Description
Creamy Smothered Chicken is an indulgent, comforting dish featuring tender chicken breasts cooked in a luscious, creamy sauce made with Parmesan cheese, sour cream, and aromatic herbs. Perfectly seasoned and served hot over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta, this recipe brings soul-warming flavors to your table with an easy stovetop method.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Sauce
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, and paprika to build a flavorful base.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the chicken breasts. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken and keep warm on a plate covered with foil.
- Sauté onions and garlic: In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the thinly sliced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute to release its aroma.
- Create the sauce base: Sprinkle the flour over the onions, stirring to coat them evenly. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate extra flavor.
- Add creamy ingredients and seasoning: Pour in the heavy cream and sour cream, then add dried thyme, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, allowing it to thicken slightly.
- Melt in Parmesan cheese: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted into the sauce, creating a smooth, rich texture.
- Reintroduce the chicken: Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the sauce over the top. Let everything simmer together for 5 more minutes to warm through and meld the flavors.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top as a vibrant finishing touch. Serve hot, ideally over a bed of mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta to soak up the creamy sauce.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream to reduce richness while maintaining creaminess.
- Bone-in chicken thighs work well as a substitute but may require 5-10 additional minutes of cooking for tenderness.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools, making it ideal to serve immediately over starchy sides that absorb the flavors.
- To make this gluten-free, replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg
