Western
Creamy Garlic Chicken
Pan-seared chicken in a garlic-parmesan cream sauce with wilted spinach — a restaurant-style dinner in 25 minutes.
About this recipe
Creamy Garlic Chicken is a western lunch for 2 that is a fast, high-heat stir-fry — have everything chopped before the wok gets hot. It’s built around chicken, and it takes around 25 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 2 (300g) chicken breast
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 150ml cream buy
- 2 tbsp parmesan buy
- 1 cup spinach buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Season and searSear.Brown the surface over high heat for deep flavour (the Maillard reaction). It adds taste — it doesn't 'seal in' juices.Glossary → the chicken in butter until golden and cooked; set aside.
~10 min
- 2
Soften the garlic, pour in cream and parmesan, and simmerSimmer.Cook in liquid with gentle bubbling, just below a boil.Glossary → to a sauce; wilt in the spinach.
~7 min
- 3
Return the chicken to coat; finish with black pepper. Serve with rice or bread.
~4 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Chicken breast
- chicken thigh (more forgiving), prawns, or firm tofu.
- Garlic
- garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push.
- Butter
- neutral oil or olive oil 1:1 (for frying); the dish just loses a little richness.
- Parmesan
- pecorino, grana padano, or a little extra salt + nutritional yeast.
Cook's notes
- Smash each clove with the flat of your knife first — the skin slips off and it minces in seconds. How to mince garlic →
- Slice chicken thinly across the grain — it cooks faster and stays tender. How to slice chicken thinly →
Storage & leftovers
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
Frequently asked
How long does Creamy Garlic Chicken take to make? +
Around 25 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, frying pan / wok. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Chicken breast → chicken thigh (more forgiving), prawns, or firm tofu; Garlic → garlic powder (¼ tsp per clove) at a push; Butter → neutral oil or olive oil 1:1 (for frying); the dish just loses a little richness. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Creamy Garlic Chicken ahead of time? +
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
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