Creamy Chicken Broccoli Skillet
Who doesn't want a dinner that's creamy, fresh and filling??
Looking for a quick, tasty, veggie-packed dinner to whip up tonight? We’ve got you covered with this super easy, delicious, broccoli chicken skillet. With paprika and basil-seasoned chicken thighs – gotta love the flavor from the dark meat! – and a creamy garlic sauce to boot, along with plenty of tendercrisp greens, this dish has everything you want in a meal! We love using boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of breasts for the added flavor, but feel free to use chicken breasts if that’s what you have on hand. Apart from the flavor imparted from the meat, this dish also packs a punch with its use of garlic and basil. The sauce is roux-based, but not your typical roux….
Yes, we use butter and flour as the base of the sauce, but not before sautéeing plenty of garlic and basil in the butter first. This perfectly seasons the sauce, so when we add the evaporated milk (for added creaminess), browned chicken thighs and broccoli florets, the sauce coats everything perfectly and all the flavors blend together like you wouldn’t believe. Again, you can tweak this dish if you feel like it, swapping out the cut of meat for something different, or using asparagus instead of broccoli…but we love it just the way it is and think you will too!
Chicken Broccoli Skillet
Ingredients
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Sauce:
- 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
- 2-3 cups broccoli florets
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
- fresh basil, garnish, optional
Preparation
- Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season chicken thighs all over with basil, paprika, salt and pepper, then place in skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until browned. Flip over and brown the other side until chicken is cooked through.
- Transfer chicken to a separate plate and set aside.
- Heat butter in hot skillet and sauté garlic and basil for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Stir in flour and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until golden.
- Whisking continuously, pour in evaporated milk and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and let mixture simmer, then return chicken to skillet and add broccoli florets. Stir everything together, then cover and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until broccoli is tendercrisp.
- Remove from heat and serve hot.
Recipe adapted from Best Recipe Box