We eat this creamy boursin chicken at least twice a month — pan-seared chicken simmered in a one-pot Boursin cheese sauce my family genuinely fights over. 2.9g net carbs and 55.1g protein per serving.
I started making this on a random Tuesday when I had a package of Boursin in the fridge and no plan for dinner. That was over a year ago, and now my family requests it by name. The Boursin melts straight into the pan drippings and turns into this rich, creamy sauce without any flour, cornstarch, or extra seasoning. The cheese does all the work.
I slice my chicken breasts into thin cutlets (about 1/2 inch thick) so they cook evenly and fast. Sear them golden on both sides, pull them out, and build the sauce in the same skillet. One pot. That’s it. The whole thing takes me about 30 minutes from cutting board to plate.
What is Boursin cheese?
Boursin is a soft, creamy French cheese that comes pre-seasoned with herbs and aromatics. I keep it stocked because it melts into a silky sauce base without needing a roux or any thickener. The Garlic and Fine Herbs flavor is my go-to, but I also love the Shallot and Chive when I want something a little more savory. One thing I learned early: don’t let the sauce come to a rolling boil once the cheese is in, or it can separate and turn grainy. Keep it at a gentle simmer and stir steadily.
Why this works for keto
I built this as a keto dinner from the start. No flour dredge on the chicken, no starch in the sauce. The Boursin itself has about 1g carb per ounce, and the rest of the ingredients are clean. If you want to rotate a few low carb skillet meals through the week, my creamy pesto chicken and Tuscan chicken pasta pair well alongside this one.
What makes this different
The Boursin melts into the sauce and infuses it immediately. I don’t need to add garlic, herbs, or cream cheese separately. The cheese handles all of that in one step.
Boursin comes in multiple flavors (Garlic and Fine Herbs, Shallot and Chive, Caramelized Onion) so I can change the profile of the dish without changing the method.
One skillet, no extra pots. I sear the chicken, build the sauce, and simmer everything in the same pan. Cleanup takes about 3 minutes.
The Boursin sauce is great on its own, but I change things up depending on what’s in my fridge and what sounds good that night.
Vegetable add-ins
I toss in fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, or sliced mushrooms right before I return the chicken to the sauce. The spinach wilts down in about 30 seconds. I’ve been adding halved cherry tomatoes lately, and they burst in the hot sauce and cut through the richness. Asparagus and zucchini work too, but I cut them thin so they cook fast in the residual heat.
Protein swaps
I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cutlets, but chicken thighs give you even more flavor (they just take a couple extra minutes to sear). Chicken tenderloins are another option since they’re already thin and skip the pounding step. I’ve also made this with shrimp (about 3 minutes per side) and pork tenderloin medallions. For more creamy protein dinners, try my creamy pork chops or Italian chicken and rice.
Flavor twists
My favorites are Garlic and Fine Herbs and Shallot and Chive. But I’ve tried the Fig and Balsamic for a slightly sweet twist, and the Black Truffle and Sea Salt for date nights. A splash of white wine (about 2 tablespoons) before adding the broth gives the sauce extra depth. I deglaze the pan with it and let it cook off for 30 seconds before stirring in the cheese. Each variation gives the dish a completely different personality without changing a single step.
Storing and reheating
I store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge, and it keeps well for 3-4 days. I reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth to thin the sauce back out.
I’ve frozen this in airtight containers for up to 3 months. The cream-based sauce separates a bit after thawing, but reheating slowly on the stovetop and stirring brings it back together. I add a tablespoon of water or broth if it looks too thick.
How to make boursin chicken
I pull my Boursin out of the fridge about 30 minutes before I start cooking. Room temperature cheese melts smoother and blends into the sauce without any lumps. I slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, then pound them to about 1/2 inch thick so they cook evenly in 5-6 minutes per side. The key is getting a solid golden sear before removing the chicken, because those fond bits in the skillet are what give the sauce its depth. I build the sauce right on top of that flavor, stir in the Boursin until silky, and return the chicken to simmer for just a couple of minutes.
Cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise to get 4 thinner cuts of chicken. Hammer them down to even thickness using a meat hammer, rolling pin or meat tenderizer.
For this step
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2
Season chicken
Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
For this step
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3
Sear chicken cutlets
Add oil and butter to a large skillet and heat to medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear for about 5-6 minutes per side or until cooked through (until it reaches 150°F). Remove and transfer to a plate to set aside.
For this step
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter
4
Caramelize the onion
To the same empty skillet, add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened and lightly caramelized.
