The Best Garlic Butter Chicken

Juicy, golden, garlic kissed perfection

This Garlic Butter Chicken is everything you want in a quick, flavorful weeknight dinner. Tender chicken cutlets are pan seared to a beautiful golden crust, then coated in a luxurious garlic butter sauce made with just a handful of simple ingredients. It’s the perfect easy healthy recipe that doubles as a cozy fall dinner idea, delivering rich flavor without extra fuss. The sauce is silky, garlicky, and brightened with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Serve it with mashed potatoes, rice, or roasted vegetables for a comforting skillet meal everyone will adore.

⏱️ Time Breakdown

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Servings: 4

📝 Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (9 oz / 250 g each), brought close to room temperature
• ¼ cup (40 g) all purpose flour
• ½ cup (120 ml) chicken stock
• 6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter, divided into tablespoon chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges for serving

✨ Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress free.

• Large frying pan
• Wooden spoon
• Shallow dish (for dredging)
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Jug for stock
• Tongs

Step by Step Beginner Friendly Instructions

1. In a shallow dish, mix the flour with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
2. Butterfly each chicken breast completely through the center to create 4 even cutlets. Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing gently to coat evenly. Shake off any excess and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate. 🔥
4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden.
5. Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter and whisk as it melts. The sauce should turn slightly cloudy and emulsified.
6. Stir in fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce begins to thicken, then reduce heat to low and return the chicken to the skillet. Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the top and let it warm through. 😍
8. Serve with a drizzle of extra sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if desired. 🌿

💡 Pro Tips

• Unsalted butter gives you better control of saltiness.
• Lemon is optional but highly recommended to balance the richness.
• Fresh herbs make the sauce shine; parsley is classic, but thyme or rosemary work too.
• Use fresh garlic, not jarred, for the best flavor.
• If your chicken breasts are smaller, you may not need to butterfly them.

📊 Nutrition Table (Estimated)

🍽️ Conclusion

This Garlic Butter Chicken is rich, golden, and irresistibly delicious, yet wonderfully simple to prepare. With its silky sauce, fresh herbs, and perfectly seared chicken, it’s a recipe you’ll crave again and again. Add it to your weekly rotation and savor every tender, garlicky bite!

Garlic Butter Chicken

Juicy and golden garlic kissed chicken cutlets coated in a luxurious garlic butter sauce, perfect for a quick and flavorful weeknight dinner.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 337 kcal

Ingredients

  

Chicken and Seasoning

• 2 pieces chicken breasts (9 oz / 250 g each), brought close to room temperature
• ¼ cup all purpose flour for dredging
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided into tablespoon chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, minced use fresh garlic for best flavor
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely diced for garnish
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 piece lemon, cut into 4 wedges for serving highly recommended for serving

Instructions

 

Preparation

• In a shallow dish, mix the flour with garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
• Butterfly each chicken breast completely through the center to create 4 even cutlets. Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing gently to coat evenly. Shake off any excess and set aside.

Cooking

• Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.
• Add the chicken cutlets and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
• Lower the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden.
• Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Add the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter and whisk as it melts.
• Stir in fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce begins to thicken, then reduce heat to low and return the chicken to the skillet.
• Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the top and let it warm through.
• Serve with a drizzle of extra sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice if desired.

Notes

Unsalted butter gives better control of saltiness. Lemon is optional but recommended to balance the richness. Fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary can be used as alternatives.

Keyword easy chicken recipe, Garlic Butter Chicken, Garlic Sauce, Healthy Dinner, Weeknight Dinner