Creamy Pepperoncini Chicken Skillet Easy Weeknight Dinner
This creamy pepperoncini chicken skillet is a delicious and easy dinner perfect for a weeknight meal. It’s a comforting one pan chicken dinner that the whole family will enjoy. Ready in just 30 minutes, this skillet chicken recipe is full of flavor and simple to prepare.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Standard
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted preferred
- 2 lbs chicken cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 1 white onion diced
- 2 tbsp garlic diced
- 0.5 cup chicken stock plus more as needed to adjust sauce consistency
- 0.5 cup roasted red pepper drained and sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream full-fat for best results
- 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese freshly shredded from a block for smoothest sauce
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 0.5 cup pepperoncini peppers drained sliced rings or whole
Instructions
- Slice the chicken into thin strips and season them evenly with sea salt and ground pepper.
- In a large heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat, then add the chicken strips in a single layer and brown them on all sides for about 8 minutes, working in batches if necessary, then remove and set aside.
- Using the same skillet, sauté the diced onion and garlic over medium-high heat until they become golden and aromatic, around 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and roasted red peppers to the pan and let it reduce by half for about 5 minutes to build flavor.
- Turn off the heat completely, then gradually whisk in the heavy cream and shredded Parmesan cheese until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- Reactivate the heat to medium-high, stir in the Italian seasoning and drained pepperoncini peppers, and taste to adjust salt as needed.
- Return the chicken strips to the skillet and simmer until the chicken is thoroughly cooked to 165 degrees F and the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency, adding more chicken stock one tablespoon at a time if the sauce gets too thick.
- Serve the dish hot over rice, pasta, or roasted vegetables, optionally garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, substitute full-fat coconut cream for the heavy cream
- Replace chicken stock with vegetable broth and use plant-based chicken for a vegetarian option
- Adjust spice level with mild or hot pepperoncini
- Always shred Parmesan fresh from a block for the smoothest sauce
- Chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts for a juicier result
- For a lower-calorie version, swap heavy cream for half-and-half
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 450