Creamy garlic chicken and vegetables is a family favorite dinner, and I bet it will be a hit on your table, too! Tender chicken thighs get the pan-seared treatment before baking in an uber-flavorful creamy garlic pan sauce, alongside vibrant roasted vegetables. On the table in 45 minutes!
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos and made a couple of tweaks to the recipe. See recipe Notes for exact changes.
You’re looking at a cozy skillet chicken and vegetable dinner, one of my favorite ways to cook and serve chicken because (1) it’s pretty easy, (2) it’s very saucy, and (3) it’s massively delicious.
The whole idea is similar to my cilantro lime chicken and lemon thyme chicken recipes. Cook the chicken, make a pan sauce, and then finish it all up in the oven. This time I’m adding roasted vegetables to the mix to make a rounded-out all-in-one meal. If I’m serving a large meal with a little more substance, I serve it all over some brown rice.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Creamy Garlic Chicken:
- Wholesome and satisfying
- Tender, juicy chicken
- Super flavorful creamy, garlicky pan sauce
- All-in-one meal
- Gluten-free recipe
- Customize it with your favorite vegetables
One reader, Patricia, commented: “Great one-skillet recipe for weekdays or company. I used red bell peppers and butternut squash. Really tasty. We all loved it. ★★★★★”
One reader, Amber, commented: “We made this last night with home-grown butternut squash and a broccoli/cauliflower mix. It was delicious! Even my picky 13-year-old loved it. ★★★★★“
Grab These Ingredients:
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: You could make this dish with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but I like to use chicken thighs because they cook faster, and the fattier meat makes for some delicious pan drippings, which serve as the flavorful base for the pan sauce. Same reason I use them in this apple cider chicken skillet recipe!
- Vegetables: Figure about a cup of veggies per person. I especially love this garlic chicken & vegetables recipe with broccoli and butternut squash, but you can use any vegetables that you love roasted. Potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, Brussels sprouts… you get the idea!
And here’s what you need for the fabulously creamy garlic pan sauce:
- Butter: Just a little pat, for that unparalleled buttery flavor.
- Onion: A little diced onion makes for a great flavor base.
- Garlic: You’ll need to mince 7 or 8 fresh garlic cloves. Yes, I said 8! This is garlic sauce!
- Dried Parsley, Salt, & Pepper: Flavor
- Chicken Broth: Flavorful liquid for the sauce.
- Half-and-half: You can use whole milk instead, but I don’t recommend using a lower-fat milk. Lower-fat milks are more prone to curdling when added to heat because they do not have a high fat content.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch thickens the sauce into a wonderful creamy consistency. Whisk it into the half-and-half to begin dissolving it; adding cornstarch directly to the pan would make for a lumpy sauce, which is not what we want!
Step 1: Roast the Vegetables in the Oven
Whatever vegetable medley you choose, chop them into roughly uniform-sized pieces, so they will roast evenly. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet (I always use these half-sheet pans, the very same ones I use for chocolate chip cookies!), and toss with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.
Success Tip: Don’t crowd the pan. If there are too many vegetables all crowding together, they’ll steam instead of roast, and will be soft and mushy. Same rule applies when roasting the butternut squash for my maple-roasted squash kale salad. If you want to add extra vegetables, spread them out over two baking sheets to give them some room to breathe (er, roast).
Step 2: Brown the Chicken on the Stove
While the vegetables are roasting, brown the chicken thighs in a large, oven-safe skillet on the stove. You want them browned and a little crisp on the outside, but not cooked all the way through—about 4 minutes on each side. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven a little later.
Remove the chicken from the skillet. No need to clean the skillet—the chicken thighs leave behind so much flavor, and we are going to use every last drop of it for the pan sauce. No flavor left behind!
Step 3: Make the Creamy Garlic Pan Sauce
Add the butter, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, and broth to the skillet, and get that cooking together. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the skillet to incorporate the delicious browned bits.
Whisk the cornstarch into the half-and-half, and then slowly pour it into the pan. Stir the creamy garlic sauce while it cooks, for about a minute or so.
LOOK HOW CREAMY:
Step 4: Combine Everything & Finish in the Oven
Now let’s combine. Add the browned chicken thighs and roasted veggies to the skillet, turning everything to get it all nice and coated. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for just 5–10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. (Internal temperature should be at least 165°F (74°C)).
Everything begins to soak up that flavorful bubbling garlic cream sauce:
You’ll be looking for ways to enjoy every last drop of that sauce… you can serve this dish over rice, or just mop your plate clean with some cornbread or cornbread muffins, biscuits, artisan bread, asiago-crusted skillet bread, or dinner rolls!
Popular Chicken Recipes
I don’t publish savory recipes too often on my baking website, so when I do, you know they’re extra tested, and extra tasty. Below are some of my favorites, and each are very popular with readers on my website. I hope you try today’s creamy garlic chicken, and the following recipes, too:
- Bruschetta Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Baked Chicken Meatballs
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Apple Cider Chicken
- Walnut Crusted Chicken
For more savory dinner inspiration, see my roundups of fresh summer dinner recipe ideas and delicious fall dinner recipe ideas.
