FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
- My Juiciest Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe In 20 Minutes
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Garlic Butter Chicken
- My Recipe Tips
- Garlic Butter Chicken (Easy 20-Minute Dinner) Recipe card
- Serving Ideas
- More Easy Chicken Recipes In One Pan
- Recipe Reviews
My Juiciest Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe In 20 Minutes
This garlic butter chicken is a twist on my classic pan seared chicken breast . Both dishes coat a juicy chicken breast in a savory pan sauce with butter and garlic, but as you might expect from the name, this one has more butter and more garlic. It’s three of my favorite things all brought together. Here’s why you’ll love this dish:
- Savory garlic butter sauce – The sauce makes this garlic butter chicken recipe! Instead of being thick or creamy like the sauces in my chicken Florentine or marry me chicken , this one is light, buttery, and herby… and of course, oh-so-garlicky. It’s perfect for drizzling.
- Juicy, tender chicken – You know I wouldn’t make it any other way. The sauce already helps with this, but see my tips below for extra juicy results.
- Quick and easy – This garlic butter chicken breast takes me just 20 minutes, and there are no extra steps for dredging or breading. Plus, I can make the sauce in the same pan, so cleanup is a cinch. It’s the ultimate chicken dinner for your busy weeknights!
- Simple ingredients – Just some basic staples from your fridge or pantry. This meal is also naturally low carb and gluten-free.
My garlic lovers, this one’s for you. Make it with me!
“This was one of the best chicken recipes I’ve ever eaten. I will put this recipe at the top of my list. I only used one large chicken breast and sliced it in half. I reduced the seasoning measurements, but kept the amount of garlic. It came out fantastic. DELICIOUS!!”
-Donna
More Reviews
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my garlic butter chicken recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .
- Chicken – I usually use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can make my recipe with boneless chicken thighs as well. Choose pieces that are similar in thickness, so they cook at the same rate.
- Oil – I use olive oil to sear the chicken at first, as butter would burn during that step. Avocado oil also works. Don’t you worry, we’re definitely adding butter, too… 😉
- Butter – There it is! I almost always prefer unsalted butter so that I can control the salt separately, but you can use salted and just use less salt in the recipe.
- Garlic – The star of the show in my garlic butter sauce for chicken! I’ll admit I use jarred minced garlic for many dishes to save time, but for this one I always use fresh. It tastes so much better, plus I actually prefer the texture of a coarser mince here. Since this is a main ingredient, I don’t recommend substituting garlic powder, either.
- Chicken Broth – Adds volume to the sauce and makes it more savory. I recommend reduced-sodium broth, because it cooks down and regular broth will make your sauce too salty. I like this brand when I’m in a rush, but my homemade chicken broth or bone broth makes the chicken taste even better. You can also replace half of it with white wine for flavor.
- Dried Herbs – I usually use a mix of dried herbs for variety and to make it easy: dried thyme , dried oregano , dried rosemary , and dried parsley . Triple the amount if you want to substitute fresh herbs (I actually used fresh rosemary for these pictures). I’ve also made this butter garlic chicken with just Italian seasoning mix , a.k.a. my go-to herb blend. If you want some heat, throw in some crushed red pepper flakes, too.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Garlic Butter Chicken
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .
- Dry and season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. (This helps to lock in moisture and gets you that golden sear.) Season both sides with the salt, pepper, and dried herbs.
- Sear until golden. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, and sear on both sides until golden and just barely cooked through (see my tips below). Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Deglaze the pan. Time to make this sauce I can’t stop talking about! Add the butter and chicken broth to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the garlic. Reduce heat to low. Add the garlic and saute until… your kitchen smells like garlic. 😉
- Combine the chicken and sauce. Return the chicken to the pan, and flip to coat all sides in sauce. If you need to, heat for a minute or two until warm. Don’t forget to spoon the sauce over your garlic butter chicken breast when serving — it’s the best part!
My Recipe Tips
- If your chicken breasts are very thick, you may want to slice or pound them. This will help them cook faster and more evenly. To do this, I hold one hand flat on the chicken breast and slice horizontally (parallel to the counter) with the other. If you want to pound with a meat mallet, for chicken I recommend the flat side.
