Incredible Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken: 4 Servings

If you’ve been dreaming about that unbelievably rich, cheesy chicken you get at the fancy steakhouses, stop dreaming! I’m Anna, and I absolutely love sharing simple, flavorful chicken recipes that make everyday cooking feel joyful instead of like a chore. Today, we are conquering the Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken. Trust me, this copycat version is so good, you’ll wonder why you ever paid restaurant prices for it.

My goal is always to bring restaurant quality right into your own kitchen with minimal fuss. This dish is the perfect weeknight meal—seared, smothered in garlic butter mushrooms, and topped with bubbly, melted cheese. It’s easy enough for a Tuesday, but impressive enough for company. Get ready for some serious flavor!

Gathering Ingredients for Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken

Getting everything ready beforehand is half the battle with a skillet dinner like this one. We’re making four generous servings, so you’ll need four boneless, skinless chicken breasts, aiming for about 6 to 7 ounces each. If yours are super thick, just whack them gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they are about three-quarters of an inch thick all the way across. Consistency is key for even cooking!

Next up is the aromatic base and topping. You’ll need a full 8 ounces of those lovely cremini mushrooms, sliced up, and six cloves of garlic—yes, six! Don’t skimp on the garlic; that’s where the steakhouse magic lives. We’ll also need fresh parsley, but if you only have dried thyme or Italian seasoning on hand, that conversion works just fine.

Chicken and Seasonings

For the dry rub, grab a small bowl. You’re mixing 1 teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. Make sure you season both sides of those chicken breasts thoroughly before they hit the hot pan. That seasoning layer is what builds the crust!

Sauce Components and Cheese Topping

For the sauce that ties everything together, we need 2 tablespoons of olive oil to start the searing process, followed by 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter divided between searing and sauce-making. The liquid base is half a cup of low-sodium chicken broth, plus 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and 1 tablespoon of bright lemon juice. For the cheesy blanket on top, you’ll want 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese and a quarter cup of shredded Parmesan cheese mixed together. That combination melts beautifully!

Essential Equipment for Making Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken

You don’t need a kitchen full of gadgets for this amazing skillet dinner, but a few things are absolutely necessary to get that perfect texture. First and foremost, you must have a large, oven-safe skillet. Cast iron is my absolute favorite here because it holds heat so well for that amazing sear!

You’ll also want a reliable meat thermometer. Seriously, don’t guess! We need that chicken perfectly cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit for safety and juiciness. Grab a cutting board, a sharp knife for slicing mushrooms, and a small bowl for mixing up your seasonings while the oven preheats.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken

Okay, let’s get cooking! This whole process moves pretty fast once you start, so make sure your oven is preheated to 400 degrees F and that rack is sitting right in the middle. We are aiming for that golden crust first, then finishing it off in the heat.

Preparing and Searing the Chicken

First thing: pat those chicken breasts bone dry with paper towels. If they aren’t dry, they steam instead of sear, and we absolutely need that crust! If they are uneven, take a minute to pound them down gently so they are all roughly the same thickness—about three-quarters of an inch is perfect. Now take your seasoning mix and coat both sides generously. Get that olive oil shimmering hot in your oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan—you should hear a satisfying sizzle! Don’t touch them for 5 to 6 minutes. Once you see that deep golden-brown crust, flip them over and sear the other side for about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the seared chicken to a clean plate and let it chill out for a minute while we build the flavor base.

Building the Garlic Butter Mushroom Base

Keep the heat at medium now; we don’t want to burn that beautiful garlic! Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pan. Toss in your sliced mushrooms and let them cook down for about 5 or 6 minutes until they start looking beautifully golden and tender. Next, push all those mushrooms over to one side of the pan. Add the rest of your butter—3 tablespoons—and let it melt. Toss in your minced garlic and cook it until you can really smell it, which is usually just a minute or two—be careful not to let it brown too much! Pour in the chicken broth and stir everything up, scraping those tasty brown bits off the bottom of the pan—that’s called deglazing, and it’s pure flavor! Stir in your teaspoon of Italian seasoning.

Final Assembly and Oven Baking

Now, nestle those seared chicken breasts right back into the skillet, right on top of that bubbly mushroom-garlic sauce. Spoon the mushrooms evenly over the top of each piece of chicken. Time for the blanket! Sprinkle that mix of Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheese all over the top until the chicken is completely covered. Carefully transfer the whole skillet into your 400°F oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. You are looking for the cheese to be fully melted and bubbly, but most importantly, check the internal temperature with your thermometer. It must hit 165°F for safety! Once it’s done, pull it out. Stir in your fresh parsley and that splash of lemon juice right into the pan sauce before spooning that rich garlic butter sauce over everything.

Tips for Perfect Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken Results

Listen, getting this copycat recipe right hinges on a couple of little tricks that the pros use. If your chicken seems like it’s just steaming in the pan instead of getting that gorgeous crust, I can bet you skipped drying it off first. That surface moisture is the enemy of a good sear! Take the extra minute to really blot it dry with paper towels—it makes a huge difference.

Another thing people sometimes mess up is overcooking the garlic. When you add those 6 cloves of minced garlic in with the last bit of butter, you only want about 60 to 90 seconds until it smells amazing. If it turns dark brown, it gets bitter, and you’ll have to start the sauce over. We want fragrant, not burnt!

