This Garlic Butter Chicken Recipe Is ‘Definitely a Keeper’

I saw a meme the other day that read, “Don’t ever let a recipe tell you how much garlic to put in. You measure that with your heart.” Those words of wisdom should be on a tea towel in my kitchen. In all my years of cooking, I don’t think I’ve ever followed the recommended amount of garlic in a recipe—more just seems better. Garlic is full of bold flavor, and while a little goes a long way, some of us can never get enough. 

This recipe for Garlic Butter Chicken Cutlets packs a flavor punch that will satisfy even the most passionate garlic fan. One and a half tablespoons (about five cloves) of fresh minced garlic cooks in butter to create a savory pan sauce for the herbed cutlets. The result is tender, juicy chicken in a perfectly garlicky sauce. A bonus: You won’t have to announce when dinner is ready…the heavenly, homey aromas will draw everyone to the table.

How To Make Garlic Butter Chicken Cutlets

A versatile weeknight main dish, these garlic butter chicken cutlets can be served over rice or pasta or alongside your favorite sides. Ready in just 25 minutes start to finish, the recipe uses a single pan for easy clean up. Here’s how it comes together.

1. Mix the seasonings. Stir together salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
2. Prepare the chicken cutlets. Pat cutlets dry with a paper towel, and pound chicken to even thickness. Season both sides of cutlets with herb mixture.
3. Brown the cutlets. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add cutlets, working in batches if necessary. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until browned on both sides. Remove chicken and keep warm.
4. Create the butter sauce. Add garlic to the skillet and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds until garlic is fragrant. Stir in chicken stock, and bring to a boil.
5. Finish cooking the chicken. Add the chicken cutlets back to the skillet, turning to coat both sides with the sauce. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink at the center and juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.
6. Reduce the butter sauce. Simmer the juices in the pan until reduced further, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour pan sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley if desired.

Praise From Our Allrecipes Community 

• “This was so easy to make and absolutely delicious served over rice or noodles.“ —Sara McGue
• “Delicious! I made exactly as is and it was amazing. Definitely going in the cooking rotation…. Even the kids liked it.” —kmagmom
• “This recipe is FANTABULOUS! I love the strong garlic flavor…. Made it today for the first time and 1 million percent will be making this again!… Can’t believe I finally found a recipe with my garlic preference!! I wholeheartedly recommend that you try this! You won’t be disappointed!” —Dutchess
• “Really flavorful and simple to make – perfect for a weekday dinner. Loved the pan sauce too.” —France C

Tips, Tricks, and Ingredient Swaps

The first thing I do before trying a new recipe is scroll down to the comments section to hear from the people who’ve already tried it. Check out the helpful tried-and-true tweaks from our Allrecipes community.

• Serving suggestions. While some reviewers served the cutlets over a starch such as rice or noodles (France C suggested mashed potatoes), others paired it with greens, such as Brussels sprouts or a salad.
• Salt modifications. A few reviewers found the recipe a little too salty. To lessen the sodium, reduce the amount of salt or, as reviewer Dutchess recommends, substitute unsalted butter for regular.
• Sauce tweak. Reviewer Erin wanted a thicker sauce so she made a slurry from the stock. 
• Cutlet substitution. GlitzyJam8309 used chicken thighs instead of breasts because that’s what she had on hand.
• Garlic suggestion. The recipe calls for a generous amount of garlic. While Dutchess thought it was the perfect amount, Karen Smith wanted a little extra. We say, just measure it with your heart!

Get the recipe: Garlic Butter Chicken Cutlets