Savor the Simplicity: Effortless Garlic Butter Chicken for Weeknight Wins

Garlic Butter Chicken: Flavorful and Effortless Dinner Delight

Introduction

Garlic Butter Chicken is a must-try for anyone looking to upgrade their weeknight dinners with minimal effort and maximum taste. With juicy, tender chicken breasts enveloped in a luscious garlic butter sauce, this dish dazzles with richness and aroma. Whether you’re searching for the best chicken breast recipes baked in the oven or simply a crowd-pleasing chicken recipe that’s big on flavor and short on prep time, this dish is sure to become a new favorite at your table.

Why Garlic Butter Chicken is a Meal Planning Game-Changer

This recipe stands out because it’s unfailingly simple, requiring just a handful of pantry staples while delivering restaurant-quality results. The mix of aromatic garlic, creamy butter, and fresh herbs infuses every bite of chicken with deep, memorable flavor. Even better, it pairs beautifully with vegetables, grains, or pasta—making it a flexible foundation for weekly meal prep.

Crafting the Luscious Garlic Butter Sauce

The hallmark of this dish is its silky garlic butter sauce. Melted butter is simmered with minced garlic until fragrant, then brightened with a splash of lemon and finished with fresh herbs for a balanced, irresistible coating. This sauce not only bastes the chicken but also creates a delicious drizzle for sides like steamed veggies or roasted potatoes.

Baking the Perfect Garlic Butter Chicken

Oven-baking ensures juicy, evenly-cooked chicken without extra fuss. Once coated with seasoning and garlic butter, the chicken breasts are transferred to the oven, where they bake to tender perfection while soaking up the sumptuous flavors. The result is a meal that’s just as satisfying for a family weeknight as it is for entertaining guests.

Serving Suggestions for a Satisfying Meal

Serve this Garlic Butter Chicken alongside fluffy rice, over creamy mashed potatoes, or accompanied by a fresh green salad. For an added burst of color and nutrition, toss in steamed broccoli or asparagus before serving. Save the pan juices to drizzle over your sides for an added flourish.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields 4 servings, each featuring approximately 300–350 calories, depending on the size of the chicken breasts and additions of sides. It’s a protein-packed option that fits beautifully into a balanced weekly meal plan.

Garlic Butter Chicken: Flavorful Simplicity (Recap)

From the melty, aromatic garlic butter sauce to the tender, juicy chicken, this recipe is a surefire winner for anyone who loves easy, flavorful chicken dishes. It’s designed for both efficiency and taste—making dinner planning easier than ever.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional for added color)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (or a mix of thyme, oregano, and basil)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (plus more for garnish)

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list. CookifyAI sorts ingredients by store section, making grocery trips and meal prep simple and streamlined.

CookifyAI meal planning interface

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a baking dish or oven-safe skillet.
  2. Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika.
  3. In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden (about 2–3 minutes per side), then transfer to the prepared baking dish.
  4. In the same pan, melt the remaining butter. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in Italian herbs, lemon juice, and half the chopped parsley.
  5. Pour the garlic butter mixture over the chicken breasts in the baking dish.
  6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and juices run clear.
  7. Garnish with the remaining parsley before serving. Spoon pan sauce over chicken and sides for extra flavor.

Weekly Meal Planning

This Garlic Butter Chicken is meal-prep magic: it stores and reheats beautifully, fitting perfectly into your weekly routine. Save and schedule this recipe to map out your meals for the week. CookifyAI will tally ingredient amounts across all scheduled recipes and format them into a single, organized shopping list for you.

Planning Benefits:

  • Consolidate shopping for multiple recipes in one easy-to-navigate list
  • Organize groceries by store section for faster, more efficient trips
  • See overlapping ingredients to reduce food waste and avoid duplicate purchases
  • Make meal prepping for the week streamlined and stress-free

Pro tip: When you plan other chicken breast recipes baked or your favorite chicken dishes, schedule them together and let CookifyAI optimize your shopping list for minimal waste, efficient prep, and delicious variety.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

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