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Garlic Butter Chicken

Garlic butter chicken with pan-seared, golden chicken breasts and a glossy garlic-butter sauce with visible minced garlic. The browned bits are scraped into a quick thyme-garlic simmer for a rich, spoon-over finish.
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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
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper to taste
Searing and sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 8 clove garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
Finish
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • lemon juice to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper.
  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 (cue: browned crust on both sides).
  3. Remove the chicken and set aside, then reduce the heat to medium.
Make the garlic butter sauce
  1. Add the butter and garlic to the skillet, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant (cue: visible garlic pieces sizzling and turning lightly golden).
  2. Add the chicken broth and dried thyme, scraping up any browned bits, then simmer for 2-3 minutes (cue: sauce looks glossy and lightly reduced).
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the sauce over top, and add lemon juice to taste (cue: sauce coats the chicken).
  2. Add the chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately (cue: fresh green garnish on the golden chicken).

Notes

For the best golden crust, pat the chicken dry before seasoning and avoid moving it while it sears. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes. For a lighter option, use 3 tbsp butter and replace the rest with olive oil while keeping the garlic-broth simmer the same.