One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Veggies
This One-Pot Creamy Chicken and Veggies is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels like a treat without any of the fuss. Tender, golden-seared chicken cubes and colorful spring vegetables are brought together in a rich, velvety cream sauce seasoned with garlic, onion, and Italian herbs — all cooked in a single pan from start to finish. It comes together in just 30 minutes, leaves almost nothing to clean up, and delivers the kind of hearty, comforting flavor that keeps the whole family coming back for seconds.
Equipment
- Large skillet or deep sauté pan with lid At least 12 inches wide
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula For stirring
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Garlic press or fine grater (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless chicken breast about 450g, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry
- 2 cups mixed vegetables about 300g; peas, carrots, corn, and green beans — fresh or frozen
- 1 cup heavy cream about 240ml; room temperature preferred
- 1 cup chicken broth about 240ml; low-sodium recommended
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 tbsp butter about 28g; unsalted preferred
- 1 tbsp olive oil about 15ml
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For Garnish
- fresh parsley chopped; to taste
Instructions
- Pat the chicken cubes dry with paper towels, then season all over with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cubes in a single layer and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until golden, then remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, melt the butter in the same skillet, and cook the diced onion for 3–4 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, and simmer for 1–2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, stir to combine, and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Add the mixed vegetables to the sauce and stir to coat. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the vegetables are just tender but still have a little bite.
- Return the seared chicken to the skillet along with any plate juices, stir to coat, and simmer on medium-low for 4–5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning — this helps it sear golden instead of steaming in the pan.
- Cook the chicken in batches if your skillet is small. Overcrowding the pan leads to steaming rather than browning.
- Use room-temperature heavy cream when possible. Cold cream added to a hot pan can cause the sauce to separate.
- When you add the chicken broth, scrape up the browned bits on the pan bottom — this is called deglazing and adds serious depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Keep the heat at medium-low once the cream has been added to prevent the sauce from curdling or breaking.
- To lighten the dish, substitute the heavy cream with half-and-half or a mixture of whole milk and 1 tablespoon of flour.
- For extra richness, stir in a handful of freshly grated Parmesan right before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken overnight — reheat with a splash of chicken broth to loosen it.
- This dish can be frozen for up to 2 months, though cream-based sauces may separate slightly on thawing. Stir well while reheating over low heat and the sauce should come back together.
- All chopped vegetables and aromatics can be prepped up to 24 hours in advance and stored separately in the fridge to speed up dinner time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 32gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 480mgPotassium: 620mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 10mg
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