This Cream Cheese Chicken Bake is a mouthwatering, easy, and indulgent dinner the whole family will devour. Tender slices of chicken are smothered in a rich, velvety, garlicky cream cheese sauce, then finished with melty mozzarella and parmesan. Just 10 minutes of prep!
This Cream Cheese Chicken Bake is the kind of dinner everyone gets excited about. Creamy, cheesy, garlicky, and packed with tender chicken, it’s pure comfort food made with simple ingredients and very little prep.
It’s one of my favorite easy chicken dinners for busy nights because it comes together quickly but still feels hearty and satisfying. Serve it with rice, pasta, or veggies for a family-friendly meal that always disappears fast!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Simple – Simple ingredients, but delicious and indulgent! And just 10 minutes of hands-on time needed.
- Amazing flavor – Who wouldn’t love a big dish of tender chicken smothered in cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese?
- Saves and reheats beautifully – Make extra so that you get to have leftovers! This recipe is so good you’ll want it multiple days in a row anyway.
- Easy cleanup – Just one bowl and one pan needed to put this together. Minimal dish recipes are my favorite ones!
Recipe Notes
This Cheesy Chicken Bake recipe is as simple as promised! Just a quick 10 minutes of prep for a family friendly dinner.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Baked Cream Cheese Chicken to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken Breast – You’ll need 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, either cut thinly or pounded into thinner pieces. This ensures quick baking!
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Cream Cheese – I recommend full-fat cream cheese for the best texture and flavor.
- Sour Cream
- Garlic
- Cheese – A blend of mozzarella and parmesan creates the perfect flavor for this baked chicken. Do freshly grated if you have time!
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Add veggies – Veg this recipe up with mushrooms, peas, broccoli florets, zucchini, bell pepper, spinach, you name it.
- Make it spicy – Give your chicken a nice kick of heat by adding red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the cream cheese mixture.
- Add a crunch – Finish your Baked Cream Cheese Chicken off with a crispy topping such as breadcrumbs or even Homemade Bacon Bits.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Baked Cream Cheese Chicken.
Combine cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, and half of the parmesan in a mixing bowl.
Mix until fully smooth and fully combined.
Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper, lay flat in a baking dish, then top evenly with the cream cheese mixture.
Sprinkle the remainder of the parmesan and all of the mozzarella over the top, then bake at 375ºF until the chicken is cooked through.
Recipe Tips
- Soften the cream cheese – Softened cream cheese incorporates more easily and smoothly with the rest of the ingredients. Just 30 minutes on the counter should do it!
- Slice (or pound) the chicken thinly and evenly – Whether you’re slicing the chicken or pounding it into thinner pieces, make sure that all of the pieces are pretty even in thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- Check the chicken temp – To be sure that your chicken is ready to serve, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. It should be 165ºF.
- Want extra gooey cheese? – Hold off on adding it and instead add it to the chicken in the last 10 minutes of baking time!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Prep the cream cheese mix ahead of time – Mix up your cream cheese sauce up to 2 days before assembling the rest of the recipe, then store it in the fridge.
- Prep your chicken in advance – You can slice or pound the chicken breast a day or two ahead of time so it’s ready to go.
What to Serve with Baked Cheesy Chicken
This protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of cream cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan, so it will pair well with a number of classic side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Sautéed Green Beans – These Sautéed Green Beans are the perfect lighter pairing for Cream Cheese Chicken. They’re deliciously crisp-tender and finished off with parmesan and pine nuts.
- Garlic Bread – You can never go wrong with a side of the Best Ever Garlic Bread…soft, buttery, garlicky, perfectly toasty!
- Mashed Potatoes – Almost nothing goes better with a cream cheese sauce than a heaping pile of Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes. These potatoes are velvety, creamy, buttery, and are ready in just 30 minutes!
Cheesy Chicken Bake Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Buttered Noodles – Dice the chicken up, then mix everything into a plate of buttered noodles for a delicious meal refresh!
- Cream Cheese Chicken Chili – Add leftovers to a crockpot along with everything needed for my Cream Cheese Chicken Chili (minus the chicken, the cream cheese, and the sour cream. We already have that here!)
Recipe FAQ’s
Can I use chicken thighs?
You sure can! Skinless chicken thighs work great, although you may need to adjust the cooking time.
Can you freeze Cream Cheese Chicken?
I don’t recommend it. Cream cheese can become thin and watery when frozen and thawed. For the best leftovers, I recommend just keeping them in the fridge for a couple of days.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Jalapeño Popper Chicken Bake
- Tuscan Garlic Chicken
- Salsa Fresca Chicken
- Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole
Cream Cheese Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, cut or pounded thin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese , divided into 2 half cups
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Season the chicken breast and lay flat in a baking dish.
- Combine the the cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, and half of the parmesan and mix together. Spread the mixture evenly over over the top of the chicken breasts.
- Top with remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes* or until cooked through, 165˚F internal temp.Optional: add the cheese in the last 10 minutes of baking time for more gooey cheese.*Time will vary based on the thickness of the chicken.
- Once done, garnish if desired and serve warm. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Chopped green onions
Leave a Reply