Chicken with Garlic Herb Butter

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. Take a boneless, skinless chicken breast, cook it to perfection, and top it with homemade garlic herb butter. That’s it! Serve this over rice, with a lovely simple salad, or both! Plus, this whole baked chicken recipe can be done in under 30 minutes, which makes it great for those busy weekday evenings when you need dinner done in a flash.

Want ideas for sides with this recipe? Check out my Simple Tossed Green Salad, Greek Lemon Rice, and Honey Brown Sugar Roasted Carrots.

Recipe Ingredients

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Any brand of chicken that you like to eat and cook with is great. Be sure to pound them to even ¾-inch thickness to help them cook more evenly.
• Olive oil – I like to use extra virgin olive oil, but you can use whatever kind you like.
• Butter – I tend to use unsalted butter so that I can add more salt later to taste.  
• Salt and cracked black pepper – Any brand of salt and freshly ground black pepper that you like is great in this chicken with butter recipe.
• Minced garlic – I use the minced garlic in a jar, but you can mince your own.
• Garlic powder – Any brand of garlic powder is fine in this garlic butter chicken.
• Finely chopped fresh parsley and cilantro – Fresh herbs really go a long way to add flavor here, but if you only have dried, that’s okay too.  
• Fresh thyme or finely chopped fresh basil – Same reasoning as above – fresh herbs taste really amazing on these baked chicken breasts. But if you only have dried that’s okay.

Step by Step Directions

1. First, preheat your oven to 475 degrees. (not pictured)
2. Next, season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. (photo 3)
3. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, then drizzle in the olive oil. (not pictured)
4. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for 2-4 minutes on each side until browned (but not cooked through). (photo 4)
5. Now, transfer the browned chicken to a preheated oven. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the chicken to a greased baking dish first before you put them in the oven to finish baking. Bake the chicken for about 15 minutes, or until it’s cooked through (internal temperature should read 165 degrees). (not pictured)
6. While the chicken is cooking, make the garlic butter: In a small bowl combine the butter, garlic powder, minced garlic, and fresh herbs (see notes for using dried herbs) and mash/mix the ingredients with a fork until they are thoroughly combined. (photo 1-2)
7. When the garlic chicken is finished cooking, immediately top it with a hearty spoonful of the garlic butter mixture. Then, allow it to melt over the chicken for a minute or two before slicing chicken. Enjoy! (see below)

Best Herbs for Chicken

Here’s another question with an “it depends” answer. What kind of chicken are you making? Does it have ethnic flavors like Mexican, Italian, or Asian? (For a Mexican twist, try my Best Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe, for an Italian twist, try my Grilled Chicken Margherita, and for an Asian twist, check out my Instant Pot Honey Teriyaki Chicken) Then the herbs will be different for each. But, in general, here is a list of herbs I most commonly use with baked chicken breasts:

• Parsley
• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Cilantro
• Basil
• Oregano
• Sage
• Marjoram
• Tarragon
• Green onions

What is Garlic Butter Made Of?

Garlic butter is made of, well, of course garlic and butter, but also oftentimes herbs too. When you add herbs to garlic butter, what you end up with is a compound butter that you can store in the fridge or freezer and use whenever the mood strikes! It’s a great starting point for cooking risotto, or to grease a pan for eggs. It’s awesome smeared over bread, roasts, pork loins, and of course, garlic butter chicken!

Is Garlic Butter Healthier than Butter?

While butter can be high in saturated fat, just a little goes a long way. Plus, when you add garlic to butter, you’re not only adding flavor but a healthy dose of vitamins A, E, and K, as well as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that are great for your body.

Expert Tips

• No fresh herbs? No problem. You can swap the fresh herbs for 2 teaspoons dried herbs. I use Herbs de Provence (it’s my favorite dried herb blend), or you can use Italian seasoning blend if that’s what you have on hand. 
• Store leftover garlic herb butter in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 week. Make a double batch and use the leftovers on meats, seafood, veggies, or bread throughout the week. 
• You can store this baked chicken recipe in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave and add a pat of herb garlic butter over the top for ultimate deliciousness. Alternatively, you could add a pat of garlic herb butter to a skillet and reheat the chicken on the skillet, right in the butter.
• I love to serve this garlic chicken over any kind of pasta, rice, or wide egg noodles. Double the garlic butter by putting some into the pasta or grain while it’s still warm then adding the chicken on top.
• Only have a different cut of chicken? That’s okay this recipe also works well with chicken thighs. Or, if using skin-on, bone-in chicken, you’ll need to bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

More Recipes You’ll Enjoy

For more amazingly easy chicken recipes, head on over to my popular posts for Sweet and Sour Chicken, Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole, and these Best Baked Chicken Thighs.

• Garlic Herb Tuna Steak Marinade
• One Pan Garlic Herb Chicken and Asparagus
• Lemon Butter Sauce
• Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes

Did you make this Garlic Butter Chicken recipe? AWESOME! Be sure to tag me on social and rate the recipe below!