Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skillet

Garlic and Parmesan do the heavy lifting when you want steakhouse flavors without a long simmer. Thin chicken cutlets brown in a hot skillet, then a quick sauce of butter, garlic, broth, and cream picks up the fond and finishes with a blizzard of grated Parmesan.

It tastes like something from a chain restaurant menu, built from pantry staples in about 30 minutes. One pan, no breading station, no oven wait.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb (680 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 4 thin cutlets (or use thin-cut)
• ¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
• 2 Tbsp (28 g) butter
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• ¾ cup (75 g) finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
• Lemon wedges, optional

Method

1. Pat chicken dry. Season with ½ tsp salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dust both sides lightly with flour; shake off excess.
2. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Cook chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F / 74°C). Transfer to a plate.
3. Lower heat to medium. Add butter. When melted, add garlic; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, not brown.
4. Pour in broth; scrape browned bits. Simmer 1 minute. Stir in cream, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes if using, and remaining ¼ tsp salt. Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan until smooth. Return chicken and any juices; spoon sauce over. Warm 1–2 minutes on low.
6. Finish with parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve with lemon if you like.

Cook's note

Grate the Parmesan yourself — pre-shredded cheese can turn the sauce grainy. If the sauce tightens too much while you plate, loosen with a splash of warm broth.

What to serve with it

Buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread for the sauce. A simple green salad or steamed broccoli keeps the plate from feeling heavy.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Cook chicken and sauce up to 2 days ahead; store separately and reheat gently so the cream does not split. Leftovers keep 3 days. Freezing is not ideal — cream sauces separate.

Troubleshooting

**Sauce grainy?** Cheese hit a hard boil — whisk in off heat with a splash of cream. **Chicken dry?** Cutlets were thick; pound to even ½-inch thickness next time. **Too thick?** Warm broth, a tablespoon at a time, fixes it.