Cream Cheese Chicken

cream cheese chicken in large pan garnished with chives and black pepper

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

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

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Western

Servings:

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: £3 / $4

Equipment

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

Ingredients

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!

Video

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.

Nutrition