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GET IT NOWMy creamy garlic chicken is a cross between a Spanish dish I once made and the gazillion-and-one ways I make creamy chicken on the regular. My husband and I took a cooking class on a trip to Spain in 2019, and learned to make gambas de Ajello — a.k.a. Spanish garlic shrimp. I wasn’t even a big shrimp fan back then, but totally fell in love with it. It’s still on my list to recreate it, but since I love chicken even more, I was inspired to develop this creamy garlic chicken recipe as soon as I got back. It borrows the method from the Spanish cooking class, except with chicken, and I added cream — because let’s be real, everything’s better with a little cream. 😉 Make it with me!
Why You Need My Creamy Garlic Chicken Recipe
- Juicy chicken in rich, creamy sauce – You’ll pan fry chicken thighs until golden and tender, then smother them in a savory garlic cream sauce that I secretly want to eat by the spoonful. The sauce makes the dish.
- Extra garlicky taste – I need to emphasize this. I probably have dozens of chicken recipes with garlic, from garlic butter chicken to honey garlic chicken to chicken bites. But this creamy garlic chicken is probably the garlicky-est of them all! You’d better love garlic for this one.
- Quick and easy – Despite the richness, this dish uses simple ingredients and takes less than half an hour. I love it for busy weeknights.
- Versatile and elegant – Whether you’re making a quick family dinner or hosting a dinner party, my creamy garlic chicken fits the bill. It’s amazing on special days or any day.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my creamy garlic chicken recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Chicken:
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken thighs, but you can totally use boneless skinless chicken breasts (see my tips below to keep them juicy). I don’t love bone-in chicken thighs for this dish because the sauce makes the skin lose its crispness, but they’ll work if you don’t mind this part.
- Spices – Sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika (or regular works) for seasoning the chicken.
- Oil – I prefer olive oil for searing the chicken, but avocado oil works, too.
Creamy Garlic Sauce:
- Garlic – Peel it and slice thinly. I use quite a bit (6 cloves), but feel free to dial it back if that’s too intense for you. You can also crush the garlic with a mortar and pestle instead for a slightly milder flavor. It will cook faster his way, so watch closely.
- Butter – Just a tablespoon to saute the garlic and add flavor. You could just use more olive oil instead.
- Chicken Broth – This is the base of the sauce. I recommend the reduced sodium kind, because you’ll reduce it and it tastes too salty using regular. You can also make your own chicken broth, or use bone broth for a richer flavor.
- White Cooking Wine – This adds depth and makes the sauce a little tangy, which I think is delicious. Last time I used this brand, but any dry white wine will work. If you want your creamy garlic chicken more savory without the tang, replace the wine with more broth instead.
- Heavy Cream – It makes the sauce, well, creamy! You can skip it for a dairy-free option, or substitute full-fat coconut milk. I don’t recommend using regular milk, half and half, or other alternative milks, as the sauce will turn out watery.
- Bay Leaf – A.k.a. Flavor booster!
How To Make Creamy Garlic Chicken
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Sear until golden and juicy. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer. Sear each side, without moving except to flip, until browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside.
- Saute the garlic. Reduce to low heat, melt the butter, and saute the sliced garlic. Don’t miss my tips below to avoid a bitter sauce.
- Cook the sauce. Add the broth and wine to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom (this is called de-glazing). Add the bay leaf and bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer until the liquid volume is reduced by half.
- Make it creamy. Reduce to low heat. Add the cream and heat for just a few minutes, just until warm. (Do not boil.)
- Bring it all together. Remove the bay leaf, place the chicken back in the pan, and spoon the creamy garlic chicken sauce over it. I like a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a pop of color, but it’s fine to skip it.
My Recipe Tips
- Don’t let the garlic brown much when sauteing, or your sauce will be bitter. My #1 tip! Keep the heat low enough and stir often to avoid much browning — see my picture above for a visual of how it should look when it’s time to add the broth.
