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Garlic Butter Chicken

Garlic butter chicken with pan-seared, golden chicken breasts swimming in a glossy garlic-butter sauce. Minced garlic cooks until fragrant, then a quick broth-thyme simmer turns the browned skillet bits into an easy pan sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breasts
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts
Seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
Cooking fat and aromatics
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 8 clove garlic minced
Sauce
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 0.25 tsp lemon juice to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Make sure both sides look evenly speckled.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F. The surface should be deeply browned and no longer pink in the center.
  3. Remove the chicken and set aside, then reduce the heat to medium. Keep the skillet on the burner so browned bits can loosen.
Build the garlic butter sauce
  1. Add the butter and garlic to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. The garlic should look lightly golden without burning.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and add the dried thyme, then scrape up any browned bits. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce looks glossy and slightly reduced.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over the top. Coat each piece so the garlic bits cling to the surface.
  2. Add lemon juice and sprinkle with fresh parsley, then serve immediately. The sauce should taste bright and look fresh with green flecks on top.

Notes

Pro tip: for the best golden color, pat the chicken dry before seasoning and avoid moving it during the first sear. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended because the garlic butter sauce can separate. For a lower-saturated-fat swap, use olive oil plus a plant-based butter substitute in the sauce.