Cheesy Cheddar Chicken is a delicious and satisfying dish that combines tender chicken with gooey, melted cheese for a truly comforting meal.
Whether you're cooking for a crowd or a cozy night in, cheesy chicken is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Chicken Breast In Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Chicken recipes are high on our list and be sure to try favorites like Lemon caper chicken, Creamy Chanterelle Chicken and Chicken Parmesan.
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5 Star Review
The chicken was tender and delicious. The sauce was incredible!
- June, our reader
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
❤️ This Chicken Breasts in Cheddar Cheese Sauce recipe is perfect for a delicious and easy dinner.
❤️ The chicken is juicy, and the creamy cheese sauce is super tasty.
❤️ It’s quick to make and uses simple ingredients you probably already have at home.
Cheesy Chicken Ingredients
- Boneless skinless Chicken - you can make this cheese sauce with 6 thinner chicken cutlets. If you go for 4 pieces (like I did), you’ll have enough sauce to serve with pasta or other garnish.
- Butter and Flour for the roux - helsp to thicken the sauce.
- Heavy cream - adds richness and creaminess to the sauce. You can also use half & half.
- Cheddar cheese - is the main ingredient in the cheese sauce, providing a creamy, cheesy flavor. For best results, always shred the cheese from a block.
- Broth - adds liquid to the sauce, making it smooth and flavorful.
- Chicken broth - enhances the savory flavor, while vegetable broth is a good alternative for a lighter taste.
- Paprika - adds a hint of smoky flavor and a touch of color to the sauce.
Tender Chicken. Pound the chicken with the textured side of a meat mallet or rolling pin. This helps the chicken breast cook evenly and makes the meat juicier.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
💡 How to Slice Chicken Cutlets
- Place the chicken breast on a cutting board.
- Hold it flat with your hand.
- Use a sharp knife to slice it in half horizontally.
- You’ll end up with two thinner pieces, perfect for even cooking.
How To Make Cheesy Chicken Sauce
🍗 Prep Work
- Slice the Chicken: Cut each chicken breast into 2 thinner pieces (4 pieces in total). Pound them with a meat tenderizer if needed. The chicken will get thicker when cooked, so aim for slices about ½ inch thick. Pat the chicken dry.
- Season the Chicken: Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken pieces.
🥘 Cook the Chicken
- Heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
- Add the 4 pieces of chicken to the skillet, leaving space around each piece. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until almost done. Remove the chicken and set aside.
🫕 Make the Cheese Sauce
- Make the Roux: Wipe the excess oil from the pan. Melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the Broth and Cream: Slowly add the chicken broth in small amounts, stirring constantly to keep the sauce thick. Do the same with the cream.
- Add Flavor: Stir in paprika. You can also add vegetables like broccoli or chopped asparagus if you like.
- Cook the Sauce: Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a gentle bubble. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add Cheese: Lower the heat and let the sauce cool slightly. Gradually add the cheddar cheese, stirring continuously until it’s melted and combined. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Finish the Dish: Put the chicken back in the pan and spoon the sauce over it. Let the chicken heat through for 5 minutes. Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.
☑️ Flavor and Texture
It is perfectly creamy and cheesy and easy to make with simple ingredients. It is a true family-loved comfort food favorite.
Pro Tips
- Serving Size. You'll have enough cheesy chicken gravy/sauce for 3-4 servings of pasta. It’s similar to mac and cheese. You can also mix in vegetables and serve over mashed potatoes or rice.
- Use Fresh Cheese. Shred cheese from a block for the best melt.
- Avoid High Heat. Add cheese to the sauce when it’s not too hot to keep it smooth.
- Season Well. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Family dinner. This dish is perfectly seasoned and the whole family can enjoy. You can add more spices if you wish.
- Control Sodium. Use unsalted butter and low-sodium chicken broth. You can skip the salt when seasoning the chicken.
- Creamy Sauce. Make sure the sauce isn’t too hot when you add the cheese. If it’s too hot, the cheese can separate and get grainy. Always shred cheese from a block for better melting and taste.
- Flavor Boost. Add a bit of hot sauce to enhance the cheese sauce flavors without making it spicy. I like to do either hot sauce or sprinkle some red chili flakes on top of the chicken.
- Optional Bacon. Cook 6 strips of thick-cut bacon, crumble them, and use as a topping. You can also use the bacon drippings to cook the chicken or make the roux (use drippings instead of butter).
Make Next: Chipotle Chicken Pasta
Serving Suggestions
Serve this cheesy chicken recipe over pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice.
It also goes great with steamed veggies like broccoli, asparagus or green beans.
