Sautéed Chicken with Cheddar Cheese Sauce
This creamy sautéed chicken with cheddar cheese sauce is bathed in a luxurious cheesy sauce made with sharp cheddar cheese, tender sauteed leeks and garden fresh chives.
I shared this recipe for Cheesy Chicken on May 20th, 2013. I have added new photographs and updated some of the text today.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe For Chicken with Cheese Sauce
This chicken and cheese sauce recipe is creamy, cheesy and practically swimming in copious amounts of cheesy sauce. Theoretically, I could have cut back on the sauce while developing this recipe, but I figured is there really a thing such as too much cheese sauce?
Like all the weeknight meals we make at Healthy Seasonal Recipes, this recipe adds a seasonal veggie: fresh leeks! Served with Mashed Potatoes and this fresh green bean recipe, this chicken in cheese sauce is the perfect family-friendly comfort food dinner!
If you love healthier comfort food recipes, like this one, try our Healthy Beef Stroganoff, Healthy Stuffed Peppers and this creamy healthy Chicken Divan casserole.
Ingredients
- Thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets: Look for a package of thin-slice chicken breast which cooks more quickly and is perfect for sauteed chicken recipes. You can cut your own chicken into thinner cutlets with a sharp chef’s knife. Chicken tenders also work well for this recipe.
- Leeks: For our seasonal veggie, we added in chopped fresh leeks. If you’re new to this onion alternative, follow our instructions for how to clean a leek to chop and wash the leeks. You can also use green garlic in the springtime when available or a finely diced onion works too.
- Dry White Wine: Any dry white wine will do here. You can use alcohol-free wine, verjus or a little broth with a squeeze of lemon to make it alcohol-free.
- Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth: Any store-bought chicken broth is great here.
- Milk: Use either whole milk or non-fat milk depending on what you normally buy. Reduced-fat or low fat milk will also work.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Buy the sharpest you can find as this is what gives the cheese sauce its tangy, cheesy flavor. I like to use yellow cheese when I can find it to add a little color to the cheese sauce.
- Pantry Staples: Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, canola or avocado oil, all-purpose flour, dried thyme.
- Fresh Chives: For garnish. Scallions or sliced green onions also work.
How to Make Chicken in Cheese Sauce
Step 1: Dredge chicken
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge the chicken in flour until well coated on both sides, shaking off excess. Set the chicken aside and discard the flour mixture, reserving 2 tablespoons for later.
Step 2: Sauté chicken
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until browned on both sides, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Note the chicken will continue to cook in step 7.
Step 3: Cook Leeks
Add the leeks, thyme and salt to the same skillet. Cook the aromatics until fragrant and starting to brown slightly, 1 to 3 minutes.
Step 4: Deglaze with Wine
Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits until the wine has almost completely evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add Flour
Sprinkle the reserved ¼ cup flour over the green garlic mixture. Next, stir the flour into the cooked leeks. This will coat them with the flour and allow the flour to dissolve. This step will prevent the sauce from having lumps of raw flour.
Step 6: Add broth and milk and thicken the sauce
Stir in the broth and milk until the flour is dissolved. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Step 7: Finish Cooking Chicken in the Sauce
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet with the sauce and return to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, turning the chicken over in the sauce occasionally until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and is cooked through, 4 minutes longer.
Step 8: Add Cheese to Sauce
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the shredded cheddar cheese into the sauce until the cheese is melted. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve sprinkled with the chopped chives (or scallions.)
FAQs and Expert Tips
Let the dish cool down to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave until it’s hot before serving.
To make ahead of time, prepare the chicken according to the recipe instructions (except this time, make sure to cook it all the way through), then store it separately from the sauce in the fridge. Reheat the chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium heat, whisking in extra milk as needed to thin out the sauce, until everything is hot and bubbly.
A variety of cheeses can be used in the cheese sauce, including gruyere, fontina or Monterey Jack. The type of cheese will affect the flavor and texture of the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
- Cooked peas, Roasted Asparagus and this Grilled Asparagus pair well with this cheesy chicken recipe.
- If you like chicken pot pie, then you know how tasty chicken, creamy sauce and carrots are together so try Garlic Butter Cooked Baby Carrots.
- Barley, egg noodles, whole-wheat couscous or brown rice would all be great starchy sides to soak up that cheesy sauce. Make barley in an instant pot.
- Opt for a low cal side like cauliflower rice that while low carb, still goes with all the creamy cheesy sauce!
