Brown Butter Chicken transforms simple ingredients into an elegant, comforting meal. The nutty, fragrant brown butter sauce coats tender seared chicken with garlic, sage, and lemon. It’s surprisingly easy to make but delivers restaurant-quality flavor every time.
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Why You’ll Love This Brown Butter Chicken
- Maximal flavor, minimal effort: Brown butter creates a rich, complex sauce with just a few ingredients.
- Perfect texture: Juicy, golden-seared chicken coated in a velvety, clingy sauce.
- Fancy but approachable: Simple techniques yield impressive, bistro-style results.
- Versatile for any occasion: Equally great for weeknights or entertaining guests.
Ingredients & Tools
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs / 680 g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (115 g)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Tools: Large skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron), tongs, wooden spoon, measuring spoons/cups
Notes: Unsalted butter gives you control over seasoning. Fresh herbs are essential—dried sage won’t deliver the same aroma. Heavy cream creates a silky, cohesive sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 420 kcal |
| Protein: | 35 g |
| Fat: | 29 g |
| Carbs: | 3 g |
| Fiber: | 1 g |
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Use a light-colored pan if you can. It makes it much easier to see the butter changing color as it browns, so you’re less likely to miss that perfect nutty stage and accidentally burn it.
- Pat your chicken completely dry. Any moisture on the surface will steam the chicken instead of letting it sear properly, and you’ll miss out on that gorgeous golden crust.
- Don’t walk away from the butter. Browning butter is a quick process—it can go from perfectly nutty to unpleasantly burnt in just seconds. Stay close, swirl the pan, and keep an eye on the color and aroma.
- Have all your ingredients prepped and within reach. Once you start browning the butter and building the sauce, things move fast. Having everything measured and ready to go—what chefs call “mise en place”—makes the process smooth and stress-free.
How to Make Brown Butter Chicken
Step 1: Start by prepping your chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels—this is crucial for getting a good sear. Season both sides generously with the kosher salt and black pepper, pressing the seasoning gently into the meat so it sticks. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes while you gather your other ingredients; this helps it cook more evenly.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the chicken breasts. You should hear a confident sizzle. Sear for 5–7 minutes on the first side, without moving them, until a beautiful golden-brown crust forms. Flip the chicken and cook for another 5–7 minutes on the other side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate to rest.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to medium and add the unsalted butter to the same skillet. Let it melt, then continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally. You’ll notice the butter will foam up, then the foam will subside. Watch closely for little brown specks (the milk solids) forming at the bottom of the pan and a nutty, toasty aroma filling your kitchen. This should take about 3–4 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn—as soon as it smells nutty and looks amber-colored, it’s ready.
Step 4: Immediately add the minced garlic and chopped sage to the brown butter. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until the garlic is fragrant and the sage becomes slightly crisp. Be careful not to burn the garlic—if it cooks too long, it can turn bitter. You’re just waking up their flavors in the hot, fragrant butter.
Step 5: Pour in the chicken broth and fresh lemon juice. Use your wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan—that’s where a ton of flavor is hiding! Let the liquid bubble and reduce for about 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will start to thicken slightly and become more cohesive.
Step 6: Stir in the heavy cream and let the sauce simmer for another 1–2 minutes. You’ll see it transform into a creamy, pale caramel-colored sauce that coats the back of a spoon nicely. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt or pepper if needed. The sauce should be rich, tangy from the lemon, and deeply savory.
Step 7: Return the rested chicken breasts to the skillet, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Spoon the brown butter sauce over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Let everything heat through for 2–3 minutes over low heat, so the chicken soaks up some of that incredible sauce. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze sauce and chicken separately up to 3 months.
- Reviving: Reheat gently with a splash of broth or cream to refresh sauce consistency.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Creamy mashed potatoes — The ultimate comfort pairing, they act like a delicious blank canvas for that rich brown butter sauce.
- Buttered egg noodles or fettuccine — A simple, carb-y base that lets the chicken and sauce truly shine without competing flavors.
- Garlic sautéed spinach or green beans — The earthy greens provide a fresh, slightly bitter contrast that cuts through the richness of the dish beautifully.
Drinks
- A crisp Chardonnay — Its buttery notes harmonize with the brown butter, while the acidity cleanses the palate between bites.
- A light Belgian-style ale — The beer’s slight sweetness and carbonation contrast the savory, creamy elements of the chicken wonderfully.
- Sparkling water with lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the bubbles and citrus are refreshing and help balance the dish’s richness.
Something Sweet
- Lemon sorbet — Its bright, clean citrus flavor is a perfect, palate-cleansing finish after the savory, buttery main course.
- Simple almond cake — The nuttiness of the cake echoes the toasted notes in the brown butter, creating a lovely thematic connection.
- Dark chocolate truffles — A few bites of intense, bittersweet chocolate provide a sophisticated and satisfying end to the meal.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Using salted butter. It’s much harder to control the final saltiness of your sauce, and the added salts can sometimes interfere with the browning process, leading to inconsistent results.
- Mistake: Crowding the pan when searing the chicken. If the chicken pieces
Brown Butter Chicken
Learn how to make Brown Butter Chicken with this easy recipe. A nutty, creamy sauce coats tender chicken for a restaurant-quality meal. Get cooking tonight!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
-
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs / 680 g)
-
1/2 cup unsalted butter (115 g)
-
3 garlic cloves (minced)
-
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves (roughly chopped)
-
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
-
1/4 cup chicken broth
-
1/4 cup heavy cream
-
1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
-
1/2 tsp black pepper
-
2 tbsp olive oil
-
Fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
-
Start by prepping your chicken. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels—this is crucial for getting a good sear. Season both sides generously with the kosher salt and black pepper, pressing the seasoning gently into the meat so it sticks. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes while you gather your other ingredients; this helps it cook more evenly.01
-
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the chicken breasts. You should hear a confident sizzle. Sear for 5–7 minutes on the first side, without moving them, until a beautiful golden-brown crust forms. Flip the chicken and cook for another 5–7 minutes on the other side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate to rest.02
-
Reduce the heat to medium and add the unsalted butter to the same skillet. Let it melt, then continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally. You’ll notice the butter will foam up, then the foam will subside. Watch closely for little brown specks (the milk solids) forming at the bottom of the pan and a nutty, toasty aroma filling your kitchen. This should take about 3–4 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn—as soon as it smells nutty and looks amber-colored, it’s ready.03
-
Immediately add the minced garlic and chopped sage to the brown butter. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until the garlic is fragrant and the sage becomes slightly crisp. Be careful not to burn the garlic—if it cooks too long, it can turn bitter. You’re just waking up their flavors in the hot, fragrant butter.04
-
Pour in the chicken broth and fresh lemon juice. Use your wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan—that’s where a ton of flavor is hiding! Let the liquid bubble and reduce for about 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will start to thicken slightly and become more cohesive.05
-
Stir in the heavy cream and let the sauce simmer for another 1–2 minutes. You’ll see it transform into a creamy, pale caramel-colored sauce that coats the back of a spoon nicely. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt or pepper if needed. The sauce should be rich, tangy from the lemon, and deeply savory.06
-
Return the rested chicken breasts to the skillet, along with any juices that accumulated on the plate. Spoon the brown butter sauce over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Let everything heat through for 2–3 minutes over low heat, so the chicken soaks up some of that incredible sauce. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.07
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