Heat your skillet to medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Let it get shimmering—about 60 seconds. Add your chicken pieces and don't touch them for the first 3 minutes. You want that golden crust forming on the bottom. I always flip and cook another 2 minutes per side, just until the outside's seared but the inside's still slightly pink.

Push the chicken to the side and add your diced onion to the empty space. Let it cook for 2 minutes until it starts getting translucent. Add your minced garlic and cook for exactly 30 seconds—any longer and it gets bitter. Stir in the thyme and paprika, which wakes everything up immediately.

Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those golden bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. You'll hear a gentle sizzle as the liquid hits the hot surface. Those browned bits are pure flavor, so don't skip this step. Bring everything to a simmer and let it bubble for about 3 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and pour in your heavy cream slowly while stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should look silky and smooth at this point. Let it simmer gently for 2 minutes so the cream and broth get cozy together.

Stir your cornstarch slurry one more time to make sure it's mixed, then slowly pour it into the pan while stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken noticeably within 30 seconds—it's honestly kind of magical watching it transform from thin to velvety.

Sprinkle in your grated cheddar cheese and stir until it's completely melted. When your kitchen smells like warm garlic and toasted cheese mixed together, you know you're close to done. Add the chicken back into the sauce if you removed it, and let everything simmer together for 2 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Sometimes I add a tiny pinch more salt or a crack of fresh pepper. Finish with fresh parsley scattered on top right before serving. The green adds brightness that cuts through all that richness perfectly.