- I recommend a stainless steel skillet for garlic butter chicken, for 2 reasons. Unlike dark nonstick pans, it lets me see the color of the sauce (to avoid burning it), and I don’t have to risk scratching. I still recommend a wooden spoon just in case, though.
- Let the pan and oil get hot before searing. Otherwise, the chicken will just soak up the oil and stick to the pan. The oil is hot enough when it slides around the pan easily, but my easy way to test is to add a drop of water — if it sizzles, you’re good to go.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Crowding the chicken pieces together will make them take a long time to cook and risk dry spots. Sear in batches if the chicken doesn’t fit at once.
- Sear the chicken until just barely done — I check using this instant read thermometer . The main trick to juicy chicken breast is always the cook time, so internal temperature is key. After searing, I usually remove the chicken from the pan when it hits 160-163 degrees F. Then, it comes up to 165 degrees F while it rests covered in foil as I cook the sauce. Worst case, if it doesn’t reach that internal temperature, I finish cooking it in the sauce for a couple of minutes at the end. Much better this way than drying it out upfront!
- If the chicken is golden but not cooked through, reduce the heat. I start at medium-high to get that browned exterior, but sometimes need to turn it down so it doesn’t burn. You may or may not need to do this depending on your pan, your stove, and the thickness of your chicken.
- For extra juicy chicken, you can brine it. This is totally optional, as garlic butter chicken already comes out juicy (as long as you don’t overcook it). But when I’m planning ahead, I brine it just like I do for my baked chicken breast — read the post for how to do it.
- For even faster cooking, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. This cuts the searing time by about half. I don’t usually bother since I’d have to spend the time dicing the chicken instead, but it can be worthwhile if you do it ahead of time. It’s similar to my recipe for chicken bites .
- Double or triple the sauce to use for your side. My garlic butter chicken recipe makes the perfect amount of sauce for the chicken itself, but if you double or triple it, you can toss your side dishes with it. See ideas below!
- Lemon garlic butter chicken variation: If you like a lemony flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice and/or a teaspoon of lemon zest to the sauce at the end, before you return the chicken to the pan. This tastes a lot like my lemon garlic chicken , but with a buttery pan sauce that reminds me of my lemon butter sauce .
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
- 4 8-oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts ▢
- 2 tsp Sea salt ▢
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢
- 1/2 tsp Dried thyme ▢
- 1/2 tsp Dried oregano ▢
- 1/2 tsp Dried rosemary ▢
- 1/2 tsp Dried parsley ▢
- 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter ▢
- 1/2 cup Chicken broth, reduced sodium ▢
- 5 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet (preferably stainless like this one ) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 4-8 minutes per side, until golden and just barely cooked through. (Reduce heat to medium if it starts to brown too much.) Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add the butter and chicken broth to the pan. As the butter melts, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute , until fragrant.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Flip once or twice to coat in sauce. If needed, heat for 1-2 minutes , until warm.
- Serve garlic butter chicken with the pan juices spooned over it.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips to help your garlic butter chicken turn out super juicy with a golden brown outside, a shortcut option, and a couple variations.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: My preferred method for reheating this chicken is baking at 350 degrees F, covered in foil so it stays juicy. Although you can use a skillet on the stovetop, it’s tricky to get the chicken warm before it dries out or the sauce burns. You can also use the microwave, but it’s drying.
- Freeze: Place portions in zip lock bags together with the sauce, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Freezer Meal System and Healthy Ebook Bundle !
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .
Add Your NotesYour Notes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe
Serving Ideas
Garlic butter chicken pairs with many different sides, but especially ones that soak up the irresistible sauce! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Mash – Nothing beats mash to soak up that garlic butter sauce! You can make regular mashed potatoes, but I actually love it with mashed cauliflower or even mashed sweet potatoes .
- Rice Or Noodles – These work particularly well if you double or triple the sauce like I suggested above. Toss your favorite rice, cauliflower rice , pasta, spaghetti squash (my personal favorite), or zucchini noodles with the sauce, and serve the chicken on top.
- Roasted Veggies – I like to pop these in the oven before I start the garlic butter chicken recipe, so my main dish and side are done at the same time. This chicken pairs well with my smashed brussels sprouts , roasted broccoli , roasted green beans , or roasted asparagus .
