Amazing Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner

Name: Amazing Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 and 1 half pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied to even thickness; 1 half cup all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 half teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided; 3 cloves garlic, finely minced; 3 quarter cup chicken stock; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; Lemon wedges for serving

By anna Boncoeur On August 31, 2025

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If you are tired of boring dinners that take forever, then you are going to absolutely adore this Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner. I’m Anna, and I’m that person who lives for simple, flavorful chicken recipes that make the everyday cooking process easier and, honestly, way more joyful. Seriously, who has time for complicated cleanups after a long day?

This recipe is my go-to secret weapon for busy nights. It’s a fast and flavorful skillet meal that tastes like you spent hours simmering away, but it’s genuinely ready on the table in about 30 minutes total. We’re talking tender, perfectly seasoned chicken bathed in the most incredible, rich garlic butter sauce. Trust me, once you try this Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner, it’s going straight into your regular rotation. Let’s get cooking!

Table Of content

Why You’ll Love This Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner

We all need those weeknight heroes, and this skillet dinner is the champion of my kitchen. It checks every box for a busy cook who still demands incredible taste. You won’t believe how much flavor we pack into such little time. It’s just pure, satisfying goodness.

It’s lightning fast—ready when you are!
Cleanup is a breeze because everything happens in one pan.
The flavor is unbelievably rich from that fresh garlic butter.
Perfect for getting a satisfying, home-cooked meal on the table fast.

Quick Prep and Cook Times

Honestly, the best part is the clock. With only 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking time, you get a complete, fantastic dinner on the table in just 30 minutes total. That leaves more time for relaxing after dinner, which is exactly what we want, right?

Essential Ingredients for Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner

Okay, let’s talk ingredients. For a simple skillet dinner like this, quality really matters because there aren’t a ton of components hiding the flavor! We’re keeping things straightforward, focusing on what makes this Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner taste so unbelievably good. You need about 1 and a half pounds of chicken breasts for four solid servings. Remember, we aren’t buying fancy stuff here, just pantry staples that deliver big results.

You’ll also need some all-purpose flour for dredging—just half a cup—and the seasoning mix: one teaspoon of garlic powder, salt, and half a teaspoon of pepper. The sauce needs about a quarter cup of chicken stock, five tablespoons of butter (divided!), two tablespoons of olive oil, three cloves of finely minced garlic, and a couple of tablespoons of fresh parsley for that bright finish. Don’t forget those lemon wedges for serving; they cut through the richness perfectly!

Chicken Preparation Details

This is crucial for timing! Take your 1 and a half pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and butterfly them. That just means slicing them horizontally almost all the way through so you can open them up like a book. This evens out the thickness, which is key because we want every piece of chicken to cook evenly in that hot skillet. If you skip this step, you end up with dry edges and raw centers. We don’t want sad chicken, we want juicy chicken!

Flavor Agents and Thickening

The magic really happens when we build that sauce. The flour serves two jobs: it helps create a beautiful golden crust on the chicken and it thickens our sauce just enough so it clings nicely instead of running off. The minced garlic has to be fresh—don’t even think about using the jarred stuff here; we cook it for just 30 seconds to wake up that amazing fragrance. Then, the chicken stock scrapes up all those delicious browned bits (that’s pure flavor gold!) and helps create the base. Finally, the fresh parsley stirred in at the end just brightens everything up beautifully.

Equipment Needed for Your Skillet Dinner

You don’t need a mountain of gadgets for this easy chicken recipe, thank goodness! All you truly need is one large skillet—make sure it’s big enough so you aren’t crowding the chicken when searing. Tongs are essential for flipping those pieces safely, and please, grab your meat thermometer. Seriously, it’s the only way to guarantee perfect doneness every single time. Safety first, flavor second, but both are important here!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner

Alright, here’s where the real action happens! We are moving fast, so have everything ready to go before you turn on the stove. This entire process moves quickly, especially the searing part, so stay close to the skillet. We are aiming for four servings of the most tender chicken you’ve ever made in 20 minutes!

Seasoning and Initial Searing

First things first: pat your butterflied chicken breasts completely dry with a paper towel. This is non-negotiable if you want that beautiful golden crust! In a shallow dish, whisk together your half cup of flour, one teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper, and one teaspoon of garlic powder. Lightly dredge each piece of chicken in this mixture, shaking off any excess flour; too much flour will burn or clump up in our sauce later. Next, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons of your butter in that big skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is foamy, carefully place the chicken in a single layer—don’t crowd the pan, or it will steam instead of sear! Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until it’s gorgeously golden brown and cooked through. Pull that chicken out, place it on a clean plate, and set it aside. Don’t wipe out the pan, though; those brown bits are our flavor foundation!

Building the Flavorful Garlic Butter Sauce

Now, drop the heat down to medium. Toss in your three cloves of finely minced garlic. Be careful here—garlic burns fast! You only want to cook it for about 30 seconds until you can really smell that wonderful aroma flooding your kitchen. That’s your cue! Immediately pour in the quarter cup of chicken stock. Grab a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula and start scraping up every single browned bit stuck to the bottom of that pan. That process, called deglazing, is what makes this sauce taste deep and complex. Once the bottom is clean, reduce the heat slightly and stir in the remaining three tablespoons of butter, letting it melt slowly. Keep stirring until that butter emulsifies and the sauce starts looking a little bit glossy and starts to thicken up just slightly.

