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You are here:Home » Recipes » Main Dish » Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken

Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken

February 28, 2019 by Admin 58 Comments

Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken with golden brown pan-fried chicken thighs and drumsticks in a rich and creamy sauce. This one-skillet chicken dinner is ready in 20 minutes and pairs well with pasta! This is one of the best chicken recipes and chicken thigh recipes ever!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Nothing beats an easy and delicious one-pot chicken dinner for the entire family, especially it’s doused in a rich, buttery and creamy sauce!

Garlic and butter do wonders to simple ingredients, and there is no exception to chicken. The key is to make a delicious sauce and chicken broth plus heavy whipping cream will be your answer to this recipe. 

Table of Contents

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  • TIPS ON HOW TO COOK CREAMY GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN
  • CREAMY GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN PASTA
  • OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE
  • Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken

TIPS ON HOW TO COOK CREAMY GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN

  • Use your favorite chicken parts. I like chicken quarters as they are juicier. Cut up the thighs and drumsticks so it takes shorter time to cook through the chicken. 
  • Always pan-fry the chicken with the skin side down first. The fat from the skin will coat your skillet with grease so the chicken won’t stick to the skillet. 
  • Discard the chicken fat from the skillet before making the sauce!
  • You may use skinless and boneless chicken if you like: breasts and  thighs.
  • Garlic, lots of garlic. When it comes to garlic, the more is definitely merrier. 
  • Cream. I used heavy whipping cream but you can opt for whipping cream for lower calories. 

CREAMY GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN PASTA

Serve the garlic butter chicken with plain spaghetti. All you have to do is cook the spaghetti to al dente, and scoop the chicken and sauce onto the pasta. Dinner is ready in 20 minutes and there is only one pot to clean. 

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

  1. Honey Garlic Salmon in Foil
  2. Spaghetti Carbonara
  3. Chicken Thigh Recipes (Baked Chicken Thighs) 

One pan garlic butter chicken in creamy sauce.

Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken

Easy Weeknight
Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken with golden brown pan-fried chicken thighs and drumsticks in a rich and creamy sauce. This one-skillet chicken dinner is ready in 20 minutes and pairs well with pasta!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 4 - 6 people
Calories 448 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs chicken quarters cut and separate the thighs and drumsticks
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 15 cloves garlic peeled and top trimmed off
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 dashes cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions
 

  • Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Pan fry the chicken on a skillet, skin side down on medium heat until both sides turn crispy and golden brown. Set the chicken aside and discard the oil from the skillet.
  • Add the melted butter and to the skillet and add the garlic and saute. Add the chicken broth, heavy whipping cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine well. Add the chicken, cayenne pepper, salt and lower the heat to simmer, turning the chicken a couple of times so they are completely cooked through.
  • Add the chopped parsley. Stir, turn off the heat and serve immediately with plain spaghetti.

Video

Keyword Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken

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Filed Under: Main Dish, Recipes, Skillet Tagged With: Butter, Chicken, Garlic, One Pot

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joni Peth says

    March 16, 2019 at 4:46 PM

    Lime? Not in the ingredients. On the other hand, parmesan cheese isn’t anywhere to be found in the directions either. Also, when do you are the cayenne?

    Reply
    • Admin says

      March 20, 2019 at 12:46 AM

      Hi Joni, so sorry about the omissions and error. The recipe of this creamy garlic butter chicken has been corrected.

      Reply
    • J says

      January 17, 2022 at 8:28 AM

      Step two

      Reply
      • Gary Brown says

        October 20, 2022 at 10:59 PM

        Lovely

        Reply
  2. Gigi says

    October 23, 2019 at 8:48 AM

    I added basil and white pepper it was fabulous. Next time I am going to add some mushrooms to it I think they’d be yummy in it.

    Reply
    • Admin says

      November 15, 2019 at 3:04 PM

      Yes, Garlic and Mushrooms sound like heaven. Thanks fro trying this recipe.

      Reply
  3. Joanna C says

    October 28, 2019 at 11:29 AM

    So easy and soooo delicious! Thank you for an awesome recipe. I added some mushrooms with the garlic because they needed used up. Thank you!!!

    Reply
    • Admin says

      November 15, 2019 at 3:04 PM

      Yummy. Mushrooms are great for this creamy garlic butter chicken.

      Reply
  4. Polly Hall says

    November 13, 2019 at 6:43 PM

    I made this the other day and it was delicious, I added a bag of Brussel sprouts cut in half after adding the chicken. I also removed the chicken from the pan and then mixed the noodles with the sauce.