For this step
1/2 medium onion, diced
5
Make Boursin sauce
Stir in chicken broth and Boursin cheese. Mix until the sauce is smooth. Let bubble for 5 minutes.
For this step
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 (5.2oz) package Boursin cheese
6
Simmer with the sauce
Return chicken and any plate juices to the sauce. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes or until internal temperature of the chicken is 155-160°F. Top with chopped parsley.
For this step
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/4 of recipe
Calories
489
Fat
27g
Protein
55.1g
Total carbs
3.4g
Net carbs
2.9g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake this instead of cooking on the stovetop?
I've done it both ways. For the oven version, I sear the cutlets on the stovetop first (you still want that golden crust), then transfer to a baking dish, pour the Boursin sauce over, and bake at 375 for about 20-25 minutes. The sauce thickens up a little more in the oven, and I actually prefer that texture for leftovers. I still reach for the skillet most nights because it's faster, but baking works great when I'm making a bigger batch.
Why did my Boursin sauce separate or get grainy?
I've had this happen exactly once, and it was because I let the sauce hit a full boil after adding the cheese. Boursin is a soft cheese, and high heat causes the fats and proteins to split. Now I keep the heat at medium-low and stir constantly while the cheese melts in. If your sauce does break, pull it off the heat immediately, add a splash of cold broth, and whisk hard. It usually comes back together.
Can I substitute the Boursin cheese?
I've swapped in goat cheese when I was out of Boursin and it worked well, just tangier. Cream cheese with a teaspoon of Italian seasoning mixed in gets you close to the herb flavor. Laughing Cow wedges melt nicely too. I'd skip gorgonzola unless your family loves strong blue cheese (mine does not).
What Boursin cheese flavor is best for this recipe?
I reach for Garlic and Fine Herbs most of the time because it gives the sauce the most flavor without any extra work. Shallot and Chive is my second favorite, a little more savory and subtle. I've tried every flavor they make at this point, and those two are the ones I keep coming back to.
Can I use dairy-free Boursin cheese?
I've tested the dairy-free Boursin (they make a plant-based version now) and it melts decently. The texture of the sauce is slightly thinner than with regular Boursin, so I let it reduce an extra minute or two. The flavor is milder, so I add a pinch of garlic powder and dried herbs to bump it up.
Why should I let the Boursin come to room temperature first?
I pull my Boursin out of the fridge 30 minutes before I start cooking. Cold cheese clumps when it hits a hot pan, and I end up with lumpy sauce instead of smooth. Room temperature Boursin melts evenly and blends into the broth in about 30 seconds. I learned this the hard way on my first attempt.
Can I use chicken tenderloins instead of breasts?
I use tenderloins when they're cheaper at my store (which is often). They're already thin enough to skip the slicing and pounding step, so prep goes even faster. I sear them about 3-4 minutes per side since they're smaller than butterflied breasts. The only downside is they cook faster, so I pull them a touch earlier to avoid drying out.
How much Boursin is in one package, and is one enough?
A standard Boursin package is 5.2 ounces, and I use the whole thing for this recipe. One package makes enough sauce for 4 cutlets. If I'm feeding more people or I want extra sauce for spooning over a side, I use 1.5 packages and add another quarter cup of broth to keep the consistency right.
What is Boursin chicken?
Boursin chicken is pan-seared chicken cutlets simmered in a creamy sauce made from a 5.2 oz package of Boursin cheese and chicken broth. I make it in one skillet in 30 minutes, and each serving has 2.9g net carbs and 55.1g of protein. The cheese comes pre-seasoned with garlic and herbs, so it melts into a finished sauce without any flour or thickener.
What goes well with Boursin chicken?
I serve mine over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice so the sauce has somewhere to go, and cauliflower mash is my pick for guests. For vegetables, I stir fresh spinach, sliced mushrooms, or halved cherry tomatoes right into the sauce before the chicken goes back in. The spinach wilts down in about 30 seconds.
Way better than anything I’ve managed in my two months of keto cooking! Slicing the breasts into cutlets was the part I figured I’d mess up, but they cooked fast and stayed SO juicy. Sauce went smooth on the first try. Mine did need a few extra minutes to thicken up. Can I make the sauce ahead and reheat it? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, you can. I reheat mine on the stovetop over medium-low with a splash of chicken broth to loosen it back up. Just keep it under a boil or the Boursin can split on you.
I pull the Boursin out when I start slicing the chicken so by the time the onions are done it’s soft enough to melt in completely smooth, no cold lumps. That alone changed the sauce for me. Also started adding a handful of fresh spinach right after the Boursin goes in, it wilts down in maybe two minutes and the green against that cream sauce is genuinely pretty, plus it makes me feel like I did something.
