Garlic Butter Chicken
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This Garlic Butter Chicken is simple and delicious! Juicy, tender, and full of flavor, this recipe is on its way to becoming your new favorite winner winner chicken dinner!
Easy Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe
I can’t actually get over how easy this chicken recipe is! It took me no time at all to put together, yet it tasted as though I’d slaved over the stove all day! However, I think we can all agree that when the base of any dish is butter and garlic, there isn’t much room for the outcome to not be delicious!
This recipe does not require much for kitchen skills and you likely have a lot of these ingredients already in the pantry and fridge. I think my favorite part is the aromatics that fill my kitchen when I’m making this dish, it smells incredible!
It’s also super versatile, you can serve this garlic butter chicken with anything you like, making it an instant weekly recipe! I served mine with Skillet Green Beans but The Ultimate Parmesan Roasted Broccoli or Sautéed Peas would be an excellent choice.
Why You’ll Love This Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe
- Quick and Easy! This simple 10-ingredient recipe comes together in just 20 minutes and only requires one pan, which means very little cleanup.
- Smokey Garlicky Goodness! With lots of garlic and butter along with a dash of smoked paprika and spice, this easy chicken recipe is absolutely delicious.
- Versatile Recipe! This garlic butter chicken is super versatile and is fantastic hot or cold. It can be served with some simple cauliflower rice and veggies, potatoes, or with a green salad.
- Chicken – I’m using skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into long strips.
- Butter – For the base of our sauce.
- Garlic – 6 fresh cloves, minced. Fresh is best but remember the jarred rule; 1 1/2 teaspoons is equal to 1 fresh clove.
- Salt and pepper – For seasoning and to taste.
- Red pepper flakes – For some added heat.
- Smoked paprika – The smoky element to our sauce.
- Chicken broth – I always vouch for the low sodium options.
- Hot sauce – I’m using sriracha today, but you’re welcome to use your favorite.
- Parsley – Fresh and chopped for garnish.
- Lemon – I’m using fresh lemon slices for an extra garnish – this is optional of course!
This low carb chicken dish is easy to whip together in no time, which makes it a perfect weeknight meal! You just sear some chicken in butter, make a 30-second sauce loaded with garlic and spice, and combine the 2 to make this tasty garlic butter chicken recipe.
Cook The Chicken
To begin, prep the chicken to cook by patting it dry with paper towels and sprinkling it on both sides with salt and pepper. Then melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Now, add the chicken strips to the pan and cook them on each side for about 4 minutes or until fully cooked. Then remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside for a later step.
Make The Sauce
Now, let’s make the simple sauce in the same skillet that you just used to cook the chicken. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and hot sauce to the pan and sauté it for about 30 seconds or until the garlic is aromatic. Then pour the chicken broth into the pan and bring it to a simmer as you scrap the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
Finish The Dish
To complete the dish, add the cooked chicken back into the skillet and coat it with the sauce. For the best flavor, make sure that each strip is totally covered in sauce. Then remove the pan from the heat.
Garnish And Serve
When the chicken is done, transfer it to your favorite serving dish. Then garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges to serve.
Can I Use Other Cuts Of Chicken?
Absolutely you can! Chicken thighs, drumsticks, even the wings would be great for this recipe. Keep in mind though, the cook times will vary for each cut!
How Do I Know When The Chicken Is Cooked Through?
The most foolproof way to know when chicken is done cooking is with a meat thermometer. Inserting it into the thickest part of the meat, it should read 165°F (74°C) when finished. Because we’re using chicken breast cut into strips, using a knife to make a small incision into the meat so you can see the color all the way through, will be a good indicator. If the meat is still pink – it’s not ready yet!
How To Serve
I love this dish with a side of rice and vegetables any which-way yo want to prepare them; roasted, steamed, fresh. But you don’t have to stop there – the list is endless! Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Skillet Green Beans
- Old Fashioned Green Beans
- Creamy Polenta
- Harvest Rice
- Asian Chopped Chicken Salad
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Expert Tips
- Use organic chicken: Try your best to find organic chicken, it’s important to know what your chicken is eating, before you eat the chicken!