    Reply
    • Admin says

      November 15, 2019 at 3:03 PM

      Hi Polly, sounds very yummy. Thanks for trying my Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken.

      Reply
  5. Emma Stephenson says

    January 18, 2020 at 5:25 PM

    Can you use pet milk or condensed milk?

    Reply
    • Admin says

      January 19, 2020 at 3:17 PM

      I don’t think so. Please follow the recipe. Thanks!

      Reply
    • Sharon says

      October 24, 2020 at 12:39 PM

      This was a tasty quick dish. I added a chopped onion and used evaporated milk. Turned out great. I’ll be making it again. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Admin says

        November 9, 2020 at 1:46 AM

        Thanks for trying my recipe!

        Reply
  6. kazy says

    January 24, 2020 at 1:31 PM

    Did you mean pan fry the chicken? Because your directions say pan dry the chicken.

    Reply
    • Admin says

      January 27, 2020 at 1:25 PM

      Hi Kazy, yes, so sorry for the typo and thanks for letting me know. It’s updated.

      Reply
  7. Nonie says

    March 9, 2020 at 2:34 PM

    This was delicious. Added half and half instead of heavy cream. Also removed skin and browned chicken
    Thighs in the butter . Also added 2 T flour to thicken a little. Served with a rice quinoa mix to which
    I added mushrooms and onions. All so good with steamed broccoli. Will make again for sure
    Thank for a super easy but super tasty recipe. For us chicken lovers

    Reply
    • Admin says

      March 26, 2020 at 5:14 PM

      Hi Nonie, thanks for trying this recipe!!

      Reply
    • Juju Jackson says

      February 1, 2021 at 10:22 PM

      So, you made a completely DIFFERENT recipe!

      Reply
  8. Lupita says

    March 31, 2020 at 2:38 PM

    Hi! Making this as I am typing it! Thanks for sharing! I notice that there is an email to sign up and get more recipes email for free. Does this come from you?

    Reply
    • Admin says

      May 10, 2020 at 12:27 PM

      Yes!

      Reply
  9. Deb says

    April 17, 2020 at 7:38 PM

    Can I used boneless chicken thighs

    Reply
    • Admin says

      May 10, 2020 at 12:27 PM

      Yes you can!

      Reply
  10. Janice says

    June 29, 2020 at 2:19 AM

    Can’t wait to try this. Was just wondering how long do you usually cook your chicken in the sauce? I guess I missed it in the recipe. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Admin says

      June 29, 2020 at 11:28 AM

      You cook for a few minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

      Reply
      • Ryan Birmingham says

        October 1, 2020 at 2:53 PM

        About how long does it take to cook through? I am assuming to NOT cover the pan?

        Reply
        • Admin says

          October 19, 2020 at 6:54 AM

          5 minutes or so, and yes you can cover the pan.

          Reply
  11. Kimberly Filar says

    July 3, 2020 at 1:23 PM

    Made this for lunch today. It was the bomb! I will definitely be keeping this recipe and revisiting it. I sautΓ©ed thin sliced zucchini and small pieces of cauliflower with it instead of serving over pasta. I don’t write reviews very often, but had to say thank you for this. My mouth is happy.

    P.S. I posted a link to your recipe on my facebook.

    Reply
    • Admin says

      July 11, 2020 at 11:23 AM

      That’s awesome thanks so much!

      Reply
  12. Kimi says

    July 20, 2020 at 9:58 AM

    Making this tonight and can’t wait to try. I was wondering if I could use minced garlic instead of whole cloves.

    Reply
    • Admin says

      September 21, 2020 at 5:19 AM

      You can use minced garlic but it’s best to use whole cloves for the best flavors.

      Reply
  13. Bob W. says

    August 18, 2020 at 2:06 PM

    Good afternoon. I made this couple weeks ago was delicious. Am making again tonight. We barely had enough lector lunch next day. Very quick I am using it as a Christian meeting night meal. Can prep,get cleaned up and have ready when housemate gets home. Thank you

    Bob (love to cook and bake) White

    Reply
    • Bob (love to cook and bake) says

      August 18, 2020 at 2:09 PM

      hate autocorrect. Meant to say barely had enough for lunch the next day.

      Reply
      • Admin says

        September 21, 2020 at 5:18 AM

        Lol. I understand.

        Reply
    • Admin says

      September 21, 2020 at 5:18 AM

      Hi Bob, thanks for trying my recipe!

