Description
This Chicken Thighs in Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce recipe offers juicy, tender chicken simmered in a rich and flavorful garlic cream sauce with Parmesan. Perfect for an elegant yet easy stovetop meal, it pairs wonderfully with pasta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread to soak up every bit of the luscious sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Garnish
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prepare and Season Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper to enhance flavor and help with browning.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and sear for 4–5 minutes on each side until they have a golden brown crust and reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic: Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned, building the foundation of the sauce.
- Make the Sauce: Pour in chicken broth, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the pan to incorporate flavor. Add heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy.
- Combine and Finish: Return the seared chicken thighs to the skillet. Spoon the sauce generously over the chicken and simmer together for another 2–3 minutes to fully heat through and marry flavors.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dish for freshness and color. Serve immediately with your choice of pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- Serve with pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
- For extra flavor and texture, add sautéed mushrooms or spinach to the sauce during the simmer step.
