Description
Tender, golden-brown chicken breasts or thighs bathed in a luscious garlic-infused butter sauce—simple, elegant, and ready in about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1.5–2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil or neutral cooking oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme or rosemary, chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley or chives (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear chicken for 4–5 minutes until golden underneath.
- Flip chicken, add 1 tbsp butter, and baste as it cooks another 3–4 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165 °F (74 °C); transfer to a plate and tent with foil to rest.
- Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining 2 tbsp butter. Add garlic (and herbs, if using) and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in broth and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits; simmer 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Season sauce with salt, pepper, or extra lemon juice as needed.
- Return chicken to skillet, spoon sauce over for 1 minute to warm through.
- Garnish with parsley or chives and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken—brown as usual, then cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes longer.
- Substitute lemon juice with white wine or extra broth if preferred.
- For dairy-free, replace butter with vegan butter or extra oil and skip broth.
- Refresh leftover sauce when reheating with a splash of broth or lemon juice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken piece with sauce
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
