This one-pot Creamy Garlic Chicken is pure comfort in a bowl. Think golden, juicy chicken thighs simmered in a rich garlic cream sauce, loaded with fresh veggies for a wholesome, flavor-packed dinner. Perfect for busy weeknights!
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At the Family Food Kitchen I like to show time and again that great tasting food doesn't have to take hours to make. This is a meal that the whole family will enjoy.
Easy to prepare, nutritious and tasty, this chicken and kale dish in a creamy garlic sauce is the ultimate easy comfort food. Using simple ingredients, this dish can be on the table in 45 minutes from start to finish. So it's perfect quick weeknight dinner.
This one-pot chicken thighs dish also works really well if you’re looking for an elevated dinner for date night or entertaining, as the velvety sauce adds luxury to the chicken. But don’t want a ton of work to go with it.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Creamy Garlic Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Chicken Ingredients
- How to Make Creamy Chicken & Kale
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations & Substitutions
- Tips & Tricks
- How To Serve
- How To Reheat
- How to Freeze
- Pin This Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs with Kale Recipe For Later
- What Do You Think?!
- More Easy One-Pot Recipe Ideas
- Printable Recipe
- Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs with Kale Recipe
- Reader Comments & Ratings
Why You'll Love This Creamy Garlic Chicken
- You can never have too many easy and delicious chicken recipes in your repertoire.
- This delicious creamy garlic chicken recipe can be easily doubled up so is the perfect meal if you are entertaining and feeding a crowd.
- It's great option for anyone who is trying to eat lower carb since it’s so filling and feels a little bit decadent and treat-like.
- This family favorite recipe can be served with pasta, rice or veggie zoodles for lower carbs. For a relaxed dinner serve with bread to mop up those delicious juices.
- This simple garlic chicken dish is gluten free and suitable for Coeliacs or anyone following a gluten free diet. It is also egg-free, soy-free and nut-free.
- If you like creamy sauces try these popular one pot recipes:
Creamy Garlic Chicken Ingredients
Find the full list and quantities in the recipe card below.
Chicken Thighs - this recipe is made with skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs as I love their flavor and the fact that they stay so moist and juicy. But you could absolutely make it with skinless, boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast if you prefer. You may just have to adjust the cooking time slightly.
Garlic - for the best flavor I recommend using freshly minced garlic cloves, although you can use garlic powder if you don't have fresh.
Kale - as with any green veggie, be sure not to over cook the kale. All it takes is a stir through at the end to wilt it slightly and then it will retain it’s color. You can also use chard, spinach or any other leafy green in place of the spinach.
White Wine - if you prefer not to make this dish with alcohol it is completely fine to leave out the wine and just add in another half cup of stock.
Heavy Cream - I use heavy cream in this recipe for a thick and rich sauce. Heavy cream can be replaced with whipping cream for a slightly lighter consistency. But half and half (or single cream) tends to split and curdle due to a lower fat content.
Parmesan Cheese - is a strong, ripe flavored cheese that flavors the parmesan sauce, you can also substitute with Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano cheese.
Red Onion - has a lovely mellow flavor that works really well in this creamy sauce. You can substitute this with a yellow or brown onion, or even green onions. However, if using green onions add them towards the end to stop them overcooking.
How to Make Creamy Chicken & Kale
Find the full printable recipe below.
In a large skillet, season and brown the chicken thighs well on both sides. Remove and reserve.
Sauté the onions then red peppers with garlic.
Deglaze the pan with wine and stock then simmer the thighs on a low heat until cooked and golden brown.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm while you make the sauce.
Finish the sauce by adding Parmesan, cream and kale. Then add the chicken back in and serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know when chicken is cooked?
The best way to be absolutely certain that your chicken is cooked is to use an instant read thermometer. The internal temperature should register 165ºF/75ºC when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken (without touching a bone).
If you’re not using a meat thermometer, check that the chicken looks cooked all the way through. Insert a knife into the thickest part of the chicken and once removed the juices should run clear, not pink.
Why is it important to let the chicken rest?
Resting chicken allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat, helping to make sure the meat stays tender and juicy. Five minutes resting time will result in lovely succulent chicken thighs.
Variations & Substitutions
I've used skin on, bone in chicken thighs, but you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chicken legs, drumsticks or chicken breast. Just adjust timing to suit.
