Description
A quick, 30-minute weeknight dinner featuring juicy chicken breasts in a rich, velvety garlic parmesan sauce served with steamed broccoli. This recipe is faster than takeout, uses simple ingredients, and delivers restaurant-quality flavor at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs / 680g), boneless and skinless
- 6–8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (100g)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or mix of dried oregano, basil, and thyme)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 large heads broccoli florets (about 1.5 lbs / 680g)
- 1 cup water (for steaming)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
Instructions
- Pat chicken breasts dry and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Stir in heavy cream (or half-and-half) and Italian seasoning. Let simmer gently.
- Gradually sprinkle in grated parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Adjust consistency with water or broth if needed.
- Return chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the sauce. Cover and simmer on low for 5-7 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- While chicken cooks, steam broccoli florets in a pot with 1 inch of water for 4-5 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain well.
- Serve chicken and broccoli together, spooning sauce over both. Garnish with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Notes
Pound chicken to even thickness for uniform cooking. Use fresh parmesan, not pre-grated, to avoid a grainy sauce. Do not burn the garlic; keep heat at medium. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of starchy broccoli water. For a lighter version, use half-and-half or milk with cornstarch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast wit
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: creamy garlic parmesan chicken, takeout copycat, weeknight dinner, one-pan meal, chicken and broccoli, easy dinner recipe, comfort food