What’s the secret to really flavorful butter chicken?

The secret lies in layering flavor at every step. In this one-pan garlic butter chicken recipe, searing the chicken creates a golden crust and fond (those browned bits at the bottom of the pan). Deglazing that with broth, then swirling in butter and garlic, creates a rich sauce that infuses every bite with bold, buttery taste.

Why is restaurant butter chicken so much better?

Restaurants use clarified butter (ghee), slow-simmered sauces, and cream for richness. While this one-pan garlic butter chicken recipe is simpler, it mimics that same luxurious flavor using pantry-friendly ingredients and just 20 minutes, with no heavy cream or marinating required.

How to make a quick and easy butter chicken?

Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, season well, and cook everything in one skillet. This recipe takes only 20 minutes from start to finish and focuses on maximizing flavor with garlic, butter, broth, and herbs. No long cooking times, no fancy equipment.

How to make butter chicken for 1?

Simply cut the recipe down using one chicken breast, halve the seasoning and sauce ingredients, and follow the same steps. This one-pan garlic butter chicken recipe is ideal for solo meals because it scales perfectly without losing flavor.

One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe: 20-Minute Wonder

Name: One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 8-oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts; 2 tsp Sea salt; 1/2 tsp Black pepper; 1/2 tsp Dried thyme; 1/2 tsp Dried oregano; 1/2 tsp Dried rosemary; 1/2 tsp Dried parsley; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 3 tbsp Unsalted butter; 1/2 cup Chicken broth, reduced sodium; 5 cloves Garlic (minced)

Description

This one-pan garlic butter chicken recipe makes juicy chicken breasts cooked in a rich garlic butter herb sauce, all in just 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

4 8-oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 tsp Sea salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper

1/2 tsp Dried thyme

1/2 tsp Dried oregano

1/2 tsp Dried rosemary

1/2 tsp Dried parsley

1 tbsp Olive oil

3 tbsp Unsalted butter

1/2 cup Chicken broth, reduced sodium

5 cloves Garlic (minced)

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Instructions

1. Pat chicken dry and season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear for 4–8 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.

3. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover.

4. Add butter and chicken broth to pan. Scrape bottom to deglaze.

5. Reduce heat to low. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.

6. Return chicken to pan and flip to coat in sauce. Heat for 1–2 minutes until warm.

7. Serve hot with sauce spooned over chicken.

Notes

Use chicken thighs if preferred.

Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.

Leftovers reheat best in the oven covered in foil at 350°F.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
Calories: 372
Sugar: 0.2g
Sodium: 800mg
Fat: 17.9g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 1.8g
Fiber: 0.3g
Protein: 48.8g
Cholesterol: 145mg