I’m sharing my Garlic Butter Chicken that hides a surprising pantry ingredient and a clever timing trick to simplify weeknight cooking.
I’ve been obsessed with a supper trick that makes people swear it took all evening. My Garlic Butter Chicken hums with garlic and butter, turning ordinary chicken into something oddly elegant and a bit fierce.
It’s a Baked Chicken Breast that sneaks up on you, gets everyone talking, and no one believes how simple it is. I love watching faces go from polite to real curiosity after the first bite, its like they catch on to a secret.
Once you try it youll find yourself planning it again the next week.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast: Lean protein source, high in protein, low in carbs, keeps meals filling and simple.
- Garlic: Adds bold savory punch, may boost immunity, not sweet, gives aromatic depth.
- Butter: Rich, creamy fat that makes sauce silky, adds indulgent flavor and golden browning.
- Olive oil: Healthy monounsaturated fat, helps sear, adds fruitiness, lighter then butter sometimes.
- Lemon juice: Bright acidic pop, balances richness, adds fresh tang and subtle sour note.
- Parmesan: Salty umami boost, adds cheesy depth, a little goes a long way.
- Parsley: Fresh herb, mild grassy flavor, adds color and slight brightness at finish.
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total, 6 to 8 oz each)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or dry white wine (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and if any breasts are uneven, gently pound them to about 3/4 inch thickness so they cook evenly.
2. Season both sides of the chicken with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tsp garlic powder, rubbing the spices in.
3. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high and add 1 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, sear the breasts 2 minutes per side until golden, just to lock in flavor. If you dont have an ovenproof pan, sear in a skillet then transfer to a baking dish.
4. While the chicken sears, mix 4 tbsp melted butter, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning in a small bowl. If you want stronger garlic flavor, warm the butter and garlic together in the skillet for 30 to 45 seconds but dont let it brown.
5. Place the seared chicken in the pan or baking dish and pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over the breasts, spooning a little over each one.
6. Pour 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or dry white wine around the chicken (optional) to keep things moist and make a pan sauce.
7. Bake in the preheated oven 18 to 22 minutes (thicker breasts may need 22 to 25 minutes) until an instant read thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
8. If using Parmesan, sprinkle 2 tbsp grated Parmesan over the chicken during the last 3 to 5 minutes of baking so it melts lightly.
9. Remove from oven, baste with the pan juices, loosely tent with foil and rest 5 minutes. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and serve.
Equipment Needed
1. oven (preheat to 400°F / 200°C)
2. oven proof skillet or regular skillet plus a baking dish if needed
3. instant read thermometer
4. meat mallet or rolling pin and a sheet of plastic wrap to pound breasts evenly
5. small bowl and a spoon for mixing the garlic butter
6. measuring spoons and measuring cups
7. tongs and a spatula for searing and transferring the chicken
8. chef knife and cutting board for garlic and parsley
9. paper towels and a piece of foil to tent the chicken while it rests
FAQ
Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Breast Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken breasts → boneless skinless chicken thighs (same total weight, about 1 1/2 lbs). Thighs stay juicier, but might need 5 to 8 minutes more in the oven; check they reach 165°F.
- Kosher salt → table salt, use about 3/4 the amount (so ~3/4 teaspoon instead of 1 tsp). Table salt is finer and saltier, so cut back to avoid over-salting.
- Unsalted butter → ghee or extra virgin olive oil, same volume (4 tablespoons). Ghee gives the buttery flavor without milk solids, olive oil is a good dairy free swap.
- Low sodium chicken broth or dry white wine → low sodium vegetable broth or plain water plus 1 tablespoon extra lemon juice (or 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar). Keeps the pan sauce moist and adds acidity if you don’t have broth or wine.
Pro Tips
– Quick brine before cooking. Even 15 to 30 minutes in salted water makes breasts way juicer, then rinse and pat dry. It sounds like extra work but worth it, trust me.
– Pull the chicken a few degrees below final temp. Take it out at about 160°F and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes so carryover heat hits 165°F, that way it wont be dry and you wont overcook it trying to chase the temp.
– Be careful with garlic and butter. Warm the garlic in the butter gently off the heat or for just a few seconds so it infuses without getting bitter, or smash a clove and remove it after infusing if you dont want little bits every bite.
– Make a real pan sauce from the drippings. Deglaze the hot pan with the wine or broth, scrape up the brown bits, reduce a minute or two, then whisk in a little cold butter or cream to thicken. Slice the chicken against the grain and spoon the sauce over each piece.
Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Breast Recipe
I’m sharing my Garlic Butter Chicken that hides a surprising pantry ingredient and a clever timing trick to simplify weeknight cooking.
4
servings
501
kcal
Equipment: 1. oven (preheat to 400°F / 200°C)
2. oven proof skillet or regular skillet plus a baking dish if needed
3. instant read thermometer
4. meat mallet or rolling pin and a sheet of plastic wrap to pound breasts evenly
5. small bowl and a spoon for mixing the garlic butter
6. measuring spoons and measuring cups
7. tongs and a spatula for searing and transferring the chicken
8. chef knife and cutting board for garlic and parsley
9. paper towels and a piece of foil to tent the chicken while it rests
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total, 6 to 8 oz each)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or dry white wine (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and if any breasts are uneven, gently pound them to about 3/4 inch thickness so they cook evenly.
- Season both sides of the chicken with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tsp garlic powder, rubbing the spices in.
- Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high and add 1 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, sear the breasts 2 minutes per side until golden, just to lock in flavor. If you dont have an ovenproof pan, sear in a skillet then transfer to a baking dish.
- While the chicken sears, mix 4 tbsp melted butter, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning in a small bowl. If you want stronger garlic flavor, warm the butter and garlic together in the skillet for 30 to 45 seconds but dont let it brown.
- Place the seared chicken in the pan or baking dish and pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over the breasts, spooning a little over each one.
- Pour 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or dry white wine around the chicken (optional) to keep things moist and make a pan sauce.
- Bake in the preheated oven 18 to 22 minutes (thicker breasts may need 22 to 25 minutes) until an instant read thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
- If using Parmesan, sprinkle 2 tbsp grated Parmesan over the chicken during the last 3 to 5 minutes of baking so it melts lightly.
- Remove from oven, baste with the pan juices, loosely tent with foil and rest 5 minutes. Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 190g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 501kcal
- Fat: 24.4g
- Saturated Fat: 9.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.05g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.1g
- Monounsaturated: 8.2g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
- Sodium: 624mg
- Potassium: 435mg
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Sugar: 1g
- Protein: 54g
- Vitamin A: 375IU
- Vitamin C: 1.3mg
- Calcium: 28mg
- Iron: 1.9mg
