Garlic Butter Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken breasts in a rich, buttery garlic sauce with fresh herbs

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
02 - 1 tsp salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper
04 - ½ tsp paprika
05 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (gluten-free if desired)

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

06 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
11 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# How-To:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. Lightly coat each breast with flour, shaking off excess.
02 - Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5–6 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through (internal temp: 165°F). Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tbsp butter to the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant (do not brown).
04 - Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice, stirring to deglaze the pan and scrape up browned bits. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced.
05 - Stir in thyme and parsley. Return chicken to the skillet, spoon sauce over, and simmer for 2 minutes to reheat and infuse flavors. Garnish with extra parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like something from a nice restaurant
  • Its incredibly forgiving and still tastes amazing even if you accidentally overcook the chicken slightly
02 -
  • Dont rush the garlic step, burned garlic turns bitter and ruins the whole dish
  • Let the sauce reduce enough to coat the back of a spoon or it will be too thin
03 -
  • Use a cold pan when adding butter to prevent it from browning too quickly
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold straight from the fridge

Go Back