- Simple Salads – If you want a lighter side to balance out the rich main, go with a fresh salad, like my spring mix salad or avocado Caprese salad .
More Easy Chicken Recipes In One Pan
I love my one-pan chicken recipes, and there are so many flavors they can take on. Try some of my others:
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
- Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
- The Basic Keto Meal Formula
- Understanding Macros
- Keto Food Swaps
- Keto Food List
- Electrolyte Basics
- Keto Diet Types
- Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
- Recipe Reviews
Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.
You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).
Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:
- Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
- Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
- Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
- Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
- Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
- Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
- Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
- Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
- FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.
Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)
The Basic Keto Meal Formula
Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.
Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.
Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.
| Pick A Protein | Pick A Veggie | Add Fat |
|---|---|---|
| Beef Chicken Pork Eggs Lamb Turkey Fish Shellfish Protein powder Venison | Cauliflower Broccoli Zucchini Leafy Greens Cucumbers Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Asparagus Radishes Bell Peppers Jicama Celery | Butter Avocado Oil Cheese Bacon Avocado Lard Ghee Mayo Nuts MCT Oil |
Understanding Macros
Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.
You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.
Carbs Are A Limit.
Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.
A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.
“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.
A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.
Protein Is A Goal.
Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].
“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.
Fat Is A Lever.
Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.
A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).
Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.
Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.
“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.
Keto Food Swaps
One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.
So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .
Keto Swaps For Breakfast
| Instead Of This… | Eat This |
|---|---|
| Pancakes | Almond flour pancakes or coconut flour pancakes |
| Oatmeal | Keto oatmeal with hemp seeds |
| Cinnamon rolls | Fathead cinnamon rolls |
| Cereal | Keto nut granola |
| Muffins | Almond flour muffins or coconut flour muffins |
| Donuts | Almond flour donuts |
| Scones | Almond flour scones |
| High-sugar smoothies | Smoothie with berries or avocado |
| Hash browns | Cauliflower hash browns |
| Breakfast casserole | Breakfast casserole with no potatoes |
| Egg whites | Whole eggs |
| Turkey bacon | Bacon |
| Waffles | Chaffles |
Keto Swaps For Bread
| Instead Of This… | Eat This |
|---|---|
| Bagels | Fathead bagels |
| English muffin | Almond flour English muffin |
| White bread | Keto white bread |
| Multigrain bread | Coconut flour bread with seeds |
| Tortillas for wraps | Coconut flour tortillas |
| Corn taco shells | Cheddar cheese taco shells |
| Burger buns | Oopsie rolls , portobello mushroom caps |
| Breadsticks | Cauliflower breadsticks |
| Biscuits | Almond flour biscuits |
| Cornbread | Almond flour cornbread |
| Croutons | Parmesan crisps |
| Rice | Cauliflower rice , konjac rice |
Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes
| Instead Of This… | Eat This |
|---|---|
| Breaded wings | Crispy air fryer wings (unbreaded) |
| Low-fat meat & poultry | High-fat cuts, or cook low-fat cuts with fat |
| Mashed potatoes | Mashed cauliflower |
| Roasted potatoes | Roasted or fried radishes |
| Tacos | Taco salad |
| Pizza | Fathead crust , chicken crust , or cauliflower crust pizza |
| Lasagna | Eggplant lasagna |
| Potato salad | Cauliflower “potato” salad |
| French fries | Jicama , rutabaga , or zucchini fries |
| Tater tots | Cauliflower tots |
| Wraps | Lettuce wraps , almond flour tortillas |
| Sushi | Naruto-style or homemade rice-free sushi |
| Breaded chicken or fish | Breaded cuts with almond flour or pork rinds |
| Spaghetti | Zoodles , spaghetti squash , shirataki noodles, kelp noodles |
Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces
| Instead Of This… | Eat This |
|---|---|
| Nachos | Cheese crisps |
| High-sugar fruit | Berries & other keto fruits |
| Crackers | Almond flour crackers |
| Hummus | Cauliflower hummus |
| Soft pretzels | Fathead pretzels |
| Popcorn | Puffed cheese |
| Granola bars | Grain-free granola bars |
| Jam | Sugar-free berry chia jam |
| Sweet fruity yogurt | Full-fat plain Greek yogurt with berries |
| Sweet salad dressing | Ranch , blue cheese , or plain vinaigrette |
| Ketchup | Mustard and/or sugar-free ketchup |
| BBQ sauce | Sugar-free BBQ sauce |
| Sweetened peanut butter | Natural, sugar-free nut butters |
| Light mayo | Avocado oil mayo |
| Maple syrup | Sugar-free, maple flavored syrup |
| Potato chips | Zucchini chips , pepperoni chips , pork rinds |
Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking
