Description
A rich and creamy skillet chicken dish featuring tender strips of chicken cooked in a flavorful sauce with garlic, roasted red peppers, and tangy pepperoncini peppers. This easy one-pan recipe combines Italian seasoning, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese to create a luscious sauce perfect for serving over pasta, rice, or vegetables.
Ingredients
Chicken and Seasoning
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 lbs chicken, cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 tbsp garlic, diced
- 1/2 cup roasted red pepper, drained and sliced
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers, drained (sliced, ring, or whole as preferred)
Liquids and Seasonings
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan and Melt Butter: In a large, heavy pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat to create a flavorful base for cooking the chicken.
- Season the Chicken: Season the chicken strips evenly with sea salt and ground pepper to enhance their natural flavor.
- Brown the Chicken: Add the chicken to the pan and brown on all sides, turning every couple of minutes until golden, approximately 8 minutes total. The chicken might not reach the full internal temperature yet, which is fine at this stage.
- Remove Chicken from Pan: Take the browned chicken out of the pan and set aside to prepare the sauce.
- Sauté Garlic and Onion: Add the diced garlic and onion to the pan; cook and brown them for about 5 minutes to develop deep flavor.
- Deglaze and Reduce: Pour in the chicken stock and add the sliced roasted red peppers. Let the mixture simmer and reduce by half over about 5 minutes, concentrating the flavors.
- Add Cream and Parmesan: Turn off the heat temporarily and gradually stir in the heavy cream and shredded parmesan cheese, whisking vigorously to blend them smoothly into the sauce.
- Reheat and Season: Slowly bring the heat back up to medium-high, then stir in the Italian seasoning along with the pepperoncini peppers and the reserved chicken strips.
- Simmer Until Fully Cooked: Let the sauce reduce to half again while ensuring the chicken cooks fully to an internal temperature of 165°F. Add additional chicken stock if the sauce becomes too thick during this process.
- Serve: Remove the skillet from heat and serve the creamy pepperoncini chicken over your choice of vegetables, pasta, rice, or enjoy it on its own.
Notes
- Adjust the heat of the dish by using more or fewer pepperoncini peppers based on your spice preference.
- Chicken strips may initially be undercooked after browning; the final simmer ensures safe internal temperature.
- If the sauce reduces too quickly, add small amounts of chicken stock to maintain desired consistency.
- This recipe works well with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into strips for quick cooking.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
