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Easy Cream Cheese Chicken

Easy cream cheese chicken with juicy chicken breasts in a thick, velvety tangy cream cheese sauce. Sear, simmer briefly, then melt cream cheese into a smooth coating that clings to every piece.
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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
  • 0.25 tsp Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste Use to season chicken.
Sauce base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 1 cup chicken broth
Cream cheese sauce
  • 8 oz cream cheese Cubed and softened.
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice Fresh.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 fresh chives and lemon zest for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the boneless skinless chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side in the hot skillet until golden. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Make the tangy cream cheese sauce
  1. Cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds. Pour in 1 cup chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits.
  2. Add the cream cheese cubes and stir over medium-low heat until fully melted and smooth. Keep the heat low so the sauce stays creamy.
  3. Stir in the sour cream, fresh lemon juice, and Italian seasoning until the sauce is creamy and well combined. Do not boil after adding sour cream.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast. Simmer briefly just to reheat the chicken through.
  2. Garnish with fresh chives and lemon zest. Serve immediately so the sauce stays thick enough to coat the chicken.

Notes

Pro tip: soften the cream cheese so it melts quickly into a smooth sauce; keep the pan at medium-low and stop short of boiling once sour cream is added. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can grain when thawed. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream for a similar tangy, velvety consistency.