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Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Name: Garlic Parmesan Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 handfuls raw spinach; 4 garlic cloves; 4 chicken thighs; 1 cup cream; ¾ cup parmesan; ½ cup chicken stock; 2 tbsp chicken powder; 1 tbsp italian herbs; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 1 tbsp onion powder; 1 tbsp smoked paprika

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This garlic parmesan chicken will soon become a new favourite! Garlic and cheese, a classic combo… with a creamy and flavour packed sauce that coats the tender chicken thighs… so dreamy.

A perfect one pot dish for a ‘lazy’ dinner. The garlic parmesan chicken is so cozy and comforting, but is also great for any weather. It’s super adaptable for what you’d like to serve it with, or to have on its own.

Key Ingredients

Chicken thighs: as you will notice in the majority of my other chicken recipes, this will almost always be my go-to choice of cut. I find chicken thighs to be the juiciest and most tender, they absorb the flavours of the garlic and parmesan sauce. I use boneless chicken thighs.
Garlic: one the stars of this dish! The aromatic garlic pairs so well with the cheesy and creamy sauce. I used 4 cloves, but if you’re a garlic lover then go ahead and add as much as your heart desires!
Parmesan: I am a parmesan girly at heart. If I’m adding cheese to almost anything there’s going to be parmesan involved. Parmesan gives the dish a slightly salty, nutty, flavour. Making this dish the indulgent garlic parmesan chicken it is.
Cream: this is what makes the garlic parmesan chicken smooth and dreamy. It gives the sauce a velvety, luxurious texture. The cream helps the sauce be able to stick to the chicken, and when the parmesan melts it also thickens the sauce.
Chicken stock: is used to deglaze the pot after browning the thighs. It gives this indulgent dish an umami boost. The chicken stock also provides a savoury balance to the cream. It is an underlying ingredient that gives the garlic parmesan chicken an additional boost for ultimate flavour.
Seasonings: paprika, Italian herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, chicken powder. Paprika gives the garlic parmesan chicken a light smokiness to add depth. Garlic and onion powders are great flavour enhancers for the savoury elements. Using Italian herbs creates a beautiful harmony of flavours. Chicken powder is one of my favourite seasonings… it’s salty and gives any poultry recipe an amazing oomph to the taste. It is similar (potentially the same) as the stock cubes you can buy, in powder form and typically less intense.

How to make garlic parmesan chicken

Brown the chicken thighs.

Start by bringing a deep pan/pot with olive oil to a medium heat. Place the chicken thighs in the pot to brown. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until there is a light crust.

Deglaze the pot.

Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Use the chicken stock to deglaze the fond left from the chicken. Be sure to get all the flavour off the bottom!

Seasonings/aromatics for the garlic parmesan chicken.

Now is the time to mix in all the seasonings. Add these to the pot, and mix with the stock. Let the seasonings simmer for a couple minutes until they deepen in colour. Crush the fresh garlic into the pot, mix for a minute or so.

Dairy components.

Pour the cream into the seasonings and garlic. Stir until everything is combined. Add the parmesan cheese into the sauce, also stir this. Pop a lid onto the pot, and lower the temperature.

Simmer.

Return the chicken to the pot. Leave the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes. This is so that the sauce has time to thicken slightly, while the cheese melts. It also gives the chicken extra time to absorb all those delicious flavours!

Add the spinach.

After 10 minutes, add washed spinach leaves to the pot. Mix to ensure the spinach is coated in the cheesy, garlicky sauce. Place the lid back onto the pot, and let simmer for a further 5 minutes. This allows the spinach to wilt, without becoming mushy.

Serve the garlic parmesan chicken.

Now that the garlic parmesan chicken has finished cooking, it is time to eat!

Storage

If you’ve got some leftovers of the garlic parmesan chicken, it is great to keep for another day. Allow the dish to cool, then place in an airtight container. If refrigerated it can last up to 3 days, in the freezer it could last around 2 months.

What to serve the garlic parmesan chicken with

A great question! As you can see, I served mine with cheesy mashed potatoes and asparagus. Not only are cheesy mashed potatoes delicious on their own, they are a perfect base for this indulgent garlic parmesan chicken. They support the dish, allowing it to shine, whilst also balancing out the rich flavours. Rice could be another healthier option. This recipe does have spinach in it, but I do like to have a separate green on the side, such as the asparagus. I just sauteed mine in some olive oil and butter, giving it a slight char. You could do broccolini, brussel sprouts, green beans… all sorts. But don’t feel you have to serve any sides if you don’t want to! It is also delicious on its own.

More chicken recipes:

Alrighty, to my garlic and cheese lovers out there… let’s get to cooking this amazing and cozy garlic parmesan chicken! You do not want to miss out on this scrumptious meal.