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Garlic Herb Chicken Breast with Mashed Potatoes

Garlic herb chicken with mashed potatoes made with golden-seared, herb-seasoned chicken breasts and smooth, buttery Yukon Gold mash. Finish with a quick garlic-herb pan sauce scraped from the skillet for a comforting chicken dinner with big pan-sauce flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter, divided
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
Mashed Potatoes
  • 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream or whole milk, warmed
  • 0.25 salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the mashed potatoes
  1. Boil Yukon Gold potatoes in salted water for 15-18 minutes until fork-tender, then drain and mash in a pot. Mash until smooth and fluffy with butter, warmed heavy cream or whole milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and keep warm.
Sear the herb chicken
  1. Season chicken breasts with garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F, then remove to a plate.
Make the garlic herb pan sauce
  1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet, then cook the minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Add chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until a simple pan sauce forms.
Plate and serve
  1. Plate mashed potatoes and place the chicken on top, leaving the potato mound visible. Drizzle the pan sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

For the silkiest mash, use Yukon Gold potatoes and warm the cream/milk so the butter emulsifies smoothly; keep the mashed potatoes warm at the lowest heat so they stay fluffy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of warm milk. Freezing is not recommended for the potatoes because the texture can become grainy. Dietary swap: use olive oil (no change needed) and substitute dairy-free butter and a dairy-free milk/cream for a dairy-light version while keeping the same seasoning.