Cream Cheese Chicken

Here I’ll show you a really simple yet absolutely delicious way to serve chicken breast for dinner!

The unlikely star of this irresistible sauce for chicken is a mighty block of cream cheese! Trust me on this one, it’s super delicious. Follow me…

Chicken Breast

Back again with the trusty chicken breast. You really can’t go wrong when you slice 2 chicken breasts through the centre to create 4 even-sized breasts. When pan-fried, the chicken will cook quicker and more evenly. Also, it simply INVITES itself to be drenched in a delicious sauce.

Chicken seasoning

You’ll only need store cupboard staples – nothing fancy! However, the seasoning is essential. Not only will it flavour the chicken itself, but it’ll also infuse into the sauce too. I love using smoked paprika to add a lovely smokey twang. I also go in with some onion and garlic powder to give that deep savoury flavour, which pairs delightfully with the cream cheese. I also use a small amount of oregano and an even smaller amount of thyme. I find thyme pretty powerful and it can be a little distracting if you use too much.

Cooking the chicken

We will fry the chicken in a pan with oil and butter. The butter adds a nice rich flavour, whilst the oil helps prevent the butter from burning.

Process shots: slice chicken (photo 1), season both sides (photo 2), add to pan with oil and butter (photo 3), fry both sides then remove (photo 4).

Cream Cheese Sauce for Chicken

There will be leftover fat in the pan which is perfect for frying the shallots. As they fry they’ll release a small amount of moisture which helps lightly deglaze the pan and collect all the leftover flavour too.

From there you only need 3 ingredients for the sauce:

• Chicken Stock – This makes the base of the sauce.
• Cream Cheese – Make sure it’s full-fat for the best flavour! I use Philadelphia.
• Dijon Mustard – This cuts through the richness of the sauce. It’s very subtle – in fact you’ll barely notice it!

Alongside the 3 ingredients above, make sure you add in the resting juices from the chicken. This is bonus flavour, so don’t waste it!

Process shots: add shallots to pan (photo 1), fry (photo 2), stir in cream cheese and stock (photo 3), add mustard (photo 4), stir to combine (photo 5), add chicken back to pan (photo 6).

Cream Cheese Chicken FAQ

Will the cream cheese completely blend into the sauce?

Yes! It’ll likely split a bit at first, but just give it a really good whisk and it’ll come together.

How do I thicken the sauce?

It’ll naturally thicken, quite quickly too. After simmering for a minute or so it should be good to go!

What if I over-thicken the sauce?

Just thin it out with a splash of stock or water.

Serving Cream Cheese Chicken

Once you’ve coated the chicken in the sauce, you’ll want to finish with some fresh chives and black pepper. The chives add a final pop of colour and flavour (which pairs PERFECTLY with the cream cheese), whilst the pepper adds a final hit of ‘spice’ which helps cut through the rich sauce.

Here I’ve served with Potato Wedges and Broccolini, but you can add any Sides you fancy!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this cream cheese chicken shall we?!

How to make Cream Cheese Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)

Cream Cheese Chicken

Here I'll show you a really simple yet absolutely delicious way to serve chicken breast for dinner!

5 from 3 votes

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Servings (click & slide): 4

Course: Dinner / Main Course

Cuisine: Western

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Calories per serving: 357kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Cost per serving: £3 / $4

Equipment:

• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Large Pan & Tongs
• Wooden Spoon
• Jug (for stock)
• Small Pot (for seasoning mix)

Ingredients (check list):

Chicken

• ▢ 2x 250g/9oz Chicken Breasts, brought close to room temp
• ▢ 1/2 tsp EACH: Smoked Paprika, Salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp EACH: Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Dried Oregano, Black Pepper, plus more to serve
• ▢ 1/8 tsp Dried Thyme
• ▢ 1 tbsp EACH: Unsalted Butter, Olive Oil

Sauce

• ▢ 2 Shallots, very finely diced
• ▢ 180ml / 3/4 cup Chicken Stock (use low-salt if sensitive to salt)
• ▢ 1x 165g/5.8oz tub of full-fat Cream Cheese, brought close to room temp (I use Philadelphia)
• ▢ 1 tsp Dijon Mustard (see notes)
• ▢ finely diced Fresh Chives, to serve

Instructions:

• Horizontally slice each chicken breast right through the centre to create 4 even-sized breasts. Combine the seasoning mix in a small pot or bowl, then evenly sprinkle over both sides of each breast.
• Place a large pan over medium-high heat and stir in the butter and oil. Add the chicken and fry for a few minutes on each side, or until lightly charred on the outside and piping hot/white through the centre. Remove and place on a plate to one side then lower the heat to medium.
• Add the shallots and fry in the leftover fat until soft and golden. Pour in the stock, then stir in the cream cheese until it blends into a sauce. You'll need to give it a good whisk to smooth out all the small lumps. Stir in the dijon, then stir in the resting juices from the chicken.
• The sauce should be relatively thick already, but if it's not just gently simmer for a couple of minutes. If you over thicken it just stir in a splash more stock or water to thin it out.
• Add the chicken back in and baste in the sauce, then sprinkle with chives and a pinch of black pepper. Serve up and enjoy!

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Consistency - The sauce will thicken fairly quickly, but as mentioned, just stir in a splash of stock or water to thin it out if you need to. Don't very rapidly simmer the sauce as it can split.

b) Seasoning - The seasoning on the chicken and the stock offer a great depth of flavour. I find the sauce perfectly seasoned already, so don't add any more salt, but you can if you feel it needs it. If on the other hand you're wary of salt, just use low-salt stock.

c) Dijon - This cuts through the richness of the sauce. Although it may be more prominent when initially added, as it blends into the sauce it becomes so mellow you'll barely notice it.

d) Garnish - Don't skip the chives! They add a final pop of colour and pair beautifully with the sauce (cream cheese + chives = heaven). I also like finishing with some more black pepper for a final hit of 'spice' to balance out the richness.

e) Serving - Here I've served with Potato Wedges and Broccolini, but you can add any Sides you fancy!

f) Calories - Just the chicken and sauce (no sides) divided by 4.

Your Private Notes:

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Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

Cream Cheese Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 357 Calories from Fat 214

% Daily Value*

Fat 23.81g37%

Saturated Fat 10.983g55%

Trans Fat 0.127g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.634g

Monounsaturated Fat 7.695g

Cholesterol 144mg48%

Sodium 694mg29%

Potassium 517mg15%

Carbohydrates 3.77g1%

Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugar 2.26g3%

Protein 31.07g62%

Vitamin A 678IU14%

Vitamin C 0.8mg1%

Calcium 56mg6%

Iron 0.83mg5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Looking for more?You'll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook 'Comfy'

For more recipes using cream cheese check out my Cream Cheese Pasta and Chipotle Chicken Taquitos!

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