You know those nights? The ones where you’re tired, the fridge looks questionable, and you just need something that tastes like a hug but takes zero brainpower? That’s when I reach for my Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet. Trust me, this isn’t some complicated restaurant feat; it’s pure weeknight magic! It’s my go-to when I want maximum flavor payoff with minimum cleanup—seriously, everything happens in one pan.
When I started Sena Recipes, I wanted to share dishes that felt dependable, and this one absolutely fits the bill. That rich scent of garlic melting into butter? It fills the whole house with warmth almost instantly. It’s quick, it’s satisfying, and it’s such a fantastic, easy supper recipe for feeding the family comfort without breaking your stride.
Why This Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet Is Your New Weeknight Hero
I’m telling you, this isn’t just dinner; it’s evening peace delivered in under 30 minutes. When my schedule gets hectic, I don’t look for complex recipes—I look for reliable hits. This Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet is solidly in my rotation because it delivers that homemade, cozy feeling without demanding all my energy.
If you’re trying to keep your clean-up pile small, you’re going to love this setup. It’s the kind of recipe that makes you feel like you have your life together, even if you’re wearing pajamas by 6 PM!
Fast Prep and Cleanup: The One-Pan Advantage
Seriously, minimal dishes are the dream, right? Since everything cooks right in one skillet—from searing the chicken to wilting the asparagus—you’re looking at maybe one plate and that one pan to wash. The prep time is only about 10 minutes, and bam, 30 minutes later, dinner is on the table. It’s perfect for those lazy dinners when you just want fast dinner recipes that satisfy!
Check out some other speedy meals here if you’re stocking up on quick dinner ideas!
Flavor Built on Simple Ingredients
You don’t need a pantry full of obscure spices to make something amazing. This recipe proves it! It relies on the absolute classic pairing of garlic and butter. That golden, rich sauce coats the tender chicken and bright asparagus so beautifully. It tastes gourmet, but it’s built on the simplest, most comforting flavor profile you can imagine. It truly feels like a rewarding meal after a long day.
Essential Ingredients for the Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet
When I show you the ingredients for this Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet, you’ll probably nod because you likely have most of this stuff stocked right now. That’s half the battle won when you’re aiming for a cheap dinner for a family—using what you already have!
We’re sticking to lean protein and vibrant green asparagus here, letting the butter and garlic do the heavy lifting for flavor. It’s so straightforward, which makes it a reliable go-to for busy weeknights. Before we jump into the list, just a quick heads-up from my notes: if your family isn’t huge on intense saltiness, go ahead and cut that initial kosher salt measurement in half. I often do that myself!
If you’re looking for more simple recipes that are perfect for feeding a crowd without breaking the bank, you should take a peek at my section dedicated to easy family dinner recipes.
Ingredient Clarity and Notes
Here is exactly what you need to gather for this fantastic skillet meal. Measure everything out first—it moves fast once you start cooking!
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet
Okay, time to get cooking! I know instructions can sometimes feel stiff, but for this Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet, the steps are just guiding you to build layers of incredible flavor. Since this is an easy fast dinner recipe, you want to have everything chopped and ready because it moves fast once the heat is on. We’re using that beautiful chicken broth to scrape up all those browned bits on the bottom of the pan—that’s where the real depth comes from!
Remember, we are using a mix of butter and oil initially. The oil helps keep the butter from smoking too quickly, which is key when you’re aiming for that golden sear instead of burnt garlic. This whole process is designed to deliver a fantastic easy healthy dinner experience without any fuss!
If you’re stocking up on ideas for easy healthy chicken dinners down the line, make sure you bookmark this one! You can explore more of those easy healthy chicken dinners on the site, but this skillet is a winner.
Seasoning and Initial Chicken Searing
First things first: we need to season that chicken well. In a bowl, toss your bite-sized chicken pieces with the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Make sure every piece is lightly coated—that’s your initial flavor armor!
Next, grab a large skillet and melt half of your butter (that’s 1/4 cup) along with 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Don’t rush this! Add the seasoned chicken pieces carefully so you don’t overcrowd the pan—we want them to brown nicely, not steam. Cook them until all sides are a beautiful golden brown. Then, sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and the Italian seasoning and stir just for about 30 seconds until you can really smell that fragrance. Pull that gorgeous chicken out and set it aside on a plate.
