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Creamy Ranch Chicken

Creamy ranch chicken made in one ranch chicken skillet, with juicy seared chicken breasts in a thick tangy ranch cream sauce. Cream cheese melts in for a smooth, spoonable texture that pools around each piece.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and seasonings
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 Salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste
  • 1 garlic powder to taste
Ranch sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
  • 4 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 fresh chives for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F; then remove.
  2. Let the browned chicken rest while you work on the sauce in the same pan. Keep the skillet over medium-high heat so fond will lift easily.
Build the ranch cream sauce
  1. Cook the minced garlic in the same pan for 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and ranch seasoning mix, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue stirring so the seasoning disperses evenly.
  3. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir over medium-low heat until completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Keep the heat low to prevent the sauce from breaking.
  4. Stir in the dried dill and return to a simmer. Add the chicken back to the skillet and spoon sauce over each breast, then simmer for 3 minutes.
Finish and serve
  1. Garnish with fresh chives and serve the creamy ranch chicken over mashed potatoes or pasta. Spoon extra ranch sauce from the skillet over the top for the thick pooled effect.

Notes

Pro tip: use medium-low heat once the cream cheese goes in so the sauce stays silky and doesn’t split. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth if needed. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate. For a lower-fat option, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and use reduced-fat cream cheese (texture will be slightly thinner).