Garlic Butter Chicken (Printable)

Golden chicken breasts in rich garlic butter sauce with fresh herbs and lemon

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional for dredging)

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

06 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 6 large garlic cloves, minced
09 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ Garnish

13 - Lemon wedges
14 - Extra chopped parsley

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. If desired, lightly dredge each breast in flour, shaking off any excess.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add chicken breasts and sear for 6–7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the same skillet. Stir in minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and lightly golden, being careful not to burn.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until sauce reduces slightly and thickens.
05 - Return chicken breasts and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the chicken and cook for 2 more minutes until heated through. Remove from heat, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce creates itself in the pan while the chicken rests, using every bit of flavor left behind
  • Its impressive enough for date night but simple enough for a Tuesday night
  • The whole dish comes together in under 30 minutes with ingredients you probably have
02 -
  • Letting the chicken rest on the plate while making the sauce keeps it juicy and gives the sauce time to develop
  • Scraping up the browned bits from the pan is where all the deep flavor lives, dont skip this step
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly, so take it out 20 minutes before cooking
  • Use an instant read thermometer to avoid overcooking, 165 degrees is perfect

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