| Instead Of This… | Eat This |
|---|---|
| Sugar | Monk fruit or allulose |
| Powdered sugar | Powdered monk fruit or allulose |
| White flour | Almond or Coconut flour (use in tested recipes) |
| Making baked goods soft/chewy | Xanthan gum, flax seed meal, psyllium husk powder |
| Breadcrumbs | Pork rinds or almond flour |
| Margarine | Butter, coconut oil, or ghee |
| Vegetable oil | Olive or avocado oil |
| Bananas | Banana extract |
| Chocolate chips | Sugar-free chocolate chips |
| Cornstarch or flour roux | Xanthan gum or gelatin powder (used at the end) |
| Simple syrup | Dissolve monk fruit allulose blend in water over heat |
Keto Swaps For Drinks
| Instead Of This… | Eat This |
|---|---|
| Lemonade | Water with lemon |
| Soda | Flavored sparkling water |
| Milk | Almond milk, coconut milk, heavy cream |
| Latte | Butter coffee |
| Coffee creamer | Heavy cream |
| Sweet wine | Dry wine |
| Beer | Ultra light beer |
| Mixed drinks | Hard liquor with soda + lemon |
If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .
Keto Food List
When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.
The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!
Foods To Eat On Keto
- Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
- Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
- Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
- Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
- Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
- Avocados
- Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
- Almond flour and coconut flour
- Eggs
- Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.
Foods To Avoid On Keto
- White flour & sugar
- Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
- Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
- Cereal
- Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
- Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
- Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
- Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
- Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
- Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.
That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:
Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)
Electrolyte Basics
Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.
For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .
The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.
Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:
| Sodium | Magnesium | Potassium |
|---|---|---|
| Bone broth Boullion cubes Bacon Salted nuts Pickles | Seaweed Seeds Nuts Avocado Leafy greens | Potassium chloride Avocado Bone broth Spinach Broccoli Mushrooms Beef Pork |
Keto Diet Types
People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.
Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.
Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!
- Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
- Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
- Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
- Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.
For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!
Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:
- Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
- Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
- Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
- Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
- Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
- Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
- Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
- Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
- FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.
Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)
Garlic Butter Chicken (Easy 20-Minute Dinner)
My easy garlic butter chicken recipe is a weeknight favorite! Make juicy chicken breast with butter, garlic, and herbs in just 20 minutes.
Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/garlic-butter-chicken/
Ingredients
- 4 8-oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tsp Sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp Dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp Dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp Dried parsley
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup Chicken broth, reduced sodium
- 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet (preferably stainless like this one ) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 4-8 minutes per side, until golden and just barely cooked through. (Reduce heat to medium if it starts to brown too much.) Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add the butter and chicken broth to the pan. As the butter melts, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute , until fragrant.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Flip once or twice to coat in sauce. If needed, heat for 1-2 minutes , until warm.
- Serve garlic butter chicken with the pan juices spooned over it.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips to help your garlic butter chicken turn out super juicy with a golden brown outside, a shortcut option, and a couple variations.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: My preferred method for reheating this chicken is baking at 350 degrees F, covered in foil so it stays juicy. Although you can use a skillet on the stovetop, it’s tricky to get the chicken warm before it dries out or the sauce burns. You can also use the microwave, but it’s drying.
- Freeze: Place portions in zip lock bags together with the sauce, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Freezer Meal System and Healthy Ebook Bundle !
