Garlic Butter Chicken (Print Version)

Golden chicken in a rich garlic butter sauce with fresh herbs and lemon

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
04 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
08 - ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Garnish

12 - Lemon wedges
13 - Extra chopped parsley

# How to Cook:

01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, ensuring even coverage.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining butter to the same skillet. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in Italian seasoning and let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet, spooning the sauce over the breasts. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce creates this incredible velvety coating that makes every bite feel like a restaurant experience without the restaurant price tag
  • It comes together in just 30 minutes but tastes like something that simmered all afternoon
  • The leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
  • Dry your chicken thoroughly with paper towels before seasoning or it will steam instead of sear, missing out on that gorgeous golden crust
  • Let the chicken rest on a plate while making the sauce instead of leaving it in the pan, or it will overcook and become tough
  • Keep the garlic moving in the butter constantly, because garlic goes from fragrant to burned bitter incredibly fast over higher heat
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check doneness at 165°F, because cutting into the chicken to check releases all those precious juices
  • Let your chicken breasts come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before cooking for more even cooking throughout

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