Garlic Butter Chicken
Garlic Butter Chicken is a quick, one-pan dinner packed with bold garlic flavor and a rich, buttery sauce. Juicy chicken is seared until golden, then simmered in a silky garlic butter sauce that’s perfect for spooning over rice, potatoes, or veggies. Ready in about 30 minutes, this easy garlic butter chicken recipe is ideal for busy weeknights when you want big flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 1½ –2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, trimmed
- 5 –6 garlic cloves finely minced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Seasonings & Flavor Base
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Pantry Staples
- 1 –2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Fresh parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sear chicken for 4–5 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add butter to the skillet.
- Once melted, add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown).
- Pour in chicken broth and stir, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
- Sprinkle in Italian seasoning.
- Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over the top.
- Simmer gently 5–7 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F and sauce is glossy.
- Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Lower the heat before adding garlic to prevent bitterness.
- Chicken thighs are extra juicy, but breasts work perfectly when not overcooked.
- Add a splash of broth if the sauce thickens too much.