Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken: The Ultimate 15-Minute Skillet Dinner (Keto & Gluten-Free)
Prepare to revolutionize your weeknight dinner routine with this incredibly easy and exceptionally flavorful Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken. This recipe is a true kitchen hero, demanding just 5 simple ingredients and a mere 15 minutes of prep time. Its speed and simplicity make it an undeniable candidate for regular appearances on your weekly meal plan, offering a gourmet experience without the fuss.
What makes this dish even more remarkable is its health-conscious profile. The rich, velvety sauce is crafted entirely without flour, ensuring it is naturally gluten-free, low-carb, and wonderfully keto-friendly. Beyond its dietary benefits, it’s a testament to how versatile and profoundly delicious healthy eating can be. Get ready for a meal that’s both incredibly satisfying and unbelievably quick to bring to the table!
This effortless recipe for Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken has quickly become a beloved staple in our household. It’s a delightful twist on another cherished recipe, our One Pan Creamy Garlic Chicken. Both dishes share the incredible benefit of being ready in a flash, typically within 15 minutes, and require minimal ingredients—usually 5 or fewer, excluding basic salt and pepper, of course! This efficiency is why I adore easy skillet chicken meals; they are the epitome of quick, straightforward, and incredibly versatile cooking.
The beauty of this dish extends to its adaptability. You can entirely transform the meal’s “vibe” simply by altering your side dishes. For those aiming to maintain a low-carb lifestyle, serving this chicken with cauliflower rice or a medley of steamed vegetables works perfectly. If you’re looking to indulge and soak up every last drop of that delectable red pepper cream sauce, classic options like fluffy rice or your favorite pasta are fantastic choices, and for very obvious, delicious reasons! This recipe truly caters to every preference.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Creamy Red Pepper Chicken Recipe:
This dish isn’t just another weeknight meal; it’s a culinary triumph packed with benefits that make it an instant favorite. Here are the top reasons why this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken deserves a permanent spot in your recipe collection:
- Lightning Fast & Delicious: Imagine a gourmet-quality meal ready in just 15 minutes! This recipe is specifically designed for the busiest of weeknights, ensuring you can enjoy a delicious, home-cooked dinner without sacrificing precious time. It’s quick, easy, and incredibly satisfying, proving that fast food can indeed be fantastic and healthy.
- Budget-Friendly & Simple Ingredients: You don’t need a pantry full of exotic items for this dish. Utilizing only 5 basic, widely available ingredients, this recipe is not only incredibly simple to prepare but also very economical. It’s proof that extraordinary flavor doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag or a complicated ingredient list.
- Dietary Friendly (Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Keto): For those with specific dietary needs or preferences, this recipe is a dream come true. Crafted without flour, it naturally fits into gluten-free, low-carb, and ketogenic diets. However, its versatility means you can easily pair it with carb-rich sides like pasta or rice if that better suits your lifestyle and cravings, making it a truly inclusive meal.
- Perfect for Meal Prep & Reheating: Looking for a dish that tastes just as good, if not better, the next day? This Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken excels as a meal prep option. It reheats beautifully, making it ideal for packed lunches or quick dinners throughout the week. Its flavors meld and deepen upon resting, ensuring a delightful experience every time.
- Incredibly Versatile: From the type of chicken cut to the accompanying side dishes, this recipe offers endless possibilities for customization. Whether you prefer a lighter meal with steamed greens or a hearty dish with creamy mashed potatoes, this chicken adapts effortlessly, allowing you to tailor it to your exact preferences and dietary goals.
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity, utilizing a handful of common ingredients to create something truly exceptional. Here’s what you’ll need, along with a few tips:
- Chicken Breasts: You’ll need 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The trick to quick cooking and even tenderness is to split them in half widthwise to create thinner cutlets (refer to this helpful tutorial from Serious Eats). Alternatively, you can buy 4 pre-made chicken cutlets. This should equate to roughly 1 pound of chicken, ensuring juicy, flavorful results that cook quickly and absorb the sauce beautifully.
