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Garlic Herb Chicken Breast with Mashed Potatoes

Garlic herb chicken with mashed potatoes featuring golden seared, herb-seasoned chicken breasts and a buttery garlic-herb pan sauce. Creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes are boiled until fork-tender, mashed smooth, and served with a glossy pan sauce drizzle over the top.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and pan sauce
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 0.1 salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter divided; 2 tbsp for sauce + extra for mashing
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
Mashed potatoes
  • 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 4 tbsp butter for mashing
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream or whole milk, warmed
  • 0.1 salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the mashed potatoes
  1. Boil peeled and cubed Yukon Gold potatoes in salted water for 15-18 minutes until fork-tender, steaming and easily yielding to a fork.
  2. Drain the potatoes well and mash with 4 tbsp butter, warmed heavy cream (or whole milk), salt, pepper, and garlic powder until smooth and fluffy; keep warm covered so they stay steamy.
Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season both sides of chicken breasts with garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F, then remove to a plate.
Cook the garlic herb pan sauce
  1. Melt 2 tbsp butter in the same pan, then cook minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant and lightly sizzling.
  2. Add chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the pan, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until a simple pan sauce forms and lightly coats the back of a spoon.
Plate and garnish
  1. Spoon mashed potatoes onto plates and place the seared chicken on top, fanning slightly if desired.
  2. Drizzle the garlic herb pan sauce over the chicken and mashed potatoes so the plate looks glossy.
  3. Scatter fresh parsley over the top for a bright finish.

Notes

For extra-smooth mashed potatoes, mash while the potatoes are still hot and keep warming the cream/milk so the texture stays creamy; cover to hold warmth for up to 30 minutes. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days (freeze mashed potatoes up to 1 month; freeze chicken/pan sauce up to 2 months, but reheat gently). For a lighter option, swap heavy cream/whole milk for half-and-half or evaporated milk to reduce richness while keeping the mash creamy.