      Reply
  14. Lisa says

    August 26, 2020 at 10:39 AM

    Can I use minced garlic instead of whole cloves? How much?

    Reply
    • Admin says

      September 21, 2020 at 5:17 AM

      It’s best to use whole cloves.

      Reply
  15. PW says

    September 9, 2020 at 10:48 AM

    I used county gravy with milk and I add mushroom with the garlic, Parmesan cheese , I top it off with bake crescent rolls top off with melted butter and basil over the rolls , mighty mighty good!

    Reply
    • Admin says

      September 21, 2020 at 5:04 AM

      That’s awesome. Sounds yummy!

      Reply
  16. Jenny says

    October 14, 2020 at 11:16 PM

    I made this for lunch today. I also added mushrooms and flour to thicken. No cayenne but it was still so delicious. There were so much sauce so I made it with potato on separate dish and baked coz the sauce is really creamy and delicious. Be careful on the adding of salt. It was already salty due to chicken broth and cheese. I made a mistake there coz I did not taste it first. But was able to adjust by adding little sugar and water. Thanks for this recipe! Will surely make some again!😊

    Reply
    • Admin says

      October 19, 2020 at 6:54 AM

      Awesome thanks for trying my recipe!

      Reply
  17. Odette says

    October 19, 2020 at 12:24 PM

    Hi just i am new on your site. Being diabetic i want to learn more with beans like lentils, kidney beans etc. I turn them into flour and put in soupe. Just learn to make falafel. Thanks dede

    Reply
    • Admin says

      November 9, 2020 at 1:47 AM

      I am sorry bit I am not familiar with beans and lentils. Sorry I can’t help you!

      Reply
  18. Kyle says

    October 30, 2020 at 11:22 AM

    Could you do this in a crockpot? How long would you suggest to cook it in a crock pot?

    Reply
    • Admin says

      November 9, 2020 at 1:46 AM

      Yes, you can. Just add all the ingredients and cook for 3-4 hours. You have to pan-fry the chicken first.

      Reply
  19. Sally C says

    November 2, 2020 at 2:52 PM

    My chicken thighs were really thick so I couldn’t get them done in the time allotted in the recipe. However, they were delicious!

    Reply
    • Admin says

      November 9, 2020 at 1:41 AM

      Please cook longer if you have bigger chicken thighs.

      Reply
  20. Stacy says

    January 12, 2021 at 7:12 PM

    The chicken came out delicious. My husband and kids really like it. Thank you for the recipe

    Reply
    • Admin says

      April 15, 2024 at 6:28 PM

      Awesome!

      Reply
  21. Janet says

    February 25, 2021 at 11:26 AM

    I made this last night, however I did like the sauce. But, I like my chicken thighs cooked where the meat literally falls off the bone. Cooking the chicken this way, that does not happen. I will tweak this and make again. Thanks for the recipe!!

    Reply
  22. Mol M says

    April 2, 2021 at 12:49 PM

    So good! I will definitely be adding this to my meal rotation. I did remove the skin, and added some steamed broccoli to the sauce. Happy tummy πŸ™‚

    Reply
  23. sasha says

    November 9, 2021 at 6:21 AM

    All my skin stuck to the bottom of the pan. πŸ™
    The recipe specifically said “The fat from the skin will coat your skillet with grease so the chicken won’t stick to the skillet.” so I didn’t add any oil, but was I supposed to???

    Otherwise the recipe was very good.

    Reply
    • Admin says

      April 15, 2024 at 6:22 PM

      It means that your skillet is not heated enough. Make sure it’s fully heated. Add some oil if in the future if it doesn’t work well.

      Reply
  24. momfromaz says

    December 23, 2022 at 6:34 AM

    This was delicious. I baked around 8 bone in chicken thighs in the oven, then made the sauce on the stove and doubled it. Then I added the thighs to the sauce. My husband devoured it.

    Reply
    • panzerjedi says

      February 22, 2023 at 7:55 PM

      Awesome!😊

      Reply
  25. Benjamin says

    July 11, 2024 at 9:33 AM

    Pretty late comment but I just wanted to know how much noodles to cook for this recipe. Can’t wait to try tonight

    Reply
    • Admin says

      December 5, 2024 at 8:23 PM

      You can prepare noodles or spaghetti for two people. πŸ™‚

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken - Househos.org says:
    January 26, 2020 at 8:56 PM

    […] : https://easyweeknight.com/creamy-garlic-butter-chicken/ Creamy Garlic Butter […]

    Reply

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