🥗 Add a side salad for a complete meal:
Storage and Reheating Tips
To Store. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to reheat. Reheat in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave until warmed through. Add a splash of milk or broth to keep the sauce creamy.
Recommended Tools For This Recipe
- Large Skillet - For cooking the chicken and sauce.
- Whisk - To mix the sauce smoothly.
- Meat Tenderizer - To pound the chicken evenly. BUT a good old rolling pin does the job just fine too.
- Box Grater - you can buy already shredded cheese, but it will melt much better if you grate it yourself.
Did You Like This Recipe?
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Recipe Card
Cheesy Chicken Breast (The Best Cheese Sauce!)
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INGREDIENTS
Chicken
- 2 large chicken breast, cut lengthwise in half
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour, or any gluten free blend
- 1 cup heavy cream , or half and half
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese , or Mexican cheese blend
- 1 cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- fresh parsley, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice the Chicken: Cut each chicken breast into 2 thinner pieces (4 pieces in total). Pound them with a meat tenderizer if needed. The chicken will get thicker when cooked, so aim for slices about ½ inch thick. Pat the chicken dry.2 large chicken breast, salt and black pepper
- Season the Chicken: Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken pieces.
- Heat the Pan: In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon butter, 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- Cook the Chicken: Add the 4 pieces of chicken to the skillet, leaving space around each piece. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until almost done. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Make the Roux: Wipe the excess oil from the pan. Melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.2 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon butter
- Add the Broth and Cream: Slowly add the chicken broth in small amounts, stirring constantly to keep the sauce thick. Do the same with the cream.1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup chicken broth
- Add Flavor: Stir in paprika. At this step, you can also add vegetables like broccoli florets or chopped asparagus if you like.¼ teaspoon paprika
- Cook the Sauce: Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a gentle bubble. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add Cheese: Lower the heat and let the sauce cool slightly. Gradually add the cheddar cheese, stirring continuously until it’s melted and combined. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed.1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
- Finish the Dish: Put the chicken back in the pan and spoon the sauce over it. Let the chicken heat through for 5 minutes. Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.fresh parsley
NOTES
- To Store. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- How to reheat. Reheat in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave until warmed through. Add a splash of milk or broth to keep the sauce creamy.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Cheese Chicken: FAQs
YES, you can use chicken thighs instead of breasts. They will be juicier and add a slightly different flavor to the dish.
Adjust cooking time as thighs may take a bit longer to cook through.
Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Mozzarella are great choices to pair with chicken.
These cheeses melt well and add a delicious creamy texture to the dish. Cheddar gives a sharp flavor, while Monterey Jack and Mozzarella offer a milder taste.
Top your chicken with shredded cheese, crispy bacon bits, or fresh herbs like parsley or basil.
Add a sprinkle of paprika or garlic powder for extra flavor.
YES, chicken and cheese are a fantastic combo! The creamy cheese adds richness to the chicken, making it more flavorful and satisfying.
This combination is popular in dishes like chicken Parmesan and cheesy chicken casseroles.
YES, you can melt cheese and milk together to create a creamy sauce.
Heat the milk gently and add shredded cheese gradually, stirring constantly until the cheese is fully melted and smooth.
Cheddar, Gruyere, and Fontina are some of the best cheeses for melting into a sauce.
They create a smooth and creamy texture, perfect for dishes like cheese sauce and fondue.
If your cheese won’t melt in the milk, it might be because the milk is too hot. Or in our case, the heavy cream and sauce.
High heat can cause the cheese to separate and become grainy. Use low to medium heat and add the cheese gradually, stirring constantly.
Shredding cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded cheese can also help it melt more smoothly.
Casey D.
What a tasty recipe. It was so quick to make
Jordan M.
Made this last night and the chicken came out tender and juicy. We served the delicious cheesy sauce over mashed potatoes and made your marinated cucumber salad for side. the best dinner ever!
Julia
Thank you Jordan, what a nice combo!
Pat K.
Sounds delicious, can't wait to try this tonight, I have all the ingredients.
June
The chicken was tender and delicious. The sauce was incredible!
Julia
Thank you for your feedback June!
Terry G.
Just tried the cheesy chicken recipe and it turned out amazing! The cheese sauce is literally to die for. Thanks for the detailed guide, Julia. Was wondering if I could use the same sauce recipe for a pasta dish?
Julia
Hi Terry, yes you'll have enough sauce to serve with pasta!
Sara
really good! I added some truffle oil too. when I added zucchini noodles it got watery though. but delicious regardless.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
truffle oil is the best! Thank you for sharing this tip Sara!
Bethany
Our favorite recipe for cheesy chicken! We make this often
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
It's my personal favorite too, especially when I'm craving true comfort food! Thank you Bethany!