Print
Creamy Garlic Chicken & Vegetables
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Creamy garlic chicken and vegetables is a family favorite dinner, and I bet it will be a hit on your table, too! Tender chicken thighs get the pan-seared treatment before baking in an uber-flavorful creamy garlic pan sauce, alongside vibrant roasted vegetables (use your favorites). On the table in 45 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (150g) fresh broccoli florets*
- 2 cups (300g) cubed butternut squash*
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1.5 pounds (24 ounces/680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon EACH salt & ground black pepper, plus more for vegetables & chicken
- 1/4 cup (33g) diced onion
- 7–8 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) chicken broth (low-sodium is fine)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) half-and-half or whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
- optional: chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Roast the vegetables: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake the vegetables for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, brown the chicken: Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat, and swirl to coat. I usually use a cast iron skillet, but any skillet this size works. You can also use a Dutch oven. Place the chicken thighs in the skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes on each side. You want the chicken lightly browned on the outside, but not fully cooked in the centers because they will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely cover with foil. You’ll add it back to the pan in step 4.
- Make the pan sauce: Add the butter to the hot pan (no need to wipe it out first), and gently swirl to coat as it melts. Add the salt, pepper, onion, garlic, parsley, and chicken broth. Cook and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes, stirring/scraping occasionally. With a fork, whisk together the half-and-half and cornstarch. Slowly pour the half-and-half/cornstarch mixture into the skillet, stirring or whisking to combine. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add the chicken and roasted vegetables to the skillet, stirring to coat everything in the sauce. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 5–10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature should be at least 165°F (74°C)).
- Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. You can reheat on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cool completely, then cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, and then reheat on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheet | Parchment Paper | 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet (or regular oven-safe skillet of the same size) | Whisk | Tongs | Instant-Read Thermometer
- Vegetables: Use about 4 cups of any vegetables you like, keeping in mind that they should be chopped into similar-size pieces to ensure they roast evenly. Some suggestions: red or gold potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts.
- Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs? You can, but you’ll lose some flavor, and they may take longer to cook.
- Half-and-half: You can use half-and-half or whole milk. I do not recommend heavy cream because it is too thick. If you decide to use it, you may have to exclude the cornstarch, though the results will vary. Lower-fat milks are more prone to curdling when added to heat because they do not have a high fat content. Again, half-and-half or whole milk are ideal.
- Updated in 2023. Original recipe called for 5 cloves of garlic, 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth, and chicken breasts. You really need a little more garlic to truly call this a “garlic chicken” dish, so I increased the amount. I also found a little more liquid in the sauce is helpful for volume, and while you can use chicken breasts here, I prefer chicken thighs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 4.8 g
- Sodium: 286.3 mg
- Fat: 18.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.8 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 93.5 mg
I Love All your recipes baking goods as well as savory.
I had a favorite Raisin cake recipe from my grandmother and I have lost it.
Would you have any recipes for Raisin cake?
Hi Cathy, I’m afraid we don’t have a raisin cake recipe at this time. Good luck with your search!
I made this for dinner tonight using chicken breasts (because that’s what I had). I didn’t have butternut squash or broccoli either so I used carrots and spinach. I used half and half too and it was amazing! My husband loved the sauce so much he got seconds off just the sauce!
this recipe was amazing!! Though prepping was double the time and I had someone helping me cut.
As usual, another winner!
I’m working to reduce carbs. Can I switch the half-and-half to heavy cream and leave out the cornstarch?
Thank you
Hi Patty, half-and-half or whole milk + cornstarch are best. We do not recommend heavy cream because it is too thick. If you decide to use it, you may have to exclude the cornstarch as you mention, though the results will vary. We’re glad you enjoyed it!
Fellow low-carber here! Cream sauces can work. Omit the cornstarch, and reduce the chicken broth volume first on the stovetop to about a third cup before adding heavy cream and simmering on low for roughly 3-5 minutes until it thickens. Once it begins to thicken it can get quite intensely flavoured very fast, so keep an eye on it. It will be thinner than the cornstarch-based sauce, richer, and differently textured. You may find you need less sauce overall. Trial and error will help you find what works best for you. If you need some further guidance on the sauce, look up a peppercorn sauce recipe as it’s the same method. Best of luck.
Can this be made in a slow cooker?
Hi Mary, we haven’t tested anything, but let us know if you do.
Nice recipe, tasty, easy, and looks special. I froze half the recipe and it worked out well – if I had fresh broccoli I would through a few pieces into the reheated dish, just to have a few pieces that have a bit of crunch.
I doubled this recipe for a family dinner. It took longer than the recipe noted but, I roasted the vegetables like I normally do (until there is a sight char on the edges). Everyone loved how tender and delicious it was.
Just made this for dinner tonight with chicken breast. Instead of roasted vegetables I used our garden fresh peas. We served it with brown rice and loved it.
Thanks
What a tasty chicken dish and very easy to make thank you again it will get in line for our family rotation
Tasty! I always appreciate how well-written your recipes are. Clear directions and tasty ingredients. I really liked that it was all cooked and done in a short time.
Made this for dinner tonight with broccoli and sweet potatoes and it was amazing! My husband liked it too! Thank you for a great recipe!
Absolutely delicious! Added approx 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese (shredded not the powdery stuff) and let me tell you it was AH-MAZING. This is a great recipe to be made in stops and starts during the day. Only other adjustment I made was to the cook the vegetables for 40 mins as they really don’t cook significantly once added in at the end so you will really want them to be done (I did potatoes and carrots because that’s what I had on hand so it is possible if you didn’t use root vegetables that they could cook in a shorter amount of time) Will definitely be making again!!
I made this recipe tonight and it was absolutely delicious. My bf said that was one of my favorites. I roasted carrots, broccoli and onions (we are big onion fans) and served it over brown rice. Guess what accompanied this yummy dish? Your easy no-knead olive bread and a bottle of Rombauer chardonnay. It was perfect. Thank you bunches!!
how does this recipe have only 20g protein when 1.5lb of chicken breast has around 200g of protein? Shouldn’t it be more like 50g?