- Avoid crowding the pan. Sear the chicken in batches if it doesn’t fit with spaces between the pieces. This is important for even (and quick) cooking and a nice sear.
- Use a meat thermometer. I highly recommend an internal temp of 170 degrees F for juicy chicken thighs. This is ideal for dark meat, but if you opt for chicken breasts, aim for 165 degrees F to avoid dry results.
- Lower the heat if needed. When browning the chicken, if it’s golden before it’s cooked through, just reduce the heat to finish cooking.
- If you want to serve this creamy garlic chicken over pasta or zucchini noodles, double the amount of sauce ingredients. This includes the butter, garlic, broth, wine, cream, and bay leaf. Then you can use the extra sauce for the noodles.
- If you omit the cream, shorten the simmer time. This way, you’ll still have enough sauce. It will be thin, but still garlicky!
- Want to add a little something? Try sauteing spinach or mushrooms with the garlic, or throw in some sun-dried tomatoes together with the cream.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. The sauce will solidify in the fridge, which is normal. I don’t recommend freezing this dish, as the texture of the cream sauce will be ruined.
- Meal prep: You can season and sear the chicken ahead of time, but I recommend making the sauce fresh if you can.
- Reheat: The sauce can separate with sudden temperature changes, so it’s best to reheat this creamy garlic chicken very gently, over medium-low to low heat.
Serving Ideas
Creamy garlic chicken can go with so many sides. Here are some that I’ve found work well:
- Starches – To sop up any extra sauce, serve the chicken over mashed cauliflower (my personal fave) or mashed potatoes. Rice or my quick frozen cauliflower rice works the same way. You can even opt for Greek lemon potatoes, another dish inspired by my trip to Spain. It’s yummy over noodles as well, but I recommend doubling the sauce for those (see my tips above).
- Vegetables – For something that feels a little fancy but has simple prep, try my green beans almondine or roasted balsamic mushrooms. For everyday meals, I usually make air fryer broccoli or roasted asparagus while I’m cooking the creamy garlic chicken.
- Salad – If you want to balance the richness of this dish, serve it with my fresh kale salad or arugula salad.
More Creamy Chicken Recipes
If you like creamy chicken and garlic, I’ve got more recipes that include both:
My Tools For This Recipe
- Cast Iron Skillet – Any large skillet will work, but this is my go-to to get a perfect sear… and it’s pretty to bring to the table.
- Meat Thermometer – My fave for instant readings that get me juicy chicken (always).
Creamy Garlic Chicken
By
My creamy garlic chicken recipe is juicy, rich, and savory. It's simple and easy for weeknights (25 minutes!), yet elegant for guests.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
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Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer. (Cook in batches if it doesn’t all fit.) Sear for 5 to 7 minutes per side, without moving except to flip, until browned and cooked through.
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Remove the chicken from the pan, cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside.
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Reduce the heat to low. Add the butter to the pan and let it melt. Add the sliced garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant. Don’t let it brown much, or the sauce may be bitter.
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Add the broth and wine to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom (this is called de-glazing).
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Place the bay leaf into the pan and submerge. Increase the heat to bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the volume is reduced by half.
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Reduce the heat to low. Add the cream and heat for just a few minutes, just until warm. (Do not boil.)
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Remove the bay leaf. Add the chicken back to the pan and spoon the creamy garlic sauce over it.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Creamy Garlic Chicken
Gratitude Moment
Here we are at the cooking class on our trip to Spain! We cooked half a dozen dishes and one of them was the shrimp that inspired me to this creamy garlic chicken recipe.
This was the first time my husband and I took a class like this in Europe, and it made me want to do it every time we visit a new place. Not only was it a lot of fun, I loved learning about how the locals prepare their food. I can’t wait to do it again!
111 Comments
Suzie
0What a wonderful mix of flavors! This dish came together so well. The chicken was so tender and full of flavor. The cream gave the dish a richness that reminds us that healthy decadence is not taboo. My hubby loved it and said it needs to be made again, and soon!