Add other vegetables to the dish. Try zucchini, carrots green beans, sugar snap peas, green peas, broccoli or cauliflower.
I've added kale but you can swap this for other leafy greens like spinach or chard.
Wine adds great flavor and acidity to the sauce. You can swap the white wine for sherry and make a sherry sauce, or even add a splash of brandy.
I've used heavy cream in this recipe to give the sauce a velvety texture, but you could use light cream.
Add a spoon of Dijon mustard to add extra depth of flavor to the sauce.
Stir through fresh herbs just before serving, to add extra flavor. Basil or parsley would work beautifully with the other flavors in this dish.
For dairy free diners, swap butter for olive oil, heavy cream for coconut milk and use a plant based hard cheese.
Tips & Tricks
- Take time to season the chicken properly with sea salt and black pepper before cooking, it will make all the difference to the finished dish.
- Its really important to de-glaze the pan with the wine (or stock if you aren't using wine). Scrape up any browned bits left over from cooking the chicken and adding all this flavor back into the sauce.
- If you feel the sauce is too thick then add more stock. If its too thin, boil the sauce to reduce it down slightly.
- Making this dish in advance? I would recommend leaving the kale out of the dish and adding this in to stir through and wilt just before you serve.
How To Serve
There is so much flavor in this one-pot creamy chicken, that I like to keep any side dishes simple. It's great served with garlic bread, rice or pasta, or with side salad like this Spinach & Arugula Salad, Kale Cannellini Salad, or Fall Kale Salad.
If you prefer a potato side try my Crispy Potato Wedges, Roast Potatoes, or or Mashed Potatoes. It also goes well with Crispy Sweet Potato Slices.
For a lower carb dinner, try making or buying zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice to serve alongside the creamy chicken. Both these options are also a great way of adding to your 5-a-day.
How To Reheat
This one-pot chicken dish can be made in advance and heated up when you are ready to eat. Simply cool the chicken and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
When ready to serve, remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you want to cook and allow to come to room temperature. Then place into a skillet and heat up gently over a medium, medium-low heat.
If the sauce looks a little thick you can add a little chicken stock of water to loosen it up. Heat until piping hot all the way through.
How to Freeze
This dish is easy to freeze. Cook the whole recipe but leave out the kale as this is best added fresh when reheating. Simply allow the chicken dish to cool, place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and defrost thoroughly before heating up gently in a skillet over a medium heat until completely warmed through.
Add little chicken broth or water to loosen up the sauce if necessary and stir through the fresh kale to wilt just before serving.
Pin This Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs with Kale Recipe For Later
What Do You Think?!
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More Easy One-Pot Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe
Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs with Kale Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ lb Chicken Thighs - skin on & bone in
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 cloves Garlic - crushed
- ½ Red Onion - finely chopped
- 1 Red Pepper - finely sliced
- ½ cup White Wine
- ½ cup Chicken Stock
- 1 cup Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan
- 2 cups Baby Kale - packed
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Instructions
- In a medium frying pan (which has a lid) or dutch oven, sauté the chicken thighs over a medium-high heat until deep golden brown on both sides (around 10 minutes). Remove and reserve on a plate
- Reduce the heat to medium low and sauté the onions for 5 minutes in the same pan. Season generously with sea salt
- Add the red peppers and sauté for a further 5 minutes then stir in the garlic
- Deglaze the pan with the wine (pour it in and scrape the bottom of the pan) and cook for a couple of minutes to allow the alcohol to burn off
- Add the chicken stock whilst stirring.
- Add the chicken thighs back to the pan, place the lid on and simmer on a low heat until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and juices run clear - around 20-25 minutes
- Remove the chicken again to a plate to rest. Keep warm by wrapping in foil while you finish the sauce.
- Stir in the cream and the parmesan cheese until melted. Add more stock if it needs thinning. Boil the sauce down for a minute or two if it's too thick.
- When you're happy with the consistency of the sauce, stir through the kale.
- Next add the chicken back into the pan and reheat for a minute or two.
- And serve!
Marita says
This dinner sounds delicious and is so easy to make. This makes my mouth water. Thanks for sharing it at #cookblogshare.
Jo Keohane says
Thanks so much Marita. I love anything which is a one pot!!
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
This looks so delicious! The perfect comforting family meal.
Jo Keohane says
Thanks so much Cat, it does get made on repeat in our house 😉