Go Back

Easy Cream Cheese Chicken

Easy cream cheese chicken with juicy, golden chicken breasts and a thick, velvety tangy cream cheese sauce. Cooked in one simple skillet until the sauce is smooth enough to coat every bite, finished with lemon zest and fresh chives.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • garlic powder to taste
  • onion powder to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed and softened
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • fresh chives for garnish
  • lemon zest for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken until golden, 5-6 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F; remove to a plate.
Build the tangy cream cheese sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic over medium heat for 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  2. Add the cubed, softened cream cheese and stir over medium-low heat until fully melted and smooth.
  3. Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning until the sauce is creamy and well combined; do not boil after adding sour cream.
Finish and garnish
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast so it coats the tops.
  2. Garnish with fresh chives and lemon zest before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the heat at medium-low once the cream cheese goes in, so the sauce stays smooth instead of breaking. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat. Freeze is not recommended for best texture. For a tangy swap, you can use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a slightly thicker, higher-protein sauce.