Description
Creamy Ranch Chicken is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender seared chicken breasts smothered in a rich ranch-flavored sauce made with sour cream, chicken broth, and aromatic seasonings. This easy stovetop recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner and can be garnished with fresh parsley for a touch of brightness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5–8 oz. each)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Fresh parsley, to garnish (optional)
Sauce
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream (full-fat recommended)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 (1 oz.) packet ranch seasoning mix
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Sear the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Make the roux: Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Stir in the flour and cook for about one minute, whisking constantly to form a smooth paste without browning.
- Add liquids and seasonings: Slowly pour in the chicken broth while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Then add the milk, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and ranch seasoning mix. Stir well to dissolve the sour cream and ranch mix completely into the sauce.
- Simmer and finish: Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices on the plate back into the skillet. Spoon sauce over the chicken, cover, and simmer gently until the chicken is heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Serve: Dish the chicken onto plates, spoon extra sauce on top, and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the smaller side (5–8 oz). For larger chicken breasts, halve them lengthwise to create cutlets for even cooking.
- Use full-fat sour cream to prevent curdling and ensure a creamy sauce.
- For extra flavor, add crispy chunky bacon bits on top of the chicken before serving or mix them into the sauce.
- Make sure to pound the chicken evenly so it cooks uniformly and remains tender.
- Low sodium chicken broth helps control salt levels but adjust seasoning according to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
