This is the easiest creamy pan-seared chicken breast recipe on the planet. Cooked all in one skillet, it comes together in just 30 minutes time and the leftovers reheat amazingly.
This pan-seared chicken breast recipe stands out from all others due to its luscious, creamy mushroom and spinach sauce. There’s nothing quite like smothering it over mashed potatoes or white rice. Made all in one pan and in just 30 minutes’ time, it’s a great recipe to add to your weeknight rotation.
Oftentimes, pan-seared chicken turns out so dry and underwhelming. By soaking it in a heavy cream sauce, you pack on so much flavor and keep the chicken ultra-moist. What’s better? The dish just gets more and more flavorful as it marinates in itself in the fridge, making for some awesome leftovers.
What is Creamy Pan-Seared Chicken Breast?
This creamy-pan seared chicken breast dish consists of chicken swimming in a rich, cheesy cream sauce. Below, find an overview of the flavor, texture, and cooking time.
- Flavor: The chicken is complemented by a sauce of cream, parmesan cheese, mushrooms, spinach, and garlic salt. It’s somewhat reminiscent of a classic chicken marsala without the red wine.
- Texture: The chicken is ultra-tender and juicy, while the creamy sauce is speckled with chunky mushrooms and wilted spinach.
- Time: This quick dish comes together in just 30 minutes.
How To Make Creamy Pan-Seared Chicken Breast
Making creamy pan-seared chicken only requires one pan and six wholesome ingredients. Below, find a quick overview of the recipe.
- Pan-Sear the Chicken Breast: Pan-sear the chicken breast in a cast-iron skillet with butter until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside.
- Saute the Veggies: Keeping the browned bits from the chicken in the skillet, saute the mushrooms. Add the spinach and cook it down.
- Return the Chicken to the Pan: Add the chicken back into the skillet. Pour in the heavy whipping cream, followed by the parmesan. Season with garlic salt to taste.
- Bring to a Simmer: Bring the mixture to a simmer and immediately remove from heat to prevent burning. Enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Creamy Chicken Breast
Below, find some tips to help you make the best creamy pan-seared chicken.
- Don’t flip the chicken more than once. Resist the urge to flip the chicken numerous times while searing. It won’t get that essential crispy crust.
- Saute the veggies in the chicken drippings. Don’t let all the flavorful browned bits from the pan-seared chicken go to waste! Cook the mushrooms and spinach in it for maximum flavor.
- The sauce will thicken as it rests. If you’re concerned that the sauce looks too thin, give it a couple of minutes to rest and thicken up. If it’s still not thick enough, add a bit of cornstarch.
Serving Creamy Pan-Seared Chicken Breast
Creamy pan-seared chicken breast is best served along with some kind of starch or grain. Mashed potatoes and white rice are perfect for soaking up all that awesome sauce. If you want to go a bit healthier, opt for brown rice or quinoa. You can also turn the dish into pasta by simply adding store-bought or homemade noodles.
Storing Creamy Pan-Seared Chicken Breast
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They should keep for up to a week.
- Freezer: Not recommended. Freezing cream sauce is never a good idea. Once reheated, the cream falls apart and turns gritty.
Reheating Tip: Reheat leftovers in a skillet with butter or in the microwave.
FAQ
Why did the creamy sauce turn out thin?
The sauce often appears thin when it comes off the heat. Allow it to sit for a couple of minutes to thicken up.
Can I substitute half-and-half for heavy whipping cream?
You can substitute half-and-half for heavy, but the sauce will not turn out as thick. To thicken it up, add a bit of cornstarch.
How do I get a perfect chicken sear?
You get the perfect sear by only flipping your chicken once halfway through cooking. Resist the urge to over- flip!
How long does it take to pan-sear chicken breast?
It takes an average size chicken breast about 8-10 minutes to pan-sear (4-5 minutes per side).
More Simple Chicken Recipes To Try
- Instant Pot Chicken With Mushrooms – Italian style chicken breast
- Creamy Chicken Casserole Recipe – Not your mother’s casserole
- One-Pan Roasted Chicken & Potatoes – Classic chicken and potatoes
- The Perfect 5 Minute Grilled Chicken – Easiest grilled chicken ever
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast
- 4 oz Unsalted Butter
- 1 lb mushrooms
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp Garlic Parley Salt adjust to taste
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients for the recipe.
- Preheat a skillet with butter. Cook chicken breast on both sides until golden brown and fully cooked. Remove chicken breast from the skillet and set aside.
- Into the same skillet (keep the brown bits from the chicken!), add in diced mushrooms and cook them until they turn golden brown. Add spinach to the skillet and cook until it wilts.
- Add pan-seared chicken back into the skillet, followed by heavy whipping cream, parmesan, and garlic salt. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then remove from heat
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
I was surprised to see that this recipe serves 8. Typically isn't one chicken breast per person the norm? Should it be cut up somehow before serving?
Hi Bryn- it really depends how big the chicken breasts are; usually 1lb of chicken breasts is 2-3 chicken breasts, so 2lbs of chicken would be 4-6 breasts and thus should be enough to serve 8. You can slice up the breasts before serving, or even cut them into smaller pieces before cooking. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for the recipe. Soooo good!!!!!
You're very welcome, Tamara!
Am I the only person who doesn't see SPINACH listed in the ingredients?
Ah! Good catch, Luana. We will update the recipe to reflect. You'll need 2 cups of spinach in the meantime. Sorry for the oversight and appreciate your eyes on this!
Delicious and so easy!! Thank you!
Hi Polina, thank you very much, I am so glad you loved the recipe!
This recipe was very tasty but the cream sauce was so thin. What would happen if I chose to thicken it with cornstarch?
Please let me know what you think?
Hi Beverly, you can add a tiny bit of corn starch but it does thicken as it sits for a bit or you can add a little more cheese.
Looks delicious. Chicken breasts are y favorite and I'm always looking for new ways to prepare them. I'd add some minced garlic in with the mushrooms, too.
Oh garlic sounds like a great idea. Creamy sauce with garlic is always delicious.
Can I substitute heavy cream for half and half? What about adding cream cheese? I may add lemon zest to my recipe! Thank you so much for this! 🙂
I think half and half would work. Adding cream cheese would probably change the recipe completely.