At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Sautéed Chicken with Cheese Sauce
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This creamy sautéed chicken with cheddar cheese sauce is bathed in a luxurious cheesy sauce made with sharp cheddar cheese. Served with mashed potatoes and green beans this chicken in cheese sauce is the perfect family-friendly comfort food dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound thin sliced boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup finely chopped and cleaned leeks
- 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup non-fat milk
- 4 ounces shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and pepper all over the chicken cutlets. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge chicken in the flour, until coated, shaking off excess and setting aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons left-over flour and discard the remainder.
- Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, but not smoking, add chicken to skillet in one layer (do not overcrowd- see note below*) and cook until browned on both sides, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Note chicken will continue cooking in step 7.
- Add leeks, thyme and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt to the skillet, and cook, stirring until fragrant and starting to brown slightly, 1 to 3 minutes.
- Add wine, and cook scraping up any browned bits until the wine has almost completely evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle the reserved 2 tablespoons flour over the leek mixture and stir to coat.
- Stir in broth and milk and stir until the flour is dissolved. Bring to a simmer, stirring often, and continue cooking until the sauce is thickened slightly about 1 minute.
- Return the chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, turning the chicken over in the sauce occasionally until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and is cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes longer.
- Transfer the chicken to serving platter. Remove skillet from heat and stir cheese into the sauce until the cheese is melted. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve sprinkled with chives.
Notes
*Note: If the chicken does not fit in one layer, cook in two batches and reduce the heat if necessary to prevent it from burning.
Make-Ahead Instructions: To make this skillet sauteed chicken with cheese sauce ahead of time, prepare the chicken according to the recipe instructions (except this time, make sure to cook it all the way through), then store it separately from the sauce in the fridge. Reheat the chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium heat, whisking in extra milk as needed to thin out the sauce, until everything is hot and bubbly.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces chicken and 1/2 cup sauce
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 28 g
This dish looks absolutely gorgeous. Sounds really delicious as well. Definitely trying this tomorrow! I have to say, your dishes are really well presented. Kudos to you, Katie. I found a new favourite site!
Why thank you Gareth. Thanks for dropping by. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
I printed this week’s recipes. I made the rice dish last night and skillet chicken tonight. Both were a hit along with the cauliflower rice. I skipped the steak because my husband has alpha gal. Thanks for giving me healthy ideas and recipes that won’t break the bank.
I am so so happy to hear that you are liking it Lanelle. That is such great news. Enjoy!
We’re going to be in the high 60s this weekend and I’m so getting spring fever. This chicken dish caught my eye and after reading your post, I’m really ready for spring. I don’t have a vegetable garden but I plan on a really big herb garden this year. I’m so jealous of your food styling skills, Katie! Absolutely beautiful! And it looks delicious too!
Thank you Bill. I wish it was warmer here this weekend. Though it is supposed to get above freezing, so I shouldn’t complain;) I am looking forward to the garden too. You can never have enough herbs.
just discovering this recipe – yes I’m poking around your blog 😉 – and I love it!! quick comfort is totally my kind of dinner!
Totally okay by me if you poke around Christine! Quick and comfort are always good right?!
This is a gorgeous dish! I’ll be adding it to my menu this week for sure 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you Lauren. Comfort food is on our menu this week too!
Enjoy the marathon! How long is your leg? This recipe looks so fresh and good, it’s definitely something I could modify for my low carb, GF diet.
I didn’t end up getting to run in the race. My team mates had to leave town unexpectedly. Oh well there is always next year. I think it would be easy to make it gf, though a little bit of starch may be needed to stabilize the sauce so the cheese won’t break. I think if you skip the dredging step, you can then just add in enough gf flour (3 tablespoons is probably enough) to thicken the sauce and keep the carbs in check.
Thanks Brooke. Yes I am sure gf mix or rice flour would work well here. I think you could easily omit the dredging step, and just add the gf flour to the green garlic mixture to stabilize and thicken the sauce.
Your photography is amazing. You just capture the life in the food so well like it’s actually in front of me. Also you had me at fast 😉 I think I would try substituting the flour with GF flour which im sure will work 🙂
This chicken is simply gorgeous! I love all the fresh flavors here … the green garlic, the thyme.. I will definitely be making this.
Thanks Kate. I am glad you think it looks good. I think I will have to make a fall variation too when the time comes. It seems like it would work with rosemary and mushrooms.