Name: Garlic Butter Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts; 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil; 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning; 1 teaspoon Salt; 1 teaspoon Pepper; 1/2 cup Chicken Broth; 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter; 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic; 2 teaspoons Fresh Parsley (optional)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Garlic Butter Chicken is a quick and easy skillet dinner recipe. Chicken breast is cooked in a delicious garlic butter sauce in less than 20 minutes.

Lemon Garlic Chicken breast in a skillet

Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet Recipe:

If you are looking for a delicious skillet chicken recipe, then make Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe. It is loaded with flavor and made with simple ingredients. Chicken breast is cooked in a savory butter sauce in less than 20 minutes.

This recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal and my entire family loves it. The garlic butter sauce is delicious and gives the chicken so much flavor. Everything cooks together easily in the skillet which makes for an easy cleanup.

You can easily serve this chicken breast recipe over white rice or some egg noodles. Add a side salad or roasted vegetables to complete this meal. Rich, hearty and delicious this is sure to be a crowd favorite.

Lemon Garlic Chicken sliced in a skillet

What is Garlic Butter Chicken?

Garlic Butter Chicken is a rich and delicious weeknight meal. Thin slices of chicken is cooked in a skillet and then drenched in a butter sauce. The flavor of the garlic butter sauce is delicious and made with simple ingredients.

Ingredients:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Olive Oil
Italian Seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Chicken Broth
Unsalted Butter
Minced Garlic
Fresh Parsley (optional)

How to Make Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe:

Step 1 – Prepare Chicken Breast – Pound the chicken breasts to make them roughly the same size. Pat them dry, then season them with the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

Step 2 – Heat Skillet – Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place the chicken breasts into the skillet on olive oil.

Step 3 – Cook Chicken – Sear the chicken breasts on one side for 5-6 minutes until browned (do not move the chicken during this time). Then flip and sear the opposite sides of the chicken for 5-6 minutes until browned and cooked through (do not move the chicken during this time).
Step 4 – Remove Chicken – Remove the pan fried chicken from the pan to a separate plate.
Step 5 – Add Chicken broth to skillet – Turn the heat to high and deglaze the bottom of the skillet with the chicken broth.
Step 6 – Add butter and garlic to skillet – Turn the heat down to medium. Add in the butter and heat until melted. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until aromatic (approximately 1 minute).

Step 7 – Turn heat off – Turn the heat off on the skillet. Add the chicken back to the skillet and flip it around in the garlic butter sauce to coat the chicken with the sauce.

Step 8 – Serve and Enjoy – Top the chicken with the fresh parsley and serve while warm. Enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Chicken in a cast iron skillet

Can I use Chicken Thighs instead?

Yes, you can use chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breast in this skillet recipe. If you use chicken thighs, cooking time may be different. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Lemon Garlic Chicken sliced in a cast iron skillet

What Type of Garlic is Best?

Garlic is one of the main ingredients in this recipe, so we recommend using fresh minced garlic. You can mince your own garlic or use the jarred minced garlic. We love the flavor that fresh garlic gives the recipe.

Can you add in Vegetables?

This garlic butter chicken recipe is very versatile. You can easily add in some fresh vegetables and cook them in the garlic sauce. If you decide to add in vegetables, make sure to chop them evenly so they cook about the same time.

We prefer to roast vegetables separately and serve over the top of the chicken. However you choose to serve this recipe, it sure to be a crowd favorite.

Recipe Tips:

Prepare Chicken – We recommend pounding the chicken thin so that it cooks evenly. This allows the chicken to cook tender by pounding out the thicker side of the chicken.
Skillet Tips – We recommend cooking chicken in a hot cast iron skillet. It gives the chicken so much flavor and the best texture.
Searing Chicken – All the chicken to sear for about 5 minutes on each side. Make sure to allow the chicken to just cook and then flip. It is important to not to touch chicken while it is searing.
Glaze – Once the chicken has seared on both sides, then remove the chicken. This glaze is made from the chicken bits and adding in chicken broth.
Coat the Chicken – Once you have added in the butter and garlic, then you are going to place chicken back into skillet. Allow the chicken to soak up the garlic butter glaze for delicious flavor to the chicken.
Butter – We recommend the butter be softened to room temperature before melting.
Chicken doneness – We recommend using a meat thermometer to make sure chicken is done before removing from skillet. This will give you a juicy chicken recipe and prevent it from drying out.

Variations for Garlic Butter Chicken:

Change Chicken – We love making this recipe with boneless chicken breast, but you can also use boneless chicken thighs. Cooking time may vary.
Seasoning – We used a simple seasoning for this recipe. We added the Italian Seasoning blend, but feel free to use what you have. It can be as simple as using just salt and pepper. Dried herbs are always a great option and gives the chicken so much flavor.
Oil – We cooked the chicken in olive oil, but you can use whatever oil you prefer. We have used avocado oil and it turned out so delicious and it is a healthy option.
Butter – Unsalted butter is what we prefer to use in this recipe so we can control how much salt is added. But you can use salted butter you may just need to add in less salt.
Broth – Chicken broth works great in this recipe, but you can also use some cooking wine. It gives the chicken a rich and savory flavor.
Garlic – Minced garlic is what we prefer, but you can also use garlic powder.
Extra Spice – If you would like to add in extra spice for a kick to this recipe, add in a teaspoon of red pepper flakes. It adds the right amount of heat to the mixture.
Cheese – Before serving top the chicken with shredded parmesan cheese. Shredded Mozzarella would also be a delicious option.
Fresh Squeeze Lemon – Top the chicken with some fresh squeeze lemon while it is cooking in the glaze. Delicious lemon flavor combined with the garlic butter is the perfect combination.

What to Serve with Garlic Butter Chicken Breast?

Pasta – Make a batch of egg noodles or spaghetti noodles to serve with this buttery dish. We love to pour extra garlic sauce over the top.
Mashed Potatoes – This chicken dish is served perfectly with a side of mashed potatoes.
Green Beans – Roast some fresh green beans or heat up canned green beans. It is an easy side dish but it pairs perfectly with this garlic butter chicken.
White Rice – Cook some white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a delicious side dish. We love to serve the chicken over the top with some extra sauce.
Cheese Bread – If you love dipping into the sauce, make a side of cheese bread. This homemade cheese bread recipe is easy to make and the perfect side.

How to Store Leftovers:

Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I like to store in individual containers for a quick lunch the next day. The chicken is so flavorful after it marinates in the buttery sauce overnight.

How to Reheat:

You can reheat this chicken in the microwave in 30 second intervals to ensure that it doesn’t overheat. Feel free to bake the chicken in the sauce in a baking dish. Place in the oven at 350 degrees and heat for about 10 minutes.

You may need to cover in foil to prevent the top from burning.

Can you Freeze Butter Garlic Chicken?

Butter Garlic Chicken freezes great. Make sure to spoon all the sauce with the chicken in the bag so it all reheats together.

If stored properly the freezer meal will last about 4 months. When you are ready to serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in skillet or the microwave.

Print Recipe for Garlic Butter Chicken:

Review Pin Print