Here’s an easy chicken dish to try for dinner. It’s made with homemade garlic cream sauce and pan-seared chicken.
Plus, I’m sharing my experience at Grand Rapids’ Fulton Street Farmer’s Market.
Pan Seared Chicken + Garlic Cream Sauce | Fulton Street Farmer’s Market
At times, it’s easy to forget the bounty that is hyper-local, superbly fresh, and purely Michigan.
Maybe it is because we are busy our lives with so much and we forget to look around, take it all in, and marvel at the goodness sprouting up through the loamy soil right beneath our collective feet.
Recently, my wife and I were reminded of the verdant treasures that surround us on a recent trip to beautiful Grand Rapids.
Together, we visited the famous Fulton Street Farmers Market, and it was so much fun.
But not just fun, but informative, and I couldn’t keep my hands off the fresh bounty all around.
We love this farmers market outing for several reasons, but mainly because it isn’t one of those mega-markets.
Fulton Street Farmers Market is much more intimate and easily navigated without the crowded throngs of people associated with much larger markets.
The market consists of one covered thoroughfare: a pavilion which offers shelter from the blazing sun and rainfall, and the wide walkway has parallel stalls on both sides showcasing all manner of produce and goods.
And boy, was there a lot to choose from, and everything looked so incredibly good, I wanted all of it!
Naturally, you will find quality products, but there is also an assortment of vendors offering packaged butchered meats, fresh-cut flowers, a variety of handmade soaps and candles, and freshly squeezed fruit juices.
And all the vendors were so helpful, some even offering samples of fresh, ripe, even sweet strawberries. I grabbed some sweet corn on the cob.
Can you blame me?
Would you look at these onions!
We love onions; even our boys will eat them.
We couldn’t resist grabbing several, and it looks like a dinner idea is starting to gel.
I also picked up some beautiful pasta.
If you haven’t been, go! When visiting Grand Rapids in the spring, summer, or fall, it is a must.
Once there, you will be able to leisurely stroll through this amazing market at your own pace.
Take your time to look around and take it all in!
While there, I picked up ingredients for dinner.
The curly kale was calling my name, and soon gave me the inspiration to start putting my dinner plans together.
I also grabbed sweet corn on the cob, garlic scapes, and some fresh herbs for our family garden.
One can seldom have too many herbs, right?
I picked some basil, sage, rosemary, and flat-leaf parsley.
Not a bad haul if you ask me.
Pan Seared Chicken + Garlic Cream Sauce
6 serving size
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 1 additional tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon of sweet cream butter
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tablespoons McCormick Himalayan Pink Salt
- 2 tablespoons of Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons of Garlic Seasoning
Tools:
- Large Ziplock Baggie
- Tenderizing Butcher’s Hammer
Tip on Tenderizing the Chicken
When tenderizing chicken, always add the olive oil and the seasoning first.
Then place the chicken pieces inside a large plastic sealable bag, leaving the bag open.
Using the smooth side of a butcher’s mallet, strike the chicken breast from the center outward to the edge of the meat, alternating between both sides of the breast until it is about half of its original thickness.
Guaranteed good meat.
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees, measure the seasoning, and mix it in a small bowl.
- Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts, and coat each piece with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Season chicken breasts liberally on each side.
- Place the chicken breasts into a large ziplock baggie; do not seal the bag.
- Using a butcher’s mallet, tenderize the chicken by striking the breast from the center towards the edges of the chicken.
- After tenderizing, the chicken should be about a half-inch thick.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a tablespoon of sweet cream butter and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- When the oil and butter mixture is hot, add the chicken breast and pan-sear for 5 minutes. Then, turn the chicken over with a pair of tongs and cook for an additional 4 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and place it in a preheated 190-degree oven with a pan of water.
Making The Sauce
This easy white wine and garlic cream sauce starts when the chicken is removed from the skillet.
Deglaze the skillet with a cup of dry white wine.
Then add two cups of quality heavy cream; this is the key to this wonderful sauce.
A tablespoon of Dijon mustard goes a long way. Subtle bit, it really helps this sauce shine.
The freshly grated Parmesan cheese in this sauce makes it all come together.
Garlic Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sweet cream butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons grated parmesan
- pinch sea salt
- pinch freshly cracked black pepper
Directions:
- Deglaze the skillet with one cup of white wine, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Slowly add the 2 cups of heavy cream and continue stirring.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of sweet cream butter, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and continue to stir until the mixture just starts to bubble.
- Remove the skillet from the heat source and scatter in the 4 tablespoons of shredded parmesan and continue to mix.
- Add a pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Serve.
Michigan Mirepoix
Ingredients:
- 4 cups curly kale, chopped
- 2 cups sweet corn kernels
- 1 large sweet Vidalia onion, sliced
- garlic scapes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sweet cream butter
- sea salt
- freshly cracked black peppercorns
Directions:
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat, add extra virgin olive oil and butter.
- When the extra-virgin olive oil and butter are hot, add the onions and cook until they are translucent.
- Add the sweet corn kernels and the garlic scapes for five minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the curly kale and continue to sauté until the kale is tender and bright green.
- Serve.
Plate:
Spoon four tablespoons of the Garlic Cream Sauce onto a plate, and place a sliced Pan Seared Chicken Breast on top of the cream sauce.
Spoon the Michigan Mirepoix next to the chicken and cream sauce. Serve.

Pan-Seared Chicken with Garlic Cream Sauce
Equipment
- Large Ziplock Baggie
- Tenderizing Butcher's Hammer
Ingredients
Pan Searched Chicken Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 1 additional tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon of sweet cream butter
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tablespoons McCormick Himalayan Pink Salt
- 2 tablespoons of Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons of Garlic Seasoning
Garlic Cream Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sweet cream butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons grated parmesan
- pinch sea salt
- pinch freshly cracked black pepper
Michigan Mirepoix Ingredients:
- 4 cups curly kale chopped
- 2 cups sweet corn kernels
- 1 large sweet Vidalia onion sliced
- garlic scapes chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sweet cream butter
- sea salt
- freshly cracked black peppercorns
Instructions
Directions on making the chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.
- Measure the seasoning, and mix it in a small bowl.
- Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts, and coat each piece with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Season chicken breasts liberally on each side.
- Place the chicken breasts into a large ziplock baggie; do not seal the bag.
- Using a butcher's mallet, tenderize the chicken by striking the breast from the center towards the edges of the chicken.
- After tenderizing, the chicken should be about a half-inch thick.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a tablespoon of sweet cream butter and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- When the oil and butter mixture is hot, add the chicken breast and pan-sear for 5 minutes. Then, turn the chicken over with a pair of tongs and cook for an additional 4 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and place it in baking dish and let it rest in a preheated 190-degree oven with a pan of water while you prepare the rest of the food.
Directions on making the cream sauce:
- Deglaze the skillet with one cup of white wine, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Slowly add the 2 cups of heavy cream and continue stirring.
- Add the 2 tablespoons of sweet cream butter, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and continue to stir until the mixture just starts to bubble.
- Remove the skillet from the heat source and scatter in the 4 tablespoons of shredded parmesan and continue to mix.
- Add a pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Serve.
Michigan Mirepoix Directions:
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat, add extra virgin olive oil and butter.
- When the extra-virgin olive oil and butter are hot, add the onions and cook until they are translucent.
- Add the sweet corn kernels and the garlic scapes for five minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the curly kale and continue to sauté until the kale is tender and bright green.
- Serve.
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