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Cream Cheese Chicken & Broccoli Skillet - Cozy, Creamy, and Weeknight Easy

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1.25–1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3 cups broccoli florets, fresh or thawed from frozen
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes (full-fat or light both work)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (plus a splash more if needed)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter, or a mix)
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried basil and oregano)
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan (optional, for extra depth)
  • 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional, brightens the sauce)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Method
 

  1. Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and season generously with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning. This builds flavor from the start.
  2. Brown the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken in a single layer. Cook 4–6 minutes, turning once, until browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely.
  3. Sauté aromatics. Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Stir in onion with a pinch of salt. Cook 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Steam the broccoli. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Stir in broccoli. Cover and cook 3–4 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. If using frozen broccoli, cook 1–2 minutes longer.
  5. Make the sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cream cheese cubes and stir until melted and smooth. If the sauce looks too thick, add a splash more broth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Combine and enrich. Return chicken and any juices to the pan. Stir gently to coat in the sauce. Add Parmesan and lemon juice if using. Simmer 1–2 minutes until everything is hot and the sauce clings to the chicken and broccoli.
  7. Finish and serve. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve as-is or spoon over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. For extra richness, drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over each portion.