Kim
0Delicious! Very easy and extremely tasty!
Heather Mussara
0This was extremely good, the family gobbled this up so no leftovers. Easy to make, too! We paired with your oven roasted garlic broccoli recipe and cauliflower rice. I will double the recipe next time.
Laura
0This was super easy to make and so delicious!! Definitely a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing! Even the kids loved it. We served ours with asparagus seasoned similarly and poured the sauce over the top. Yum!
Barbara
0If I don’t have white wine is there something to substitute or just a little more chicken broth? Recipe sounds great just out of white wine right now and want to try this tonight.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Barbara, Yes, you can use more chicken broth.
Kim
0This was VERY good! My husband said it was better than anything we ate at the fancy overpriced restaurant we dined at last weekend. Yummy!
Stephanie
0LOVE THIS RECIPE! However, for a family of 3 we finish it all in one night. How can this be adapted to be made in big batches with 6lbs of chicken? Thinking meal prep for this… possibly oven?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Stephanie, You can adjust the serving size on the recipe card to scale the ingredients, but you’d still run into limitations with the skillet. I think your oven idea makes the most sense. You can just bake roast the amount of chicken in the oven, and then make the sauce separately on the stove, then combine them at the end.
Barbara
0Delicious!!
Lori
0Mine were too. I just tossed them in the sauce while it was reducing.. less crispy, but super moist and delicious!
Lori
0This recipe was AMAZING! Simple and delicious. I had skin on, bone in thighs handy, so I used those. I was thrilled there were leftovers because it actually tasted better the next day! This is a keeper for sure. Many mahalos!
Katy
0Absolutely delicious, Maya! Thank you for these wonderful recipes! I deboned my bone-in chicken thighs, and I’m glad I did. I also stuck them under the broiler for 15 minutes while the sauce reduced, because I thought they were a little undercooked (my fault!)
Roxie
0Thighs are not my favorite part of the chicken, but my local grocery store was having a killer sale, so I stocked up and went on the hunt for a flavor-packed dish that would make me forget they were thighs. ? Mission accomplished! The spice combo and creamy sauce are flavorful enough to brighten up the dark meat without being overpowering.
Lynn Howard
0Where are the measurements for the recipes located?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lynn, The recipe card is right above where you left this comment.
Maura
0Hello! Will bone in, skinless chicken thighs work? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Maura, Yes, but they’ll take longer to cook through.
Martina
0I like the easy prep method. Made my life easier. Thanks!
Bonnie
0A huge family hit. Delicious.
I used chicken broth in place of the wine.
Desarae
0I don’t have cooking wine. Will white wine vinegar work?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Desarae, If you don’t have white wine on hand, you can just use chicken broth. You could add a splash of vinegar if you wanted the tang, but I don’t recommend using vinegar as a replacement for the wine, because it’s much more acidic.
Rosemary White
0Delicious. My grateful (keto dieting) husband is enjoying his chicken thighs with garlic sauce as I write. I didn’t have white cooking wine so I used cooking sherry which worked quite well. If I use it again, I’ll cut back on the salt on the chicken to make up for the added salt in the cooking sherry. The bay leaf is a lovely touch. We served it with cauliflower rice, flavoured with lots of butter and a few shakes of freshly grated parmesan. Great recipe!
P
0Where is the list of ingredients?
Luzette
0Absolutely fabulous recipe. I struggle to find recipes that my kids will eat and this one gets a big thumbs up from them.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi P, The recipe instructions and ingredients are located on the recipe card. If you cannot locate it on the page, feel free to use the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of the page. It will bring you to the correct location. Enjoy!
Liana
0Super easy and delicious. I did add a sprinkle more of Paprika, not sure it needed it. Next time I’ll add more garlic. Love the flavor that the sliced garlic brings to the sauce. Thanks again for a great recipe.