Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs with Kale

This one pot chicken Creamy Garlic Chicken is everything you want in a comforting dinner. Juicy chicken thighs are seared and then smothered in a creamy sauce which is also packed full of healthy, fresh veggies. It's naturally gluten free too.

At the Family Food Kitchen I like to show time and again that great tasting food doesn't have to take hours to make.

Easy to prepare, nutritious and tasty, my creamy chicken and kale dish can be on the table in 45 minutes from start to finish. So it's perfect for busy weeknights.

This one-pot chicken thighs dish also works really well if you’re looking for an elevated dinner for date night or entertaining. But don’t want a ton of work to go with it.

If you like creamy sauces why not give one of my other popular one pots like Creamy Parmesan Shrimp with Peppers & Spinach a try?!

Why You Should Make This Creamy Garlic Chicken

• You can never have too many easy and delicious chicken recipes in your repertoire.

• This recipe can be easily doubled up 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.

• It 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're as big a fan of one-pot dinners as I am, then why not try my Creamy Skillet Tomato & Spinach Chicken Breasts, my Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Cream Sauce or my Salmon with Spinach Cream Sauce.

Creamy Garlic Chicken Ingredients

Find the full list and quantities in the recipe 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.

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.

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.

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!

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. It should register 165ºF/75ºC when inserted into the thickest part of the chicken (without touching a bone).

If you’re not using a 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 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 of Creamy Garlic Chicken

Add a spoon of dijon mustard to add extra depth of flavor to the sauce.

Stir through fresh herbs just before serving, to add a burst of freshness. Basil or parsley would work beautifully with the other flavors in this dish.

Tips For Making Creamy Chicken with Kale

• Take time to season the chicken properly 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 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 Creamy Garlic Chicken

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 rice or pasta.

For a lower carb dinner, try making or buying zucchini noodles to serve alongside the creamy chicken. Zoodles are also a great way of adding to your 5-a-day.

For a more relaxed feel, serve with a dressed green salad and crusty bread for mopping up those juices.

How To Reheat Creamy Garlic Chicken?

This one-pot chicken dish can be made in advance and heated up when you are ready to eat. Simply cool the chicken and place 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.

Gently place the parmesan sauce chicken into a skillet and heat up gently over a medium/medium low heat. It will heat faster if you place a lid on the pan.

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 Creamy Garlic Chicken?

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 stock or water to loosen up the sauce if necessary and stir through the fresh kale to wilt just before serving.

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This recipe was shared with the #cookblogshare community, which this week was kindly hosted by Marita at www.mydinner.co.uk