Creamy Pepperoncini Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken with tangy pepperoncini and creamy sauce, perfect for easy weeknight dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ For Cooking

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Sauce

03 - 1 cup sliced pepperoncini, fresh or jarred and drained
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
06 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasoning

07 - Salt to taste
08 - Black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken dry and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 6–7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium-low. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add sliced pepperoncini and sauté for 2–3 minutes.
05 - Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Return chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken until heated through.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, garnished with extra pepperoncini if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in half an hour, making it a weeknight lifesaver when you forgot to plan ahead.
  • That tangy, creamy sauce does all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so seasoning isn't fussy.
  • Chicken thighs stay incredibly juicy, but breasts work just fine if that's what you have on hand.
02 -
  • Draining your pepperoncini really matters—I learned this the hard way when I didn't and ended up with a thin, watery sauce that no amount of simmering could fix.
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry; the difference between steamed and golden brown comes down to that one small step.
03 -
  • Use chicken thighs if you have the choice—they're more forgiving and stay impossibly juicy even if your timing isn't perfect.
  • If you don't have heavy cream, half-and-half or even a splash of sour cream mixed with broth works in a pinch and tastes genuinely delicious.
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