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A Pan Seared Chicken Breast is one of the easiest entrees you can make! Tender chicken breasts are pan seared to golden brown perfection on the outside while still being juicy on the inside. They’re served in a creamy parmesan sauce that’s incredibly simple, yet oh so satisfying and WAY better than store-bought sauces!
Pan Seared Chicken Breast
If you’re looking for an easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love, you need to make this Pan-Seared Chicken Breast recipe! This protein-packed entree is super simple and approved by all of the picky eaters in my house. When cooked on your stovetop using these easy to follow steps, chicken breasts always turn out beautifully golden on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
This easy recipe helps you avoid over cooked chicken breasts with cooking times and helpful tips, the biggest of which is to always use an instant-read thermometer when cooking chicken!
The sauce is what elevates this simple recipe to a whole new level of delicious. Thick, creamy garlic sauce features parmesan as the main ingredient and compliments the juicy chicken breasts in the most incredible way. It’s a hassle-free sauce that’s honestly pretty hard to mess up, so don’t be nervous! Put down that store-bought jar of lackluster sauce and treat yourself to this mouthwatering parmesan sauce that you’ll want to coat every single bite of your chicken with.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken – Boneless skinless Chicken breasts are readily available at your local grocery store and cook up quickly for a simple weeknight dinner. You can substitute with boneless chicken thighs, if you prefer.
- Seasoning – A simple seasoning of black pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder and little else make this dish flavorful and savory.
- Chicken Stock – The base of the sauce is made with homemade chicken stock. You can also use low sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth or vegetable stock.
- Cream – To make the sauce rich and creamy, I use half and half to keep the calories in check. Want to level up the decadence, substitute with heavy cream
- Cheese – Parmesan cheese adds extra texture and richness with a subtle salty bite.
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Pan Seared Chicken Breast
You’ll love making this easy chicken recipe time and time again! It’s dependable, simple, and always satisfying.
- Prepare the chicken. Pat the raw chicken with a paper towel before seasoning on both sides.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until golden brown with a good sear (about 5-7 minutes), then flip and repeat the process on the other side. Continue to let the chicken cook until it registers 165°F on a thermometer. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a separate plate and keep warm. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.
- Make the Garlic Parmesan Sauce. Lower the stovetop to medium heat and add butter. Stir in the garlic, then sprinkle in the cornstarch. Lower the heat to medium-low heat and whisk in the chicken stock until thickened. Stir in the lemon juice and half and half. Simmer until thickened. Stir in the cheese and seasonings until smooth.
- Enjoy! Return the chicken to the pan and let it warm through for about 5 minutes or so. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
What Temperature to Cook Chicken Breast
Always use an instant read thermometer. When the thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breast and reads 165°F, the chicken is fully cooked and ready to eat.
Don’t eat it before it reaches that temperature! Eating raw or under cooked chicken is a huge health risk. With that being said, for taste purposes, you also don’t want to overcook it. If it goes well over 165°F, the chicken will likely be dried out and tough.
Best Sides for Pan Seared Chicken Breast
The great thing about this recipe is how versatile it is! You can plate it with so many different side dishes. As you can see in the pictures, I like to keep things simple with Steamed Broccoli and a heartier side like Potatoes Romanoff or an easy Hash Brown Casserole. You could also serve your chicken over egg noodles or rice to help absorb all of that sauce! After all, you won’t want a drop of that stuff going to waste.
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer leftover chicken and sauce to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We love serving leftovers over jasmine rice or buttered noodles.
Enjoy more of my favorite easy chicken dinner recipes!
- How to Make Rotisserie Chicken
- Chicken Paprikash
- Cheesy Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast
- BBQ Chicken Breasts
- Marry Me Chicken
For more easy chicken breast recipes, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Pan Seared Chicken Breast Recipe
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 tablespoon kosher Salt
- 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Parsley, chopped, for garnish (Optional)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and arrange on a plate. Season both sides of the chicken evenly with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until golden brown, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Flip the chicken over and sear on the opposite side. Continue to cook until the chicken is golden and registers 165˚F on an instant read thermometer.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter and keep warm.
- Turn the heat to medium low and add the butter to the pan.
- Once melted, stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch in the pan and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Turn the heat to low and whisk in the chicken stock continuing to whisk until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the lemon and the half and half.
- Continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Stir in the cheese and garlic powder. Continue to stir until the sauce is smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Return the chicken to the pan and cook on low for 5 minutes until the chicken is warmed through.
- Serve immediately with the sauce.
Notes
- Make sure the chicken is room temperature before cooking. This will ensure it’s cooked evenly all the way through.
- Use a meat thermometer to determine when your chicken is sufficiently cooked.
- Swap the lemon juice for orange juice for a bright citrus flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was delicious. I only had two chicken breasts, so before I made the chicken, I made a mirapoix plus mushrooms, rosemary salt, and fresh thyme, and added that back into the sauce along with the chicken. My husband loved it and it was an easy dish. Thank you.
I’m so happy you liked it. Thanks for sharing your additions, the mushrooms are a great idea!