Description
This creamy pepperoncini chicken skillet is a fast, flavor-packed one-pan dinner. Tender strips of chicken swim in a tangy, cheesy sauce studded with roasted red peppers and zippy pepperoncini — ready in about 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights or prepping for the week ahead.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 lb chicken, sliced into thin strips
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ cup pepperoncini, drained (use rings, slices, or whole, however you like them)
Instructions
- Season & slice the chicken. Trim and cut the chicken into thin strips. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
- Brown the meat. Heat the butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear until both sides are golden-brown. Remove the chicken to a plate — it will finish cooking later.
- Soften the aromatics. In the same pan, add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Build the base. Pour in the chicken broth and add the roasted red peppers. Let the liquid simmer and reduce by roughly half; this concentrates the flavor.
- Make the creamy sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan until smooth. Return the skillet to medium-low heat and bring the sauce gently back up.
- Add seasonings and tang. Stir in the Italian seasoning and the drained pepperoncini. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Finish with chicken. Return the browned chicken to the skillet and simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce thickens to a silky consistency, about 4–6 minutes.
- Serve. Spoon the saucy chicken over rice, pasta, or roasted veggies and serve hot.
Notes
- Substitutions & swaps
- Dairy-free: Use coconut cream in place of heavy cream.
- Vegetarian: Replace chicken and stock with a plant-based chicken substitute and vegetable broth.
- Milder heat: Choose mild pepperoncini or rinse them briefly to tone down the tang.
- Handy tips
- Don’t crowd the pan when browning; do it in batches for a better sear.
- Add extra stock a splash at a time if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Freshly grate the Parmesan for the smoothest sauce.
- Bold tip: Lower the heat when adding cream to prevent it from breaking.
- Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Rewarm gently on the stove, adding a little broth or cream to refresh the sauce.
- Quick variations
- Toss in spinach at the end for color and nutrients.
- Stir in a spoonful of pesto for herbaceous depth.
- Swap pepperoncini for pickled banana peppers for a different tang profile.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 690mg
- Fat: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 150mg