- Roasted Red Pepper: The kind sold in a jar, usually packed in oil or water, is absolutely perfect for this recipe. These peppers offer a deep, smoky sweetness that forms the backbone of our creamy sauce. Remember to drain them thoroughly before slicing or chopping, as we want to avoid excess oil diluting our rich cream sauce. A little residual oil is fine and won’t harm the dish, but draining the bulk of it helps maintain the desired texture and flavor profile.
- Butter: This is a non-negotiable ingredient for achieving that perfect golden-brown crust on your chicken and infusing the dish with an unparalleled richness and savory depth that only butter can provide. Use good quality butter for the best flavor.
- Heavy Cream: This is the star of our luscious red pepper cream sauce. It’s crucial to use actual heavy cream or whipping cream because lower-fat dairy products like half-and-half or table cream lack the fat content needed to thicken properly when simmered, which is essential for creating that luxurious, spoonable sauce without adding flour or starches.
- Garlic: Just two cloves of freshly minced garlic are enough to provide a delightful aromatic foundation and a pungent kick, perfectly complementing the sweetness of the roasted red peppers. Fresh garlic is always preferred for its vibrant flavor compared to pre-minced versions.
- Salt and Pepper: These basic seasonings are all you need to elevate the natural flavors of the chicken and sauce. Season generously to your taste, ensuring every bite is perfectly balanced. Simple yet essential!
How To Craft This Creamy Red Pepper Chicken Masterpiece
Creating this delicious skillet meal is straightforward and rewarding. Follow these steps to achieve perfectly cooked chicken bathed in a rich, creamy roasted red pepper sauce.
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Breasts
To begin, we’ll transform our chicken breasts into quick-cooking cutlets. Take each boneless, skinless chicken breast and, using a sharp knife, carefully slice it in half horizontally through the thickest part. This technique, often referred to as butterflying and then separating, yields two thinner, more uniform pieces (chicken cutlets) from each breast. This is a crucial step as thinner chicken cooks much faster and more evenly in a hot skillet, guaranteeing a tender and juicy result for your speedy dinner. Once sliced, liberally season both sides of your chicken cutlets with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set them aside while you prepare your cooking vessel.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken to Golden Perfection
Place a heavy-bottomed skillet (or a Dutch oven, which also works wonderfully) over medium heat. Allow the pan to heat thoroughly; a hot pan is key to achieving a beautiful sear. Once hot, add the butter to the skillet and swirl it around until it’s completely melted and lightly shimmering. The butter not only adds incredible flavor but also helps in browning the chicken beautifully.
Carefully add the chicken cutlets to the skillet in a single layer, ensuring there’s some space between each piece to allow for proper browning and to prevent the pan from cooling down too much. Cook the first side for approximately 4-5 minutes, allowing it to develop a rich golden crust. Then, flip the chicken and cook the other side for another 3-5 minutes, or until each chicken breast reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC). A reliable meat thermometer (like this magnetic one I keep on my fridge) is invaluable here to ensure safety and perfect doneness without overcooking.
Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer it to a clean plate. Tent it loosely with foil to keep it warm and allow the juices to redistribute while you prepare the irresistible red pepper cream sauce.
Step 3: Craft the Luxurious Red Pepper Cream Sauce
Using the same skillet (don’t clean it, those browned bits are flavor!), reduce the heat slightly if needed. Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté it gently for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until it becomes wonderfully fragrant. Be careful not to burn it, as burnt garlic can turn bitter.
As soon as the garlic is fragrant, immediately pour in the heavy cream. This is where the magic happens! Use the edge of a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula to vigorously scrape up all the delicious browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan. This process, known as “deglazing,” infuses the cream sauce with incredible depth of flavor that the chicken left behind.
Next, stir in the chopped roasted red peppers. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the heavy cream to gently simmer for 1-3 minutes. During this time, the sauce will naturally thicken to a beautiful, spoonable consistency. Stir occasionally to ensure even heating and thickening.
Finally, return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the rich sauce. You can either spoon the luscious sauce generously over each chicken breast, ensuring every piece is coated, or gently toss everything together until the chicken is thoroughly enveloped in the creamy goodness. If desired, a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley can add a lovely touch of color and fresh herbaceousness before serving immediately.
