Creamy Garlic Chicken & Vegetables

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!

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.

I originally published this creamy garlic chicken recipe in 2016, and have made a couple of tweaks over the years. 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

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!

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. 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, biscuits, 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:

Creamy Garlic Chicken & Vegetables

• Author: Sally
•  Prep Time: 10 minutes
•  Cook Time: 35 minutes
•  Total Time: 45 minutes
•  Yield: serves 4

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!

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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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. 1. 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.
   2. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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)).
3. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
4. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. You can reheat on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave.

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Notes

1. 1. 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.

1. 1. 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
   2. 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.
   3. Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs? You can, but you’ll lose some flavor, and they may take longer to cook.
   4. 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.

1. 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.