Description
Pepperoncini Chicken Skillet brings a zesty Southern twist to your dinner table that combines creamy comfort with bold pepper flavors. Weeknight cooking becomes a breeze when your skillet delivers such delicious, crowd-pleasing results.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup pepperoncini peppers
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Liquid Ingredients:
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup pepperoncini juice
- 2 green onions
Instructions
- Thoroughly dry 4 chicken breasts with paper towels. Season generously with 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper on both sides.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer and look slightly rippled.
- Carefully place seasoned chicken breasts into hot skillet. Cook for 5-6 minutes on the first side until a golden-brown crust forms.
- Flip chicken and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes, ensuring internal temperature reaches exactly 165°F.
- Transfer chicken to a clean plate, leaving delicious browned bits in the skillet.
- Reduce skillet heat to medium. Add 8 oz cream cheese, stirring gently until it starts melting and becomes soft.
- Pour in ½ cup chicken broth and ½ cup heavy cream. Whisk continuously to create a smooth, velvety sauce.
- Introduce ½ cup chopped pepperoncini peppers and ¼ cup pepperoncini juice into the sauce. Stir to distribute flavors evenly.
- Nestle chicken breasts back into the skillet. Spoon creamy sauce generously over each piece.
- Sprinkle ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese across the chicken. Allow cheese to melt completely for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat. Garnish with 2 finely chopped green onions just before serving.
Notes
- Check chicken doneness by using a meat thermometer to confirm 165°F internal temperature for safe eating.
- Slice pepperoncini peppers smaller for more distributed tangy flavor throughout the creamy sauce.
- For a lower-fat version, substitute half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream and use reduced-fat cream cheese.
- When reheating leftovers, add a splash of chicken broth to prevent sauce from separating and maintain creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-17 minutes
- Category: One-Skillet
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 710 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg