Chicken with Garlic Herbs (Print Version)

Tender chicken breasts infused with garlic, herbs, and a hint of lemon for a delicious meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approx. 5.3 oz each)

→ Aromatics

02 - 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Liquids

04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1/4 cup chicken broth
07 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

→ Herbs & Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper.
02 - Warm olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
03 - Cook chicken breasts 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
04 - Add chopped onion to the same skillet and cook for 2 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in minced garlic and thyme, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
06 - Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping the skillet bottom to release browned bits.
07 - Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
08 - Return chicken breasts to skillet, spoon sauce over them, and cook for an additional 2 minutes to reheat thoroughly.
09 - Sprinkle chopped parsley over chicken before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is so silky and garlicky it tastes like it simmered for hours, but you'll have it on the table in under thirty minutes.
  • Chicken stays impossibly tender because you're not overthinking it, and the browned bits scraped from the pan become pure flavor.
  • It works for weeknight dinners or when you want to impress someone without spending all afternoon in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken, wet chicken will steam instead of sear, and you'll lose the best part of the dish.
  • The fond on the pan bottom is liquid gold, scrape it up when you add the broth or you're throwing away the deepest flavor.
  • If your chicken is thicker than about an inch, pound it gently before cooking so it cooks evenly and stays moist inside.
03 -
  • Brown butter tastes incredible if you have two minutes, let the butter foam and turn golden before adding the oil, it adds a nuttiness that elevates the whole dish.
  • A pinch of garlic powder added to the lemon broth at the end doubles down on the garlic without adding more wet ingredients.

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