Expert Tips and Tricks for Success
Achieving the perfect Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken is easy with these insider tips and tricks:
- Invest in a Heavy-Bottomed Skillet: This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a game-changer for this recipe. A quality heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven (similar to this skillet or this Dutch oven I use) ensures even heat distribution, preventing hot spots that can easily burn your chicken or scorch your sauce. Thin skillets tend to heat unevenly and too directly, leading to overcooked chicken and a less-than-perfect result. A thick base provides consistent warmth, essential for beautiful browning and smooth sauce creation.
- Mastering the Cream Sauce Thickening: The key to a wonderfully thick cream sauce, without the need for flour or cornstarch, lies in reduction. Don’t rush this step. Allowing the heavy cream to gently simmer for 1-3 minutes gives it enough time to naturally reduce and thicken. This process concentrates the flavors and creates that luxurious consistency that’s ideal for coating chicken or soaking into your favorite sides. Patient simmering is your secret weapon here.
- The Art of Deglazing for Flavor: While deglazing is commonly done with wine or broth, for this recipe, we strategically use heavy cream. This serves a dual purpose: it lifts all those delicious browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan, incorporating their rich, savory flavor into the sauce, and simultaneously contributes to the sauce’s body and creaminess. By using cream, we maintain the recipe’s five-ingredient simplicity and its gluten-free and keto status, bypassing the need for traditional thickeners.
- Prepping Jarred Roasted Red Peppers: Roasted red peppers from a jar are incredibly convenient, but they often come packed in oil. To prevent your sauce from becoming overly greasy or thin, it’s best to briefly drain them. Lay the peppers on a cutting board and gently pat them with a paper towel to remove excess oil before chopping. You don’t need to make them bone dry, just reduce the major oil content. Be mindful that the residual oil can make them a bit slippery to cut, so use caution and a sharp knife.
- Flavor Boosters (Optional): While the recipe is fantastic as is, for those who love a little extra kick, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce along with the garlic for a subtle warmth. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the very end can brighten the flavors beautifully.
- Meal Prep and Storage: This dish is a meal prep champion! Once cooled, transfer the chicken and sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. It reheats wonderfully on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, often tasting even better as the flavors have more time to meld.
Delightful Ways to Serve Roasted Red Pepper Chicken
This versatile Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken pairs beautifully with a wide array of side dishes. Here are some fantastic serving suggestions to complete your meal, catering to various tastes and dietary needs:
- Over Rice: A classic pairing, fluffy white or brown rice perfectly absorbs the rich, creamy sauce, making every bite incredibly satisfying.
- Over Pasta: Toss with your favorite pasta shape, such as penne or fettuccine, for a hearty and comforting meal reminiscent of Italian-American classics.
- With Steamed Veggies: Lightly steamed broccoli, green beans, or asparagus offer a fresh, crisp contrast to the creamy chicken and add a boost of nutrients.
- With Roasted Veggies: Roasted Brussels sprouts, carrots, or root vegetables provide a caramelized sweetness that complements the savory red pepper sauce beautifully.
- With a Side Salad: A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette offers a refreshing, vibrant counterpoint to the rich main dish.
- With a Rice Pilaf: A seasoned rice pilaf adds an extra layer of flavor and texture, turning a simple meal into something more elaborate.
- With Baked Potatoes: A warm, fluffy baked potato is perfect for soaking up all the delicious creamy sauce.
Low Carb and Keto-Friendly Serving Options:
For those following a low-carb or ketogenic lifestyle, this dish is already a perfect fit. Here are some excellent low-carb serving ideas:
- Cauliflower Rice: An ideal substitute for traditional rice, cauliflower rice is low in carbs and effortlessly soaks up the creamy sauce.
- Low-Carb Pasta Substitute: Explore options like konjac noodles, zucchini noodles (zoodles), or almond flour pasta for a guilt-free pasta experience.
- Mashed Cauliflower: A creamy and comforting alternative to mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower makes a wonderful bed for the saucy chicken.
- With Steamed Veggies: Keep it light and healthy with steamed green beans, broccoli, or spinach, all excellent low-carb choices.
- With Roasted Veggies: Roasted asparagus, bell peppers (other than red, or just more red!), or zucchini offer fantastic flavor without the carbs.
