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Easy Cream Cheese Chicken

Easy cream cheese chicken with juicy seared breasts and a tangy, velvety cream cheese sauce thick enough to coat every piece. The simple chicken skillet method uses garlic-gilded browned bits and finishes with sour cream, lemon juice, and herbs.
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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: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts to taste
  • 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
Creamy sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic 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 cup fresh chives for garnish
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear chicken
  1. Pat the chicken breasts dry, then season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add chicken to the skillet and sear for 5-6 minutes per side, until golden. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the tangy cream cheese sauce
  1. Reduce heat as needed and cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds. Stir to prevent browning.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the pan. Stir until the liquid looks cohesive and lightly reduced.
  3. Add the cubed, softened cream cheese and stir over medium-low heat until fully melted and smooth. Keep it at a gentle simmer pace so the sauce stays velvety.
  4. Stir in sour cream, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning until the sauce is creamy and well combined. Do not boil after adding sour cream—keep it just steaming.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over each breast. Simmer gently for 1-2 minutes so the coating thickens and clings.
  2. Garnish with fresh chives and lemon zest. Serve immediately while the sauce is thick enough to coat visibly.

Notes

Pro tip: soften the cream cheese so it melts quickly into a smooth, tangy sauce. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat to avoid curdling. Freezing is not recommended due to sour cream texture. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream—still cook at medium-low and avoid boiling after adding dairy.