Building the Flavorful Garlic Butter Sauce
Now we switch gears! Turn the heat up slightly to medium-high. Toss in that remaining 1 teaspoon of minced garlic—it will cook much faster this time, so watch it closely! Immediately pour in the low-sodium chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those tasty browned bits stuck to the bottom—that’s called deglazing, and it’s essential for deep flavor!
Once those bits are incorporated, stir in the rest of your butter (the final 1/4 cup), the bright lemon juice, and the sneaky kick of sriracha. Whisk it just until everything comes together into a smooth, shiny sauce. Don’t worry, the sriracha adds flavor, not just heat!
Finishing the Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet
It’s time for the green guys! Add your trimmed asparagus right into that simmering sauce. Cook them until they are tender but still have a little bite—you know, that perfect doneness you look for in your easy supper recipes. This usually takes just a few minutes depending on how thin your spears are.
When the asparagus is almost perfect, bring the cooked chicken back into the skillet. Stir everything together for just about one minute to make sure that chicken gets nice and hot again, soaking up all that garlic butter goodness. Right before serving your fantastic meal, sprinkle that fresh Italian parsley over everything for color and freshness. Done! Serve it right out of the pan for that rustic, homey feel!
Tips for the Best Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet Results
While this recipe is so simple, a couple of little technical bits can take it from “good” to “I need to make this every Tuesday.” Since we’re dealing with butter and quick cooking times in our Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet, managing that heat is everything. I always tell people that the success of this dish hinges on treating the butter with respect!
If you’re looking for ways to build even more flavor complexity into your poultry dishes generally, you might enjoy looking at my recipe for garlic parmesan chicken meatloaves; it uses similar savory themes.
Controlling the Heat for Perfect Butter
You absolutely must keep the heat at medium-low for the initial chicken sear. If the pan gets too hot, the butter browns way too fast and turns bitter before the chicken even gets a decent color! When we add the garlic the first time—that teaspoon mixed with the seasonings—cook it for just a quick 30 seconds until you smell it. If you let that minced garlic sit too long at a high temperature, it burns and ruins the whole sauce for us!
Achieving Tender Chicken Every Time
This is a huge one for easy healthy dinner ideas: don’t try to cram all your chicken into the skillet at once! I know it’s tempting when you’re trying to hurry, but if you layer it too thick, the moisture gets trapped, and the chicken ends up steaming instead of searing properly. We want that beautiful, golden crust, remember? Give those pieces space to breathe on the pan so they develop that fantastic texture we’re after!
Making the Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet a Healthy Dinner Idea
I’ve often been asked if a dish loaded with butter can still count as a healthy dinner idea. My answer is always a resounding yes, provided we look at the whole plate! This Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet is packed with lean protein from the chicken, which keeps us feeling full and satisfied, and we get a fantastic serving of vegetables with that bright green asparagus.
While we certainly aren’t shy with the rich butter—because flavor matters!—we use just enough to create our sauce, balanced beautifully with lemon juice and broth. It’s a comforting meal that feels substantial without weighing you down later. If you want more wholesome options for your rotation, you should check out my collection of easy healthy chicken dinners.
Serving Suggestions for Your Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet
That glorious garlic butter sauce is amazing, but it’s practically begging to be soaked up by something! Since this Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet is meant to be a super fast meal, we aren’t going to suggest anything complicated here. We need carriers for that incredible flavor!
The goal is wrapping up all that savory goodness into one incredibly easy plate. This makes it perfect for turning into a substantial meal that fits right into your cheap dinners for a family budget, too!
Pairing with Simple Starches
My absolute favorite thing to serve this with is simple, fluffy white rice. You can make a big batch quickly, and it’s the perfect vehicle for that pan sauce. If rice isn’t your thing, try serving it over some quick-cooking angel hair pasta or just keep a loaf of crusty bread nearby for dipping!
You can find a great recipe for rice with broccoli if you want to sneak an extra veggie in there alongside the chicken. It’s all about making things easy on yourself!
Storage and Reheating the Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet
Even though this Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet disappears fast, sometimes we get lucky enough to have leftovers! Storing them properly keeps the chicken nice and tender for your next meal. I always recommend refrigerating any leftovers within two hours of cooking, covered tightly, where they should stay good for about three days.
When you go to reheat this—maybe for an easy lunch idea the next day—the key is to add a tiny splash back into the pan, maybe a teaspoon of broth or just water. Reheat it gently over medium-low heat, stirring often to bring that buttery sauce back to life without drying out the chicken. It works like a charm every time!