The timing on the Boursin is clever, pulling it out during prep instead of trying to remember 30 minutes ahead. And spinach is such a better finish than parsley, Lisa. I’m doing that next batch.
Confession: I’ve made this three times and the sauce broke twice before I figured out why. The Boursin can’t go in at a hard boil or it separates. Simmer the broth a minute, knock the heat down, then add the cheese. Silky, not grainy. The onion step needs more time than stated too; 8 minutes gets you actual caramelization instead of just softened. I pull the broth back, closer to half a cup, for a sauce that coats instead of pools. Chicken’s solid every time.
The onion step is what separates this from every other Boursin chicken recipe. Most versions treat it as an afterthought, two minutes and done, and the sauce ends up one-note and flat. Five full minutes of real caramelization builds something under all that richness you can’t shortcut. The sear matters too (not the pale steam-cook you get when you crowd the pan or rush the heat), and together they give the sauce actual layers. 55g of protein at 2.9 carbs, by the way. I don’t know what else I’d make on a weeknight. This is the one.
Been to three stores this week hunting for Boursin and keep striking out. So annoying when I have literally everything else on my counter. Has anyone tried Alouette? Or just cream cheese with garlic herb seasoning mixed in? Not sure it’ll melt as smoothly into the broth.
Alouette is basically the same type of cheese, should work fine. For cream cheese, I do room temp and about a teaspoon of Italian seasoning mixed in. It melts a bit slower than Boursin so keep the heat low, high heat is what turns the sauce grainy anyway.
Used the shallot and chive Boursin instead of garlic herb. Sauce had more depth, same silky texture but with a sharper bite that cuts through the richness. Liked it better. Already planning the pepper variety next.
Shallot and chive has that edge to it, yeah. The pepper one is spicier than you’d expect from Boursin, almost like a peppercorn cream sauce. Works really well with the chicken broth base.
Got chicken thighs sitting in my fridge and this sauce has me wanting to make it tonight. If I swap in boneless thighs instead of the breast cutlets, does the sear time change much or will they cook through about the same?
Made this so many times I’ve stopped keeping track. The tweak that stuck is adding a handful of sliced cremini mushrooms to the onions before the broth goes in. They absorb all that Boursin and turn almost meaty on their own. The original is already good, but with mushrooms it stretches easily to five servings without thinning anything out. I still do the same seasoning on the chicken (the paprika is doing real work on that sear), press them down hard in the pan, then let the sauce finish everything. My favorite way to eat it is over cauliflower rice so none of that sauce goes to waste. This is the meal I pull out when I need dinner to actually feel like dinner.
Was skeptical about Boursin as a sauce base. Seemed like one of those clever ideas that ends up tasting more like a concept than dinner. Had half a wheel left from a party spread, figured I’d test it Tuesday night with zero expectations. The moment it hit the warm broth it turned silky. Had to stop myself tasting it off the spoon. Seared the cutlets first like the recipe says, and that golden crust held up through the sauce, which I didn’t expect. My skepticism lasted one bite. Doubling this on Sunday.
The spoon-tasting is a real problem. And yeah, that sear is what keeps the chicken from going soft in the sauce. Double batch Sunday is smart, this one disappears fast.
I always add cremini mushrooms right after the onion softens, and they absorb the Boursin sauce in a way that makes them almost as much the point as the chicken. Let them cook down until golden before adding the broth and they end up coated in that sauce rather than floating in it. The mushrooms against the seared chicken are honestly my favorite part now. Making this again Sunday.
Never cooked with Boursin before and now I’m annoyed I waited this long. The sauce comes together so fast (I kept expecting it to break or seize) and watching it go from broth and that little cheese wheel to this silky pan sauce in under five minutes was kind of wild. Cutlets came out tender and the onions added this sweetness that cuts through the richness. Already planning to try it with thighs next time.
Made this Tuesday. My husband, who is reliably neutral about weeknight chicken, asked for it again by Thursday. The Boursin sauce goes silky when it reduces. I think that’s what got him.
Thighs are actually more forgiving in this sauce than breasts. The extra fat keeps them tender even if they go a minute or two over, and yeah, they really do pull all that Boursin in.
Served this at a dinner party last month and the Boursin sauce stopped the table. My friend who won’t touch anything low-carb kept pressing me for what cheese I used, had no idea it was keto, and I just smiled and let her figure it out. Knocking off one star because next time I’m doubling the sauce.
