauce. Cold cream cheese takes much longer to melt and can create a clumpy texture. I recommend setting the cream cheese on the counter 1 full hour before cooking.
- Wait until the butter and oil are shimmering before adding the chicken. A hot pan is the only way to get that golden-brown crust.
- Once you add the heavy cream, keep the heat at a gentle simmer. Boiling cream too vigorously can cause it to break or separate, losing the creamy texture.
- Those little brown bits stuck to the pan after frying the chicken are concentrated flavor. The chicken broth acts as a deglazer, so make sure you really scrape them up into the sauce.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Cream Cheese Chicken Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this cream cheese chicken breast recipe. For best results, set the cream cheese out on the counter to soften for about 60 minutes. Once it’s soft enough to slice, cut it into evenly-sized cubes. Cut 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create cutlets. Then pat them dry with paper towels, and season generously with salt and pepper.
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Brown the Chicken: Melt 1 tablespoon of salted butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, place the chicken in the skillet to cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side (12-16 minutes total). When done, the chicken should be cooked through to 165℉ and have a golden-brown crust. Work in batches if necessary. Remove the chicken from the pan and reduce the stove heat to medium.
Deglaze the Pan: To the same pan, add ¾ cup of chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Whisk to combine, making sure to scrape up any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you go. Bring the mixture to a low boil.
Make the Sauce: Next, stir in ½ cup of heavy cream, ½ cup of shredded parmesan cheese, and 4 ounces of softened & cubed cream cheese. Continue cooking and whisking frequently until the cream cheese has completely melted into the mixture and the sauce becomes smooth and thick. If the pan still feels too hot, remove it from heat when stirring in the heavy cream. This will help the cream combine evenly before melting the cream cheese.
Finish: Return the cooked chicken breasts to the pan with the cream cheese sauce to warm through. Generously spoon the sauce over each piece, so that everything gets a nice coating. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Serve: This creamy chicken is best served hot and fresh, while the sauce is still smooth. I like to slice it up to serve with rice or pasta — that Dijon and cream cheese sauce makes any grain extra tasty!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store chicken and cream cheese sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Because the sauce contains cream cheese and heavy cream, it may thicken significantly when cold. When reheating, add a tablespoon of chicken broth or water to the pan to help thin the sauce back to its original silky consistency.
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