All you need is one pan, 8 ingredients and 25 minutes for this garlic butter chicken. Juicy chicken breasts smothered in a flavor-packed garlic butter pan sauce for an easy weeknight dinner that’s guaranteed to become a staple.
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Sometimes you need dinner fast. And in my house, that’s 8 out of 7 nights a week. Now that my kids are getting a little older, our chicken dinners have graduated from chicken nuggets and Parmesan chicken tenders, and this garlic butter chicken has officially taken the top spot in our weeknight rotation.
The homemade garlic butter pan sauce is so simple yet so flavorful. It tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant, not something you threw together on a Tuesday night while simultaneously helping with homework. The lemon and fresh parsley at the end brighten the whole dish and keep it from feeling heavy. Once you try it, you’ll want to pour it over everything.
Serve it over steamed white rice, roasted garlic mashed potatoes or toss it with pasta, and dinner is done.
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best here. If yours are on the thicker side, pound them to an even thickness before cooking. This is the single easiest thing you can do to guarantee they cook evenly and stay juicy. I have a whole guide on how to cook chicken breasts in a pan if you want to go deeper on technique.
- Garlic: You’ll need a tablespoon of minced garlic, which is about three to four cloves depending on their size. The garlic cooks directly in the chicken drippings after the chicken comes out, which is what gives it that deep, savory flavor. Jarred garlic just won’t do the same thing here, so use fresh.
- Chicken stock: The base of the pan sauce and the key to lifting all those delicious browned bits (a.k.a fond!) off the bottom of the skillet. Chicken or vegetable broth works, too.
- Unsalted butter: Use unsalted so you control the salt level.
- Flour: Just a small amount whisked into the sauce thickens it slightly. I prefer flour over cornstarch here because it blends into the butter seamlessly. If you only have cornstarch, mix one teaspoon with one teaspoon of cold water first, then whisk it into the sauce.
- Fresh lemon juice: Just like my Greek lemon chicken soup, fresh lemon juice is key here. Bottled lemon juice has a slightly bitter, processed flavor that will show up in a sauce this simple. Fresh only, please!
- Fresh parsley: Stirred in at the end for color and a clean, herby finish.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
The process here is similar to my bruschetta chicken recipe, so if you’ve made that before you already know how easy this is.
Start by seasoning the chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Don’t be shy. This is your only chance to season the meat before it hits the pan. I use my cast iron skillet here for the best sear, but stainless steel works great, too. Nonstick will work in a pinch but won’t give you the same golden crust. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly cast iron skillet, this one is a great alternative that I also love.
Success tip: Don’t touch the chicken. I know it’s tempting, but resist. Chicken releases naturally from the pan when it’s properly seared. Move it too early and it will stick, tear and you’ll lose that gorgeous golden crust. Wait until it releases on its own, about five minutes, then flip it once. That’s the whole secret. (The same rule applies when cooking pan seared steak and salmon, by the way. Patience is everything!)
Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, roughly another three to five minutes depending on thickness. If you don’t have a digital meat thermometer, it’s one of the most worthwhile kitchen investments you can make. This one is my favorite and it guarantees perfectly juicy chicken every single time.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave every bit of those drippings in the skillet. Don’t wipe it out. That’s where all the flavor lives. Now, make the sauce in the same pan.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about two minutes until golden and fragrant. Watch it carefully. Garlic goes from golden to burned very quickly and burned garlic will make the entire sauce bitter.
Add the chicken stock and scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This step is called deglazing and it’s where the sauce gets its deep, savory flavor. Whisk in the butter, then the flour, and cook until the garlic butter sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and parsley, taste and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce generously over the chicken and serve immediately.
FAQs
Yes! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work beautifully here and are actually more forgiving since they have more fat. Just note that thighs are richer than breasts, so paired with a buttery sauce this dish will be more indulgent. My lemon pepper chicken uses thighs if you want to see the technique in action. Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F. Thighs are denser, so expect a few extra minutes compared to breasts.
Let it simmer a little longer. It will continue to reduce and thicken. You can also whisk in an additional teaspoon of flour if needed. Just make sure you cook it for a full two minutes after adding the flour so you don’t end up with a raw flour taste.
What to Serve with It
That garlic butter sauce deserves something to soak into, and my family loves it atop coconut rice with a green vegetable or even zucchini fritters. We are obsessed with that rice in my house! Here are a few more delicious pairings to try:
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Roasted asparagus with cheesy breadcrumbs
- Steamed or roasted green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts
- Soft dinner rolls for soaking up every last drop of that sauce
Ingredients
- 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds)
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook, undisturbed, until they release naturally from the pan, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken once and continue cooking until they are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. (The remaining cook time will vary on the thickness of the breasts, but roughly an additional 3 to 5 minutes.)
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and leave all dripping in the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low then add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and cook, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet, for an additional 2 minutes until reduced slightly.
- Whisk in the butter then once it has melted, whisk in the flour and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the chicken and serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- If your chicken breasts are uneven in thickness, pound them to an even thickness before cooking for more consistent results.
- Don’t touch the chicken while it sears. It will release naturally from the pan when it’s ready. Move it too early and it will stick, tear and you’ll lose that gorgeous golden crust.
- Watch the garlic carefully. It goes from golden to burned very quickly and burned garlic will make the entire sauce bitter.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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