This juicy and tender garlic butter chicken recipe is a one-skillet dish ready in under 30 minutes! Fresh garlic, white wine, and butter create a flavorful sauce that makes this easy chicken dinner simply irresistible.
Why You’ll Love This Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe
If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner that’s full of flavor, you’ll love these juicy garlic butter chicken breasts. Here’s why:
- Quick: This dish comes together in a single skillet and it’s ready in just about 20 minutes!
- Super Flavorful: The garlic butter sauce really makes this dish something special. Rich and creamy, with a hint of wine, the sauce makes this dish one your family will crave.
- Versatile: You can pair this pan fried chicken dinner with just about anything! Keep it on the lighter side with roasted veggies or add some carb-y sides for a hearty dinner.
- Easy: With everything cooked together in a single pan, you won’t need much time and effort for cleanup!
Need more chicken dinners in under 30 minutes? Try our baked ranch Ritz cracker chicken, easy skillet smothered chicken or creamy garlic parmesan chicken!
What You’ll Need
You only need a few pantry staples to make this easy chicken breast recipe! Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- Chicken: We use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Olive Oil: Avocado oil also works great.
- Butter
- White Wine: Choose a dry white wine you’d like to drink, or sub in chicken stock.
- Garlic: Fresh, minced garlic will give the dish great flavor. Garlic powder can be used, but the flavor will be dulled.
- Italian Seasoning: You can find this seasoning at any grocery store or make your own using dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram.
- Salt and Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper will add the most flavor.
How to Make Garlic Butter Chicken Breast
We love one-skillet meals for their ease and simplicity on busy weeknights. We only wish all chicken breast recipes were this quick! Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for detailed instructions.
- Season: Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Make sure you get both sides.
- Sear: Carefully add the chicken to the hot pan and sear on each side for 2 minutes.
- Chicken: Lower the heat to medium, and finish cooking chicken breasts until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Take the chicken out of the skillet and let it rest while you cook the sauce
- Sauce: Add the wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up the yummy chicken bits off the bottom. Let the wine simmer, then add the butter and garlic. Let sauce cook for a few minutes, making sure to give it an occasional stir.
- Combine and Serve: Add the chicken back into the skillet and coat in the sauce. Serve with a little fresh parsley on top, if desired.
Tips and Variations
Here are a few tips from our kitchen and some variation ideas.
- Double the Garlic: If you’re a garlic lover, go ahead and pump up the garlic! We happen to love garlic, so we added some extra sliced garlic to our sauce.
- Thin Chicken Breasts: To make the chicken cook in half the time, you can do one of two things. Buy thinly sliced chicken breasts or pound out full sized ones with a meat mallet. Either way, it’ll cut a few minutes off your cooking time!
- Wine: Whatever you do, do NOT use a sweet white wine in this dish. Use a dry white wine instead. If you don’t like cooking with wine, feel free to substitute chicken stock instead.
- Add Mushrooms: One of our favorite variations to this base recipe is to add mushrooms. The time to do this is when you’re sautéing the garlic in the wine sauce. These buttery garlic mushrooms add awesome flavor and texture to the dish.
- Chicken Thighs: If you prefer dark meat, sub out the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead.
What to Serve With Butter Garlic Chicken
This skillet chicken dinner is easy to pair with just about anything. We usually like it with a tasty veggie side dish and something to help soak up all that delicious sauce. Here are a few ideas:
- Veggies: We happen to love the flavors of roasted cauliflower, parmesan roasted broccoli, and bacon brussels sprouts. Roasted green beans are another great option!
- Carb Party: Opt to keep it simple with these garlic mashed potatoes, parmesan garlic rice, or parmesan butter noodles. A slice of toasty garlic bread would be a great option as well!
- Salad: If you’re looking for a lighter side to round out your meal, you’ll love our strawberry and spinach salad, cucumber tomato salad, or shaved Brussels sprouts salad.
Can I Store and Reheat Leftovers?
If you happen to have leftover garlic butter chicken, you can definitely keep them in the fridge or freeze them for later. Here’s how to do it:
- Fridge: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: If you’re in a hurry, the microwave is an easy option. If you have some more time, you can warm it in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Cover it in foil to keep it from drying out.
- Freeze: Go ahead and make a double or triple batch because it freezes really well! Place leftover portions in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for the best results.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Creamy Cajun Chicken
- French Onion Chicken
- Crockpot Mexican Chicken
- Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken
Yield: 4 servings
Garlic Butter Chicken
Our tender garlic butter chicken is bursting with flavor and ready in under 30 minutes. Fresh garlic, white wine, and butter create a sauce that's irresistible and keeps the chicken nice and juicy. If you love easy chicken recipes, this one-skillet dish is a must try!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or avocado oil
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup dry white wine, or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- While the oil and butter are heating up, season the chicken with the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- When the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken to the skillet and sear each side for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook the breasts for 4 to 5 minutes more on each side, until cooked through and a meat thermometer reaches 165°F. Place the cooked chicken breast on a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add the wine to the skillet to deglaze the skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the little bits and pieces from the bottom of the skillet. Let the wine simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and garlic, simmer 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and coat with the butter and garlic mixture. Serve immediately with a little fresh parsley sprinkled on top.
Notes
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: If you’re in a hurry, the microwave is an easy option. If you have some more time, you can warm it in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Cover it in foil to keep it from drying out.
Freeze: Go ahead and make a double or triple batch because it freezes really well! Place leftover portions in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for the best results.
Double the Garlic: If you’re a garlic lover, go ahead and pump up the garlic! We happen to love garlic, so we added some extra sliced garlic to our sauce.
Thin Chicken Breasts: To make the chicken cook in half the time, you can do one of two things. Buy thinly sliced chicken breasts or pound out full sized ones with a meat mallet. Either way, it’ll cut a few minutes off your cooking time!
Wine: Whatever you do, do NOT use a sweet white wine in this dish. Use a dry white wine instead. If you don’t like cooking with wine, feel free to substitute chicken stock instead.
Add Mushrooms: One of our favorite variations to this base recipe is to add mushrooms. The time to do this is when you’re sautéing the garlic in the wine sauce. These buttery garlic mushrooms add awesome flavor and texture to the dish.
Chicken Thighs: If you prefer dark meat, sub out the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 breast, Calories: 408kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 49g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 175mg, Sodium: 645mg, Potassium: 874mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 429IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 1mg
