This pollo con crema features a delicious combo of tender chicken simmered in a creamy sauce with jalapeno peppers. A one pan easy recipe that pairs perfectly with pasta, rice, or a side of veggies.

This recipe is one of my family’s favorites dish, it is delicious, with a delightful smell and an excellent choice for a busy weeknight.

I love to make this dish when I am in a hurry and need to get done a quick and hearty meal for the two of us. It’s also perfect to pair with rice leftovers or dip a warm flour tortilla on that scrumptious, creamy sauce.

How to Replace Mexican Crema

If you can’t find Mexican crema where you live, replace it with any brand of sour cream or crème fraîche. Or you can also prepare a quick recipe at home in a few minutes by mixing one part of heavy cream and one part of sugar-free plain yogurt. Let it sit rest for 10 minutes before using it on the recipe.

Pollo con crema (creamy chicken) on a pan.

INSTRUCTIONS

Generously season the chicken breast with with salt, cumin, chili powder and pepper. Place flour on a flat plate and dredge the chicken on all sides, shake off excess.

Seasoned and floured chicken.

On a sautéing pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken until cooked through and lightly brown-golden on the outside (about 5 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken).

Pan fried chicken on a pan.

Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to prevent chicken from drying out. Set aside.

Reduce heat to medium. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté jalapeno and onion until softened. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.

Add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan scraping up the bottom to remove any browned bits. Add the oregano and simmer until the sauce is reduced almost to half, stirring from time to time.

Reduce heat to low and add the cream, allow to simmer for 2 minutes while stirring occasionally. Adjust with salt and pepper to your taste. 

Vegetables sautéed on the pan and creamy sauce ready.

Return the chicken back into the pan and let simmer from 2 to 3 minutes more to thicken the sauce a little bit.

Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve over rice, noodles or with your favorite side dish.

Notes

  1. Use sour cream or crème fraîche if you need to replace Mexican crema. Or mix 1:1 of heavy cream with yogurt and let it rest for 10 minutes before using it on the recipe.
  2. Want to take your pollo con crema to the next level? deglaze with 1/2 cup of white wine before adding the chicken broth to the pan. Utterly delicious!
  3. If you like spicy food use jalapeno peppers without discarding the seeds, or add one teaspoon of chili flakes to the sauce.
  4. If you don’t have or want to replace the jalapeno peppers, green peppers, Italian peppers or even poblano peppers are a nice option too.
Showing the chicken cut bathed with cream sauce.

How To Serve

This delicious pollo con crema is perfect to serve over white Mexican rice or pasta, specially if it’s homemade fresh pasta. And of course, corn tortillas or flour tortillas are always a nice accompaniment for this Mexican recipe.

How To Store

If you end with some leftovers (most likely you won’t), place them on a glass or plastic container with lid and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the pollo con crema on a pan and add splash of milk or chicken stock

Pollo con crema on a pan (recipe)

Pollo Con Crema (Mexican creamy chicken)

4
This pollo con crema features a delicious combo of tender chicken simmered in a Mexican-style creamy sauce. A one pan easy recipe that pairs perfectly with pasta, rice or a side of veggies.
prep 15 minutes
cook 20 minutes
total 35 minutes

Ingredients 

For the chicken

  • 4 large chicken breast fillets (2 breasts halved)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • salt and pepper

For the creamy sauce:

  • 1 ¼ cup Mexican crema (read note 1)
  • 1 cup jalapeno peppers (diced, veins and seeds removed)
  • 1 small onion ( finely chopped )
  • 1 garlic clove (minced)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 ¼ cup chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp cilantro or parsley (finely chopped)

Instructions
 

  • Generously season the chicken breast with with salt, cumin, chili powder and pepper.
  • Place flour on a flat plate and dredge the chicken on all sides, shake off excess.
  • On a sautéing pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat.
  • Fry chicken until cooked through and lightly brown-golden on the outside (about 5 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken).
  • Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to prevent chicken from drying out. Set aside.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add one tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoons of butter, then sauté jalapeno and onion until softened.
  • Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
  • Add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan scraping up the bottom to remove any browned bits.
  • Add the oregano and simmer until the sauce is reduced almost to half, stirring from time to time.
  • Reduce heat to low and add the cream, allow to simmer for 2 minutes while stirring occasionally. Adjust with salt and pepper to your taste.
  • Return the chicken back into the pan and let simmer from 2 to 3 minutes more to thicken the sauce a little bit.
  • Garnish with parsley and chili flakes and serve warm.

Notes

  1. Use sour cream or crème fraîche if you need to replace Mexican crema. Or mix 1:1 of heavy cream with yogurt and let it rest for 10 minutes before using it on the recipe.
  2. Want to take your pollo con crema to the next level? deglaze with 1/2 cup of white wine before adding the chicken broth to the pan. Utterly delicious!
  3. If you like spicy food use jalapeno peppers without discarding the seeds, or add one teaspoon of chili flakes to the sauce.
  4. If you don’t have or want to replace the jalapeno peppers, green peppers, Italian peppers or even poblano peppers are a nice option too.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 474kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 763mg | Potassium: 823mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1186IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 2mg
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Recipe Rating




15 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This pollo con creama is so delicious! I I have made it twice, first time without the 🌶️, second time with it! Even better. Thank you so much for this recipe.

  2. 5 stars
    This mustard chicken was a delightful surprise! The velvety mustard sauce infused with spices took it to another level. Topped with cheese and my kids loved it, it’s now a staple comfort meal!

  3. 5 stars
    This is so good! I used green peppers and added mushrooms. It was delicious. Definitely a family favorite.

    1. Hi Julie, sorry, it is added along with olive oil to sauté jalapeño, onion, and garlic. I’ve edited the recipe card now. Thank you for pointing it out! :)

    1. 5 stars
      My husband and I really enjoyed this. We wanted something different, and this was it. Mexican crema was easily found in our local grocery store in the cheese section near the cojita cheese. Next time I’ll wear some kind of glove to protect the skin while cutting the jalapenos! Rookie mistake.

      1. Ouch! I know the feeling, sorry it happen to you. Just a quick tip if you irritate your hands with chilies next time: First wash them gently with soap, dry them and then spread some neutral oil on them. Sunflower or canola oil works fine.