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
- My Juiciest Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe In 20 Minutes
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Garlic Butter Chicken
- My Recipe Tips
- Garlic Butter Chicken (Easy 20-Minute Dinner) Recipe card
- Serving Ideas
- More Easy Chicken Recipes In One Pan
- Recipe Reviews
My Juiciest Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe In 20 Minutes
This garlic butter chicken is a twist on my classic pan seared chicken breast . Both dishes coat a juicy chicken breast in a savory pan sauce with butter and garlic, but as you might expect from the name, this one has more butter and more garlic. It’s three of my favorite things all brought together. Here’s why you’ll love this dish:
- Savory garlic butter sauce – The sauce makes this garlic butter chicken recipe! Instead of being thick or creamy like the sauces in my chicken Florentine or marry me chicken , this one is light, buttery, and herby… and of course, oh-so-garlicky. It’s perfect for drizzling.
- Juicy, tender chicken – You know I wouldn’t make it any other way. The sauce already helps with this, but see my tips below for extra juicy results.
- Quick and easy – This garlic butter chicken breast takes me just 20 minutes, and there are no extra steps for dredging or breading. Plus, I can make the sauce in the same pan, so cleanup is a cinch. It’s the ultimate chicken dinner for your busy weeknights!
- Simple ingredients – Just some basic staples from your fridge or pantry. This meal is also naturally low carb and gluten-free.
My garlic lovers, this one’s for you. Make it with me!
“This was one of the best chicken recipes I’ve ever eaten. I will put this recipe at the top of my list. I only used one large chicken breast and sliced it in half. I reduced the seasoning measurements, but kept the amount of garlic. It came out fantastic. DELICIOUS!!”
-Donna
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my garlic butter chicken recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .
- Chicken – I usually use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can make my recipe with boneless chicken thighs as well. Choose pieces that are similar in thickness, so they cook at the same rate.
- Oil – I use olive oil to sear the chicken at first, as butter would burn during that step. Avocado oil also works. Don’t you worry, we’re definitely adding butter, too… 😉
- Butter – There it is! I almost always prefer unsalted butter so that I can control the salt separately, but you can use salted and just use less salt in the recipe.
- Garlic – The star of the show in my garlic butter sauce for chicken! I’ll admit I use jarred minced garlic for many dishes to save time, but for this one I always use fresh. It tastes so much better, plus I actually prefer the texture of a coarser mince here. Since this is a main ingredient, I don’t recommend substituting garlic powder, either.
- Chicken Broth – Adds volume to the sauce and makes it more savory. I recommend reduced-sodium broth, because it cooks down and regular broth will make your sauce too salty. I like this brand when I’m in a rush, but my homemade chicken broth or bone broth makes the chicken taste even better. You can also replace half of it with white wine for flavor.
- Dried Herbs – I usually use a mix of dried herbs for variety and to make it easy: dried thyme , dried oregano , dried rosemary , and dried parsley . Triple the amount if you want to substitute fresh herbs (I actually used fresh rosemary for these pictures). I’ve also made this butter garlic chicken with just Italian seasoning mix , a.k.a. my go-to herb blend. If you want some heat, throw in some crushed red pepper flakes, too.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Garlic Butter Chicken
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .
- Dry and season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. (This helps to lock in moisture and gets you that golden sear.) Season both sides with the salt, pepper, and dried herbs.
- Sear until golden. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, and sear on both sides until golden and just barely cooked through (see my tips below). Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Deglaze the pan. Time to make this sauce I can’t stop talking about! Add the butter and chicken broth to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all those flavorful browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the garlic. Reduce heat to low. Add the garlic and saute until… your kitchen smells like garlic. 😉
- Combine the chicken and sauce. Return the chicken to the pan, and flip to coat all sides in sauce. If you need to, heat for a minute or two until warm. Don’t forget to spoon the sauce over your garlic butter chicken breast when serving — it’s the best part!
My Recipe Tips
- If your chicken breasts are very thick, you may want to slice or pound them. This will help them cook faster and more evenly. To do this, I hold one hand flat on the chicken breast and slice horizontally (parallel to the counter) with the other. If you want to pound with a meat mallet, for chicken I recommend the flat side.
- I recommend a stainless steel skillet for garlic butter chicken, for 2 reasons. Unlike dark nonstick pans, it lets me see the color of the sauce (to avoid burning it), and I don’t have to risk scratching. I still recommend a wooden spoon just in case, though.
