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Garlic butter chicken breast uses a handful of basic ingredients that cook down into a savory butter sauce. It’s quick and easy — perfect for busy weeknights — and my favorite twist on classic pan seared chicken breast. Once you try this recipe for chicken breast with butter and garlic, you’ll want to make it over and over again.

This is one of my go-to easy chicken recipes. Not only is it gluten-free and protein-rich, but it even creates a savory garlic butter sauce from the same pan, so cleanup is a breeze. Just like chicken florentine, creamy marry me chicken, and salsa chicken, garlic butter chicken breast recipes can go from the stovetop to the tabletop in minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe

Buttery, savory, tender chicken
20 minutes from prep to table
No dredging or breading needed
Naturally low carb and gluten-free
Easy dish for dinner or meal prep in other recipes

Finished garlic butter chicken breast in a skillet.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this garlic butter chicken recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Chicken – This butter chicken garlic recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can make it with boneless chicken thighs as well.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper – For basic seasoning on the chicken.
Dried Herbs – Including dried thyme, dried oregano, dried rosemary, and dried parsley. You could also simply substitute Italian seasoning instead.
Olive Oil – Helps butter cook at higher temperatures without taking on a burnt taste.
Butter – I almost always prefer unsalted butter so that I can control the salt content, but any variety on hand will work. Use less salt on the chicken if you use salted butter.
Chicken Broth – Use prepared chicken broth to save time, or substitute homemade bone broth.
Garlic – Mince it fresh for the most mouthwatering garlic butter sauce for chicken, or get jarred minced garlic to save time. Since the garlic is the star of the sauce, I don’t recommend substituting garlic powder.

Ingredients for garlic butter chicken in bowls.

How To Make Garlic Butter Chicken

This section shows how to make butter garlic chicken breast, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Season. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and dried herbs.
Sear. In a large skillet, heat the oil and add chicken in a single layer. Sear on both sides until golden and fully cooked. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Deglaze. Add butter and chicken broth to the pan and scrape the flavorful bits up with a wooden spoon.
Add. Reduce heat to low and saute garlic until fragrant.

Finish. Return the chicken breasts to the pan, flip them to coat them in sauce and warm until heated through. Spoon garlic butter sauce over the chicken when serving.

Finished garlic butter chicken breast in a pan.

Tips For The Best Garlic Butter Chicken

These easy tips guarantee that butter garlic chicken will be a requested family favorite over and over again!

Keep the meat dry. Pat chicken dry thoroughly with a clean paper towel so the seasonings adhere properly.
Heat well before searing. Make sure the oil is heated enough to sear the outside of the chicken, otherwise the chicken will just soak up the oil. If the oil sputters when you flick a little water in it, it’s ready to use.
Soften butter. Room temperature butter will melt more quickly and evenly than solid pieces.
Test temperature. Always test for doneness using a meat thermometer. Chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Garlic butter chicken breast lifted with a wooden spoon.

Variations

Try different cuts of chicken – Instead of chicken breast, try chicken thighs. Or, slice chicken breast into strips or bite-sized pieces before cooking (this will reduce cooking time).
Switch the seasonings – Substitute the herb blend in this recipe with equal parts of your favorite seasoning mix or try lemon garlic chicken instead.
Upgrade your broth – Substitute dry white wine for chicken broth (in part, or altogether). Add it to the pan carefully when deglazing.
Add extra garnishes – Try assorted fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, or red pepper flakes on garlic and butter chicken for an extra burst of flavor.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep leftovers from this garlic butter chicken recipe in an airtight container up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm leftover chicken in the microwave on medium power until just heated through, then transfer to the sauce in a pan until hot (this keeps the chicken from overcooking and the sauce from burning). You can also bake in the oven at 350 degrees F, covered in foil to prevent drying out.
Freeze: Place portions in freezer bags and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.

Sliced chicken breast with butter and garlic, served over mash.

What To Serve With Garlic Butter Chicken Breast

Chicken breast with butter and garlic pairs with almost anything! Here are a few of my favorite dishes to serve with it.

Easy Mashes – Try mashed sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, or mashed cauliflower for a classic pairing.
Rice Or Noodles – Make classic rice or pasta, or make zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or spaghetti squash in the oven.
Roasted Veggies – While chicken cooks in the pan, prep smashed brussels sprouts, baked ratatouille, oven roasted mushrooms, or roasted asparagus.
Simple Salads – This chicken tastes great with creamy cucumber salad, spring mix salad, or a classic wedge salad.

More One Pan Chicken Breast Recipes

Take chicken from ordinary to extraordinary with these other delicious one-pan recipes:

Recommended Tools

Large Skillet – Available at Amazon or Target.
Wooden Spoon – Sturdy for deglazing pans, without scratching them. Available at Amazon or Target.
Meat Thermometer – For perfectly cooked chicken every time. Find it at Amazon or Target.