- Don’t overcook the garlic: Garlic doesn’t need to cook for a long time – I’m talking 30 seconds to a minute! Burnt garlic tastes bitter and it will definitely throw off the flavor outcome of your dish!
- Season to your taste: If there are certain seasonings that are going to make or break your tastebuds feel free to switch it up! For example if the red pepper flakes are going to be too much for your palate, using rosemary or thyme is a great alternative – keeping it more on the mild side, while still adding delicious flavor!
Leftovers
This garlic butter chicken will last in the fridge up to 3 days if wrapped well or stored in an airtight container. To extend the shelf life, I recommend freezing it, wrapped well or in an airtight container, and it will last anywhere from 4 – 6 months.
Other Delicious Chicken Recipes To Try
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- Chicken Milanese Bites
- Honey Sesame Chicken
- Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
- Coconut Chicken Curry
- Chicken On The Ritz
- Chicken With Garlic Herb Sauce
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Garlic Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound chicken breast (boneless and skinless, cut into strips)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
- lemon slices (for garnish)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Cook chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Next, add in the chicken strips and cook on each side. Once cooked remove from the skillet.
- Make sauce: Using the same skillet, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika and hot sauce. Saute for 30 seconds until the garlic is aromatic. Finally, deglaze the skillet with the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Finish dish: Add the chicken back into the skillet of sauce and give it a little toss so each piece of chicken is touched with sauce. Remove from heat, garnish with parsley, lemon wedges and serve at desired temperature!
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Use organic chicken: Try your best to find organic chicken, it’s important to know what your chicken is eating, before you eat the chicken!
- Don’t overcook the garlic: Garlic doesn’t need to cook for a long time – I’m talking 30 seconds to a minute! Burnt garlic tastes bitter and it will definitely throw off the flavor outcome of your dish!
- Season to your taste: If there are certain seasonings that are going to make or break your tastebuds feel free to switch it up! For example if the red pepper flakes are going to be too much for your palate, using rosemary or thyme is a great alternative – keeping it more on the mild side, while still adding delicious flavor!
- This garlic butter chicken will last in the fridge up to 3 days if wrapped well or stored in an airtight container. To extend the shelf life, I recommend freezing it, wrapped well or in an airtight container, and it will last anywhere from 4 – 6 months.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
How long do you cook the chicken on each side?
About 3 minutes, it’s cut in small pieces so shouldn’t take long at all.
My family likes a creamier sauce so I added a little white wine, heavy cream & sour cream at the end. The dairy cut down on the spice a little, which we like!
Simple yet so delicious 😋
This sounds great but would beef broth work instead of chicken? I hate to open a new container for a half a cup when I already have the other in the fridge. Thanks!
Hi Brett,
The beef broth will bring more of a bolder flavor to the chicken, but it will still work well. Let us know how it turns out!
Hi! How can I make a non spicy version of this recipe.. ? What would be a suitable substitutes for the spice and sauces used?
You can omit the paprika, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce! Play around your favorite spices and flavors, almost everything pairs well with garlic and butter 😉
Incredibly delicious, I added an extra 3/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, because I love the extreme heat.
This dish has become a favorite for sure.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Do you need the chicken broth as it is the only thing I haven’t got?
Well you need some sort of liquid, so you could use water and maybe add a bit more salt or a chicken bouillon to add a bit more flavor.
Could you use shrimp? 🙂
Absolutely, check out my recipe for garlic parsley butter shrimp right here: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/garlic-parsley-butter-shrimp/
I am going to have to try this as soon as I can. I’m always looking for new and different recipes to try for my family. Also what would be a good substitution in the future for the butter? I’m planning to have weight loss surgery and too much fat is something I won’t be able to tolerate very well. Thanks and keep on posting those recipes!
There are lots of other oils you can use instead, like coconut oil or avocado oil, but it’s best to consult with your doctor. 🙂 Good luck with your surgery and wish you a speedy recovery.
We are not fans of Sriracha. I have chili sauce in my fridge. Is that an okay substitute or can I just leave it out all together?
Either or, chili sauce would also work, or simply just leave it out. 🙂
I’m definitely making this recipe this week – ingredients going on my grocery list as we speak! I love things that I can make all in one pan.