- Let the pan and oil get hot before searing. Otherwise, the chicken will just soak up the oil and stick to the pan. The oil is hot enough when it slides around the pan easily, but my easy way to test is to add a drop of water — if it sizzles, you’re good to go.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Crowding the chicken pieces together will make them take a long time to cook and risk dry spots. Sear in batches if the chicken doesn’t fit at once.
- Sear the chicken until just barely done — I check using this instant read thermometer . The main trick to juicy chicken breast is always the cook time, so internal temperature is key. After searing, I usually remove the chicken from the pan when it hits 160-163 degrees F. Then, it comes up to 165 degrees F while it rests covered in foil as I cook the sauce. Worst case, if it doesn’t reach that internal temperature, I finish cooking it in the sauce for a couple of minutes at the end. Much better this way than drying it out upfront!
- If the chicken is golden but not cooked through, reduce the heat. I start at medium-high to get that browned exterior, but sometimes need to turn it down so it doesn’t burn. You may or may not need to do this depending on your pan, your stove, and the thickness of your chicken.
- For extra juicy chicken, you can brine it. This is totally optional, as garlic butter chicken already comes out juicy (as long as you don’t overcook it). But when I’m planning ahead, I brine it just like I do for my baked chicken breast — read the post for how to do it.
- For even faster cooking, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. This cuts the searing time by about half. I don’t usually bother since I’d have to spend the time dicing the chicken instead, but it can be worthwhile if you do it ahead of time. It’s similar to my recipe for chicken bites .
- Double or triple the sauce to use for your side. My garlic butter chicken recipe makes the perfect amount of sauce for the chicken itself, but if you double or triple it, you can toss your side dishes with it. See ideas below!
- Lemon garlic butter chicken variation: If you like a lemony flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice and/or a teaspoon of lemon zest to the sauce at the end, before you return the chicken to the pan. This tastes a lot like my lemon garlic chicken , but with a buttery pan sauce that reminds me of my lemon butter sauce .
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
- 4 8-oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts ▢
- 2 tsp Sea salt ▢
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢
- 1/2 tsp Dried thyme ▢
- 1/2 tsp Dried oregano ▢
- 1/2 tsp Dried rosemary ▢
- 1/2 tsp Dried parsley ▢
- 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter ▢
- 1/2 cup Chicken broth, reduced sodium ▢
- 5 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet (preferably stainless like this one ) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 4-8 minutes per side, until golden and just barely cooked through. (Reduce heat to medium if it starts to brown too much.) Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add the butter and chicken broth to the pan. As the butter melts, scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute , until fragrant.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Flip once or twice to coat in sauce. If needed, heat for 1-2 minutes , until warm.
- Serve garlic butter chicken with the pan juices spooned over it.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips to help your garlic butter chicken turn out super juicy with a golden brown outside, a shortcut option, and a couple variations.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: My preferred method for reheating this chicken is baking at 350 degrees F, covered in foil so it stays juicy. Although you can use a skillet on the stovetop, it’s tricky to get the chicken warm before it dries out or the sauce burns. You can also use the microwave, but it’s drying.
- Freeze: Place portions in zip lock bags together with the sauce, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Freezer Meal System and Healthy Ebook Bundle !
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .
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Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe
Serving Ideas
Garlic butter chicken pairs with many different sides, but especially ones that soak up the irresistible sauce! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Mash – Nothing beats mash to soak up that garlic butter sauce! You can make regular mashed potatoes, but I actually love it with mashed cauliflower or even mashed sweet potatoes .
- Rice Or Noodles – These work particularly well if you double or triple the sauce like I suggested above. Toss your favorite rice, cauliflower rice , pasta, spaghetti squash (my personal favorite), or zucchini noodles with the sauce, and serve the chicken on top.
- Roasted Veggies – I like to pop these in the oven before I start the garlic butter chicken recipe, so my main dish and side are done at the same time. This chicken pairs well with my smashed brussels sprouts , roasted broccoli , roasted green beans , or roasted asparagus .
- Simple Salads – If you want a lighter side to balance out the rich main, go with a fresh salad, like my spring mix salad or avocado Caprese salad .
More Easy Chicken Recipes In One Pan
I love my one-pan chicken recipes, and there are so many flavors they can take on. Try some of my others:
