This pan seared chicken and cilantro cream sauce is a quick dinner that cooks in a flash and is perfect for a weeknight meal. You can serve it with spicy Mexican rice, or slice it and put it on top of the best taco salad you’ll ever have.
Chicken and Cilantro Cream Sauce
Pan fried chicken tenders are one of my favorite quick dinners to throw together when I don’t want to mess around with a huge production.
This recipe was slightly adapted from the amazing Skillet Chicken with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I am totally in love with her blog, and I’d love to encourage you guys to pop over there and check out all the awesome food and goodies she’s whipping up over there.
A few tips when you are cooking this chicken and cilantro cream sauce:
- I love using chicken tenders because they cook quickly and are pretty evenly sized, even right out of the package.
- You can use chicken breasts, but if you do I’d recommend slicing them in half the long way to make them about half as thick as they typically are. This will make them cook faster and more evenly.
- This sauce doesn’t thicken up much, at all. That’s okay. It is awesome drizzled on top of your complete dish, and over rice too. Such awesome condensed flavor!
This is a perfect dish to serve with my spicy one-pot mexican rice, and my super-popular and EASY churro recipe. Feel like fajitas? My Traeger Sheet Pan Fajitas will do the trick!
Chicken and Cilantro Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders boneless, skinless, and trimmed of any excess fat
- salt pepper, and garlic salt, lightly applied to chicken breasts
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup finely diced shallot
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoons good tequila
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried cilantro OR Cilantro stir-in paste
- 1/2 teaspoon Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Red Pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Season the chicken tenders lightly with the salt, pepper, and garlic salt.
- Preheat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan and brown on both sides.
- Remove from the pan, and add in the shallots and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the shallots, stirring frequently, until they start to soften up. About 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, lime juice, tequila, cilantro, red pepper flakes, heavy cream, and salt. Simmer over medium to medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add chicken back into pan, and continue on a low simmer, and spoon the sauce over the chicken as it cooks. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
rena
Wednesday 24th of July 2019
I stumbled across this post because I’m doing some research on kitchens with no pantries because we are moving to a place in a week without one. Also, there are only 2 upper cabinets! Who designed this? And I know what you mean, there is a very deep bottom cabinet that you have to get on your hands and knees to put stuff into it or dig it out. Anyway, I would love to see an overall photograph of your kitchens to get an idea about your cabinets. Looks like you have a lot of good organizing ideas!
Nicole Johnson
Thursday 25th of July 2019
I'm not sure where you came up with that idea from this post, but best wishes on a successful kitchen reno! I don't share photos of my kitchens and my cabinets are the WORST. :D
Jackie
Friday 27th of July 2018
Great job to whoever created this recipe!! It was excellent. If you feel the need to leave anything out, don't make it, because it is perfect just as it is. Also, even though I was all prepared to doctor it with butter or sour cream, it needed nothing! (If you're not watching calories, I suggest adding a topping of provolone, or mozzarella, or cream cheese and sun dried tomatoes. If you're watching calories, omit the vegetable oil and just use a well seasoned cast iron pan with some Pam to brown the chicken, and exchange heavy cream for half and half.) The recipe is great as it is so try it and enjoy!
Nicole Johnson
Saturday 28th of July 2018
Thank you so much, Jackie! I love this one too! <3
Dee @ The Kitchen Snob
Sunday 19th of June 2016
This looks really delicious! I haven't ever seen the lightly dried cilantro. I'm going to be on the lookout for it because that seems really convenient.
Jennifer
Friday 3rd of June 2016
The instructions cut off after step 3. Can I get entire recipe?
Nicole Johnson
Friday 3rd of June 2016
Yikes!! So sorry about that. I'm not sure where that disappeared to. I re-added it, and I'll email you the complete directions as well. My apologies!
Danielle
Friday 3rd of June 2016
Oh wow, this looks AMAZING! I need to make this for dinner ASAP, I am loving the fresh flavor combination. I can put all my new Gourmet Garden herbs to good use. :)