Frequently Asked Questions About This Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet
I always get so many helpful questions when readers try out one of my simple skillet recipes, and this Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet is no exception! People want to know how to make sure it works perfectly for their family’s schedule and needs. Here are the top things folks ask me about making this comforting dish.
If you’re looking for even more incredibly simple meals, I have a whole section of easy crockpot dinners that are truly set-it-and-forget-it!
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts in this Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet?
Oh, absolutely! I frequently swap in boneless, skinless thighs right into the seasoning step where you season the breasts. Thigh meat has a little more fat, so it stays incredibly juicy. The main thing you need to watch for is just making sure they cook all the way through since they are a bit thicker. Just keep cooking until your meat thermometer reads 165°F, and you’ll have a wonderfully rich result!
What are some good substitutions for asparagus in this Easy Supper Recipe?
That’s a great question, especially if asparagus is out of season or kids aren’t fans! You can swap in small broccoli florets or green beans with fantastic results in this Easy Supper Recipe. The key is just adjusting your timing. If you use broccoli, you might need to let it simmer in the broth a minute or two longer than the asparagus to get it tender, but it soaks up that garlic butter sauce like nobody’s business!
Is this recipe suitable for making ahead for Easy Lunch Ideas?
Yes, this holds up surprisingly well, making it one of my favorites for prepping ahead for easy lunch ideas! If you can manage it, I always recommend storing the chicken and the asparagus in one container and the leftover sauce in a small jar. When reheating for lunch, just combine them gently on the stove—you might need to add a tiny splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce up again. Reheating gently melts the butter back into a perfect sauce without drying out the chicken!
Nutritional Estimates for the Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet
Now, I know some of you are tracking macros or just trying to keep an eye on the bigger picture, so I always like to give you a ballpark estimate for what’s in this wonderful Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet. Remember, every sprinkle, every dash, and the size of your chicken pieces can make these numbers shift slightly. These are based on the recipe quantities for four servings.
Because we are using lean chicken and a good amount of asparagus, this lands quite nicely as a filling, easy meal. If you are looking for more ways to maximize your protein intake while keeping things easy, you really should explore my section on high-protein recipes for healthy meals!
Based on the ingredients list, here are the average estimates per serving:
- Calories: Roughly 450
- Fat: Around 30 grams
- Protein: About 38 grams (That’s fantastic!)
- Carbohydrates: Low, usually around 5 grams
It’s great to see those high protein numbers! Even with the butter, keeping the carbs low makes this a very satisfying and balanced weeknight plate. I hope seeing these numbers helps you fit this delicious recipe into your routine!
Share Your Experience Making This Comforting Meal
Now that you’ve simmered your chicken in all that luscious garlic butter and loaded up on tender asparagus, I genuinely want to hear all about it! This Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet is one of those core recipes in my personal cooking library, and seeing how it shows up on your family tables is the best part of my job here at Sena Recipes.
Did your kids devour the sauce? Did you serve it over rice or potatoes? Please, tell me everything! Leave a rating down below—even a quick star rating helps other home cooks know this is a winner for a fast dinner. I love knowing that these simple, comforting meals are continuing to bring connection to your evenings.
As the founder of Sena Recipes, Emma Laurent, I always strive to share approachable, trustworthy food inspired by home traditions, and this skillet really captures that spirit. If you’re curious about my journey and why I focus so much on comfort in the kitchen, you can always learn a bit more about me right here. Happy cooking, and I can’t wait for your feedback!
Print
Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Low Fat
Description
Make this simple, flavorful skillet dinner featuring tender chicken in a rich garlic butter sauce with asparagus. It is a fast, one-pan meal perfect for weeknights.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
Instructions
- Place chicken in a medium bowl and toss with the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper.
- In a large skillet, melt half of the butter (1/4 cup) and 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium low heat.
- Cook the chicken in the butter until all sides are golden brown. Do not burn the butter.
- Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
- In the same skillet, increase heat to medium high. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon minced garlic, then add the chicken broth to deglaze the pan.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup butter, lemon juice, and sriracha. Stir until combined.
- Add the asparagus and cook until you reach your desired tenderness.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and stir for one minute to reheat it.
- Garnish the chicken and asparagus with parsley. Serve the meal.
Notes
- If you prefer a milder flavor, reduce the kosher salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 5
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 38
- Cholesterol: 130
Keywords: Garlic Butter Chicken Skillet, easy chicken recipe, one pan dinner, skillet dinner, quick dinner, weeknight meal, garlic butter, asparagus chicken