Chicken With Cheese Sauce (Printable)
Seared chicken breasts finished with a creamy cheddar and Parmesan sauce; quick, comforting weeknight fare.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Cheese Sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Sear chicken breasts for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
03 - Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove chicken to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
04 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and bubbling.
05 - Slowly add milk, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth and starts to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Lower the heat. Stir in cheddar, Parmesan, garlic powder, and Dijon mustard. Continue whisking until the cheese melts and the sauce is silky. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
07 - Arrange chicken breasts on serving plates and ladle cheese sauce over each portion. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cheese sauce comes together with zero fuss and transforms simple chicken into something crave-worthy.
- It only takes 40 minutes and makes any weeknight dinner feel just a bit more special, even when the day was anything but.
02 -
- I learned the hard way that overheating the cheese sauce turns it gritty—gentle heat is the secret.
- Letting the chicken rest a few minutes before saucing keeps it juicy and lets the flavors settle.
03 -
- Scrape the skillet for leftover browned bits — stirring them into the cheese sauce gives epic flavor.
- Warming the milk before adding to the roux helps keep the sauce lump-free, a trick I won’t skip anymore.