Finishing the Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner

Time to bring it home! Stir in your two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley right into that gorgeous sauce. Now, gently return the cooked chicken pieces back into the skillet, nestling them right into the sauce. Spoon some of that delicious garlic butter mixture right over the tops of the chicken pieces. Let everything simmer together very gently for about two minutes. This last little bit marries the flavors and ensures the chicken is perfectly hot all the way through. Once that’s done, pull the whole skillet right off the heat. Serve immediately, maybe with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice over the top!

Expert Tips for the Perfect Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner

Even though this is an easy chicken recipe, a few little tricks I’ve picked up over the years ensure this Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner turns out restaurant-quality every time. It’s all about managing the heat and knowing when to trust your instincts over the clock. Don’t stress if your first attempt isn’t perfect; baking and cooking are all about learning the feel of the ingredients! If you want more inspiration for quick meals, check out my Pinterest boards.

Achieving Perfect Chicken Temperature

Look, I know the recipe says 4 to 5 minutes per side, but chicken breasts vary wildly in thickness, even after you butterfly them. That’s why you absolutely must use a digital meat thermometer, especially when dealing with poultry. You are looking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or 74 degrees Celsius. Poke it into the thickest part of the breast, avoiding bone if you happened to have any. If it hits 165°F, it’s done—pull it out immediately! Overcooking chicken by just a couple of degrees is the number one reason people complain their skillet chicken is dry.

Sauce Consistency Adjustments

The sauce should be glossy, clinging beautifully to the chicken, but definitely not watery. If you find your sauce is too thin after simmering, don’t panic! Remember that flour we used for dredging? You can make a tiny slurry by whisking one teaspoon of flour with two teaspoons of cold water in a small cup until smooth. Whisk that slurry into the simmering sauce and let it cook for another minute; it will thicken right up. If, however, your sauce reduces too much and gets too thick, just whisk in another splash of chicken stock or even a tablespoon of water until it reaches that perfect pourable consistency. It’s all about quick fixes!

Serving Suggestions for Your Skillet Meal

Now that you have this incredible, rich garlic butter sauce coating your perfectly cooked chicken, you need something simple to soak it all up! This is the best part of a one-pan meal—the sauce does most of the heavy lifting. I usually lean toward something that steams up fast, like fluffy white rice pilaf or maybe some quick-cooking orzo pasta. They act like little sponges for that garlic goodness.

If you want something green, steamed green beans or tender roasted asparagus are fantastic choices. They add a nice fresh crunch that cuts through the richness of the butter. And I can’t tell you enough: serve this Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner immediately with those fresh lemon wedges on the side. A quick squeeze right before eating brightens everything up like magic!

Storing and Reheating Your Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner

If you manage to have leftovers of this amazing Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner—which is rare at my house, I’ll be honest—you want to treat them right so they taste just as good the next day. This sauce is so flavorful; it’s definitely worth saving! Storing it properly locks in that juiciness we worked so hard to achieve.

Storage Guidelines

The key here is speed and sealing. Once the chicken and sauce have cooled down slightly after dinner, transfer everything into a shallow, airtight container. Shallow containers help the food cool down faster, which is safer. You can safely keep these leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days. Honestly, I wouldn’t push it past that, because while the flavor is great, the texture of the chicken starts to change the longer it sits.

Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to remember:

Container Type: Airtight container only.
Duration: Maximum 3 days in the fridge.
Best Practice: Try to keep the chicken and any leftover sauce together.

Reheating Method

We absolutely do not want to microwave this chicken until it turns into rubber! The best way to bring this back to life is gently, either on the stovetop or in the oven. For the stovetop, which is my favorite method: put the chicken and sauce into a small skillet over low heat. Cover it with a lid for a few minutes. The low, steamy heat brings the moisture back perfectly without cooking the chicken further. If you are reheating a larger portion, pop it into a baking dish, add a tiny splash of chicken stock to the bottom to prevent drying, cover it tightly with foil, and bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 Celsius) until heated through. That low and slow approach keeps the chicken juicy!

Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe

I always get so many questions when I post about this easy chicken recipe because people want to make sure their Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner turns out perfect! Here are the things I hear most often when folks try this skillet dinner for the first time. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have another question—I love helping out!

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts in this Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner

Yes, absolutely! Chicken thighs are actually fantastic here because they are naturally higher in fat and almost impossible to overcook. If you use boneless, skinless thighs, they might take about 6 to 8 minutes per side to get that perfect golden crust instead of the 4 to 5 minutes required for the breasts. They will still cook beautifully in the sauce at the end. Just make sure they hit that 165°F temperature mark!

How can I make the sauce creamier without heavy cream

That’s a great question if you want that luxurious mouthfeel without adding cream. The best trick I use for achieving a creamier texture in this Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner sauce is simply reducing the chicken stock more before adding the butter. Let that stock bubble away for an extra minute or two until it’s almost syrupy. Then, when you whisk in that final three tablespoons of butter, it emulsifies much better and creates a thicker, richer coating that feels creamy without adding dairy fat.

What if I do not have fresh parsley

Fresh parsley really gives that pop of color and fresh flavor at the end, but if you’re in a pinch, dried parsley works just fine in a pinch! For the two tablespoons of fresh parsley called for, use just two teaspoons of dried parsley. Remember that dried herbs are much more concentrated, so use about a third of the fresh amount. Add the dried parsley when you add the garlic, so it has a chance to release its flavor into the sauce before the chicken goes back in.

Share Your Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner Experience

I truly hope this Garlic Butter Chicken Juicy Skillet Dinner made your weeknights a little brighter and a lot tastier! I can’t wait to hear how it turned out for you and your family. Please take a moment to leave a quick star rating right below this post.

Did you try it exactly as written, or did you add your own little twist? Drop a comment below and tell me all about your success with this easy chicken recipe. Happy cooking, friends!