Chicken in Creamy Garlic Sauce - Quick and Easy Dinner with Fresh Salad

Ingredients:

Chicken and Sauce
3 chicken breasts
3 tbsp olive oil
30 g butter
4 cloves garlic
3 dl heavy cream
45 g grated parmesan
1.5 tsp lemon juice
0.75 tsp salt
0.75 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Green Salad
80 g mixed salad
10 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
0.25 tsp salt
0.25 tsp black pepper

Instructions (mise en place):

Mise en place

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels.

Place the chicken between two sheets of baking paper or plastic wrap.

Gently pound the chicken breasts to even out their thickness. They should not be flattened, just more uniform.

This helps the chicken cook more evenly. This step is not necessary, but it can make cooking easier.

Finely chop the garlic.

Grate the parmesan.

Chop the parsley.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.

1. Heat olive oil in a 32 cm steel pan over medium-high heat.
2. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
3. Sear the chicken for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown. Set aside.
4. Lower the heat to medium and add butter to the pan.
5. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
6. Pour in the heavy cream and stir while scraping up the flavors from the bottom of the pan.
7. Add the parmesan and let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens.
8. Adjust the flavor with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
9. Return the chicken to the sauce and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
10. Combine the salad and tomatoes in a bowl. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, and a little salt.
11. Serve the chicken with sauce and the fresh green salad on the side. Sprinkle parsley over the dish.

Tips

The chicken can also be baked in the oven if you prefer an easier method. Bake it in a baking dish at 200 degrees for about 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through.

Flavor Profile:

Creamy and rich garlic sauce with a rounded flavor from parmesan. The fresh salad provides a crunchy texture and tangy contrast that balances the rich sauce.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve the chicken warm with the green salad on the side. Some crispy bread is great for soaking up the creamy sauce.

Chicken in creamy garlic sauce is a dish that combines simple preparation with rich and balanced flavors. When served alongside a fresh green salad, it creates a meal that feels both light and satisfying.

Chicken is one of the most commonly used ingredients in many kitchens around the world. Its mild flavor pairs well with spices, herbs, and creamy sauces. In this dish, garlic, cream, and parmesan particularly build the flavor.

An important detail in this recipe is how the chicken is prepared before cooking. Many chicken breasts are naturally thicker at one end and thinner at the other. This can make it difficult to achieve even cooking.

To solve this, you can gently pound the chicken breasts before cooking. The chicken is placed between baking paper or plastic, and a meat mallet or the bottom of a small pot is used to gently pound.

The goal is not to flatten the chicken. The point is just to make the thickness more uniform so that the entire breast cooks at the same rate.

It is important to emphasize that this step is not necessary. Many cook chicken breasts without pounding them first. However, this technique can make cooking a bit more predictable.

When the chicken is placed in a hot pan with oil, the surface quickly begins to brown. This process creates a golden crust that enhances both flavor and visual appeal.

Once the chicken has developed a nice crust on both sides, it can be set aside while the sauce is made in the same pan.

The garlic is first sautéed in butter. This releases the aromas of the garlic and gives the dish its characteristic flavor.

Then, heavy cream is added. As the cream begins to simmer in the pan, it absorbs the flavors from the bottom of the pan.

Parmesan is then added to give the sauce both richness and umami. As the cheese melts into the sauce, the consistency becomes slightly thicker.

A small amount of lemon juice is used to balance the flavor. The acidity provides a lift and prevents the dish from feeling too heavy.

When the chicken is returned to the pan, it simmers in the sauce for a few minutes. This allows the meat to absorb the flavors while making the sauce even more aromatic.

The green salad provides an important contrast to the creamy sauce. Crunchy leaves, fresh cucumber, and juicy tomatoes add both texture and freshness.

The dressing for the salad is simple. Olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper are enough to give a light and fresh flavor.

This combination of warm creamy chicken and cold crunchy salad makes the dish balanced. It provides both richness and freshness in the same meal.

An alternative to pan-frying is to bake the chicken in the oven. This can be an easier method if you prefer less active cooking. The chicken can then be baked in a baking dish at 200 degrees for about 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through.

This dish also works very well in cooking videos. The process is clear and visually interesting. The frying of the chicken, the thickening sauce, and the fresh salad provide good contrasts on camera.

In about twenty minutes, you can go from raw ingredients to a finished dinner that looks good and tastes great. This makes the dish perfect for busy weekdays.

Chicken in creamy garlic sauce with fresh green salad is therefore a great example of how simple cooking can yield a very flavorful result.