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Easy Cream Cheese Chicken

Easy cream cheese chicken with juicy seared chicken breasts and a thick, tangy cream cheese sauce that coats every bite. Cook in one skillet for a creamy chicken dinner with lemon zest and fresh chives.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Cream Cheese Sauce
  • 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
  • 0.25 fresh chives for garnish
  • 1 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 olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until deep golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove to a plate.
Build the tangy sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic over medium heat for 30 seconds until fragrant. 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. Stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning until the sauce is creamy and well combined, and do not boil after adding sour cream.
Finish and garnish
  1. Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon the sauce over each piece. Garnish with fresh chives and lemon zest before serving.

Notes

For the smoothest tangy cream cheese sauce, keep the heat at medium-low after the cream cheese goes in and avoid bringing it to a boil once sour cream is added. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently until warmed through (do not simmer hard). Freezing is not recommended as dairy sauces can separate when thawed. Dairy swap: use a dairy-free cream cheese and sour cream alternative if you want a lactose-free version.