Here’s a super-flavorful, comforting Creamy Garlic Pepper Chicken — tender chicken simmered in a rich garlic-cream sauce with lots of black pepper kick. Perfect over rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles. 😋🍗🧄
⭐ Creamy Garlic Pepper Chicken
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 4 chicken breasts or 6–8 chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1–2 tsp coarse black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp paprika (optional)
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half & half)
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup parmesan (optional but amazing)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning or thyme
- Optional: sliced mushrooms or spinach
🍳 Instructions
1. Season & sear the chicken
- Pat chicken dry.
- Season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Heat oil/butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden.
- Remove to a plate.
2. Make the creamy garlic sauce
In the same skillet:
- Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and scrape the browned bits.
- Add cream, parmesan (if using), and Italian seasoning.
- Add more black pepper for that garlicky-peppery bite.
- Simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
3. Combine & cook
- Add the chicken back into the pan.
- Simmer on low for 10–12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is creamy and thick.
4. Serve
Amazing with:
- Mashed potatoes
- Rice
- Pasta
- Roasted veggies
- Garlic bread
⭐ Variations
Spicy: Add chili flakes or cayenne.
Mushroom version: Sauté sliced mushrooms before the garlic.
Lemon garlic pepper: Add 1–2 tbsp lemon juice to brighten the sauce.
Creamy garlic pepper pork chops: Works exactly the same!
If you’d like, I can turn this into a one-pan oven bake, a slow cooker version, or a lower-calorie version.