- With a Side Salad: A crisp green salad with a low-carb dressing is always a refreshing and light accompaniment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Roasted Red Pepper Chicken
Here are answers to some common questions about making and enjoying this delicious dish:
One of the most effective and natural ways to thicken red pepper sauce, especially a cream-based one like this, is through reduction. By simply allowing the sauce to simmer gently, the liquid evaporates, concentrating the flavors and thickening the sauce to a desirable consistency. Another common method is to create a cornstarch slurry (a mix of cornstarch and cold water), whisk it into the simmering sauce, and then cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until thickened. For this specific recipe, using heavy cream and allowing it to simmer naturally achieves a perfect, flour-free thickness.
While chicken is an incredibly versatile and arguably the best option for a red pepper sauce due to its mild flavor absorbing the sauce beautifully, a variety of other meats also pair wonderfully. Beef (especially leaner cuts or ground beef), pork (chops or tenderloin), and even more adventurous options like lamb or goat can be deliciously complemented by the smoky, sweet, and creamy notes of a red pepper sauce. Its robust flavor profile makes it adaptable to many proteins.
Roasted red peppers are a powerhouse of flavor and incredibly versatile! Beyond this delicious chicken dish, you can chop them and add them to almost any meal, from scrambled eggs and omelets to sandwiches and salads. They make a fantastic topping for homemade pizzas or flatbreads. Blend them into creamy dips (like a romesco or hummus variation), spread them on crackers with soft cheese, or incorporate them into antipasto platters. They can also be pureed into soups or sauces for an extra layer of sweetness and depth.
Yes, absolutely! Roasted red pepper is an excellent keto-friendly, low-carb, and naturally sugar-free ingredient. Similar to fresh bell peppers, they are low in net carbohydrates and high in flavor. They are a fantastic way to add vibrant color, smoky sweetness, and a boost of vitamins (like Vitamin C and A) to a wide array of dishes, including chicken meals, creamy dips, and various antipasto preparations, without compromising your ketogenic goals.
While this recipe heavily relies on heavy cream for its texture and flavor, you can adapt it. For a dairy-free version, use a full-fat canned coconut cream or a high-quality dairy-free heavy cream alternative. For a vegan version, you would substitute the chicken with plant-based protein like pan-seared tofu, tempeh, or a hearty mushroom steak, and then follow the dairy-free cream substitutions. Keep in mind the flavor profile will subtly change but can still be quite delicious.
More Easy Chicken Breast Recipes You’ll Love:
If you’re a fan of quick, delicious, and easy chicken dishes, then you’ll want to explore these other fantastic recipes that utilize chicken breasts to create memorable meals:
- One Pan Creamy Garlic Chicken: A close cousin to this recipe, offering similar convenience with a delightful garlic-infused cream sauce.
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup: A comforting and flavor-packed soup that comes together effortlessly in your pressure cooker.
- Slow Cooker Lemonade Chicken: An unexpectedly delicious and super simple recipe where lemonade adds a unique sweet and tangy twist.
- Slow Cooker Queso Chicken Tacos: Perfect for a casual dinner, these tacos are bursting with cheesy, tender chicken flavor.
- Skillet Chicken with Garlic Herb Butter Sauce – Cooking Classy: Another fantastic skillet option featuring aromatic garlic and herbs with rich butter.
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken
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Equipment
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Heavy-Bottomed Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cut in half widthwise (approximately 1 pound)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chopped roasted red peppers in oil drained
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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Cut your chicken breasts in half widthwise, making two thinner pieces with each breast. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper to your taste.
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Heat a heavy bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until the pan is hot.
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Add the butter, and swirl with a wooden spoon or a pair of tongs until completely melted.
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Add the chicken breasts in a single layer, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Flip the chicken breasts, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until each chicken breast reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165F. -
Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and place them on a plate. Set aside.
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Add in the garlic cloves, and sauté just until fragrant; 30 seconds to 1 minute.
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Pour in the heavy cream and use the bottom of the wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
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Add in the chopped roasted red peppers, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
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Simmer for 1-3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the skillet and stirring the sauce, until it has thickened.
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Remove the sauce from the heat and add the chicken breasts back into the skillet. Spoon the sauce over them, or toss to coat with the sauce.
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Garnish with parsley (if desired) and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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