Achieving Maximum Flavor in Your Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken

To maximize that amazing steakhouse flavor, don’t rush the sear! Let the chicken sit undisturbed on medium-high heat until that crust naturally releases from the pan—if you try to flip it too early, you’ll tear off the beautiful browning. That’s the flavor foundation right there.

My absolute favorite part is the very end. Once the chicken is cooked through and you pull the skillet out of the oven, you MUST stir in that fresh lemon juice and parsley right into the pan sauce. That tiny bit of acid from the lemon cuts through all that rich butter and cheese, making the whole dish taste bright and fresh instead of heavy. It’s the final touch that makes this cheesy chicken truly restaurant-worthy!

Simple Variations for Your Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken

This recipe is wonderful as is, but I always encourage people to make it their own! If you don’t have boneless, skinless chicken breasts on hand, don’t panic. You can absolutely swap those out for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Thighs are naturally more forgiving and stay extra tender, even if you accidentally cook them a minute too long. They might need an extra minute or two in the oven, so just trust your thermometer! If you are looking for other great chicken thigh recipes, check out this garlic butter chicken thighs recipe.

When it comes to the cheese topping, feel free to experiment! The Monterey Jack is there for that perfect meltiness, but if you prefer a sharper flavor, Gruyere or even a good sharp cheddar work incredibly well. Mozzarella is also a great substitute if you want a super stretchy pull. You can also mix up your mushrooms—using a blend of white button mushrooms and cremini gives you different textures in the sauce.

If you are looking to make this skillet dinner even richer without adding extra heavy cream, I suggest adding just a splash of the liquid from the canned mushrooms if you happen to use those instead of fresh. Otherwise, just letting that pan sauce reduce a tiny bit more before you return the chicken to the pan helps concentrate the flavor beautifully.

Storing and Reheating Leftover Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken

Don’t you hate wasting good food? Luckily, this cheesy chicken reheats surprisingly well, provided you handle it right. The key here is moisture retention, especially since the sauce has butter and broth. You want to store leftovers in an airtight container. Don’t just toss it in a big Tupperware; try to keep the chicken separate from the extra sauce if you have a lot left over, but for this recipe, keeping it together works fine if you plan to reheat it all at once.

When you reheat it, you need to add back some moisture to make sure that chicken breast doesn’t turn into rubber. Use the oven or a skillet for the best results to keep that cheese from turning totally oily or separating.

Storage and Reheating Guide

Storage Time	Reheating Method
Up to 3 days in the refrigerator	Oven (Best Method): Place in an oven-safe dish, add a tablespoon of water or broth, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 350°F until warm through.
Up to 1 month frozen	Skillet: Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water to create steam, until heated through.

Common Questions About This Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe

It’s normal to have questions when you’re trying a new weeknight meal, especially when you’re aiming for that high-end steakhouse experience at home! I’ve gathered a few things I hear often about making this amazing cheesy chicken.

First, please remember that internal temperature is non-negotiable. That 165°F target is just there to keep you safe while ensuring your chicken stays juicy, not dry. Don’t rely on cooking time alone for this skillet dinner!

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts in this Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken?

Absolutely, yes! I mentioned that in the notes, and I highly recommend it if you prefer a slightly richer flavor or worry about drying out the breast meat. Chicken thighs are more forgiving. Since they have a bit more fat, they usually tolerate longer cooking times much better. Just keep checking that temperature, though—they should still hit 165°F, but they might take an extra minute or two in the oven compared to the breasts.

How can I make the sauce creamier without adding heavy cream?

That’s a great question if you’re trying to keep things lighter! The richness here comes from the butter and the melted cheese, which emulsifies into the broth beautifully. If you want it even creamier without the heavy cream, try reducing your chicken broth just a little bit further before you return the chicken to the pan. Let it simmer uncovered for an extra minute or two to slightly thicken. Also, make sure you scrape up all those lovely browned bits when you deglaze; those bits add body to the final sauce!

Understanding the Nutrition of Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken

I always try to share the nutritional estimates for my recipes, but honestly, when you’re cooking with fresh ingredients like real butter, different brands of cheese, and varying sizes of chicken breasts, totals can swing wildly! So, please take these numbers as a general guideline for one serving of this cheesy chicken dinner. If you are interested in other healthy options, check out my healthy and light recipes section.

The main factors that change the final count are how much of that delicious garlic butter sauce you spoon onto your plate and the exact fat content of the cheese you choose. This recipe is naturally high in protein thanks to those big chicken breasts, making it a great choice for a filling meal.

Estimated Nutritional Information Disclaimer

Component	Estimate Per Serving
Calories	495
Protein	48g
Fat	30g
Carbohydrates	6g

Just remember, these figures are estimates only. The final nutrition depends entirely on the exact ingredients and brands you use in your kitchen. Always adjust based on your own dietary needs!

Share Your Steakhouse Garlic Butter Chicken Success

I truly hope this recipe brings a little bit of that steakhouse magic into your home. If you made this Stove-top and Baked skillet dinner and loved the results, please let me know! Drop a rating below or share a picture of your cheesy chicken in the comments. Your feedback helps me keep sharing simple, flavorful chicken recipes that bring joy to your table! You can also see more of my recipe inspiration on Pinterest.

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