Baked Garlic Butter Chicken

4.54 from 79 votes
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Savor the rich and comforting taste of our Baked Garlic Butter Chicken. Juicy chicken breasts basted in golden garlic butter, seasoned with rosemary, and topped with melted Italian cheese.

An overhead shot of three baked garlic butter chicken breasts in a baking dish.


 

Juicy Baked Garlic Butter Chicken

When it comes to comfort food recipes, my Baked Garlic Butter Chicken stands out from the crowd. Chicken dinner recipes are a dime a dozen, I know, but this garlic chicken stands tall amongst them. It’s simple yet incredibly delicious, and that’s mostly thanks to the garlic butter sauce. Made with a stick of butter and minced garlic, it creates a beautifully golden and flavorful crust with a tender and juicy interior.

The aromatic rosemary adds another layer to the flavor profile, while the shredded cheese gives it a melty, luxurious finish. Every bite is a combination of flavors – the juicy chicken, the savory garlic butter, the fragrant rosemary, and the melty cheese. What’s more, is that there’s no way we can mess this up. There’s like 5 ingredients we’re working with, and garlic and butter are the stars. 👌

A shot of a baking dish with garlic butter sauce and chicken breasts, garnished with a rosemary sprig.

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Chicken

  • Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts
  • Butter
  • Garlic
  • Fresh Rosemary
  • Shredded Cheese

Perfect Oven Baked Chicken

Achieving a perfectly juicy baked chicken breast is easier than you think. The key is in the seasoning – a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper – and the cooking technique.

  1. Arrange the seasoned chicken breasts in a buttered baking dish.
  2. Melt butter in a skillet, add garlic, and sauté until lightly browned. Stir in rosemary.
  3. Pour the garlic butter over the chicken and bake for about 30 minutes.
  4. Add cheese and bake for another 3 minutes until melted.
  5. Let it rest for a bit, then serve with some of the garlic butter sauce spooned over top.
Pouring garlic butter sauce over four raw chicken breasts in a white baking dish.

The oven does most of the work here, baking the chicken breasts to tender perfection. You’ll know your chicken is done when the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165˚F. Remember to let it rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Substitutions

Substitutions can change the dish’s flavor profile, so consider this when choosing alternatives.

  • Herbs: If you don’t have or don’t like rosemary, other herbs like thyme or parsley will also work well in this recipe.
  • Cheese: You can replace the Italian cheese with another variety like mozzarella or even a sharper cheese like cheddar or Parmesan, depending on your preference.
  • Butter: If you’re looking to reduce saturated fat, you can use olive oil or ghee instead of butter. It won’t have quite the same richness, but it can still work well with the garlic and herbs.
  • Chicken Thighs will also work, but please remember that they require a longer cooking time, especially if they are also bone-in.

Tips for Success

  • Ensure that the chicken is fully cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165˚F using a meat thermometer. This ensures food safety and can prevent overcooking, keeping your chicken juicy and tender.
  • Rest the Chicken: After baking, allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving. This helps to redistribute the juices, resulting in a more flavorful and moist chicken.
  • Don’t Burn the Garlic: Be careful not to burn the garlic when sautéing. Burnt garlic can impart a bitter taste. Keep the heat to medium and stir frequently.
An overhead shot of three baked garlic butter chicken breasts in a baking dish.

I hope you’ll make this Baked Garlic Butter Chicken as soon as you get to your kitchen! And I hope you’ll love it!

Quick Baked Chicken Recipes

ENJOY!

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4.54 from 79 votes

Baked Garlic Butter Chicken

Super quick, easy and delicious Garlic Butter Chicken with fresh rosemary and cheese. The perfect one-pan chicken dinner for a weeknight!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 Serves

Ingredients 

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper,, to taste
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 6 cloves garlic,, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
  • ½ cup shredded Italian cheese
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F.
  • Lightly grease a baking dish with a pat of butter.
  • Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; arrange the chicken in a single layer in the prepared baking dish and set aside.
  • Add butter to a skillet and melt over medium heat.
  • Stir in the garlic and cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring very frequently. DO NOT burn the garlic.
  • Stir in the rosemary and remove from heat.
  • Pour the prepared garlic butter over the chicken breasts.
  • Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, or until the chicken's internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
  • Sprinkle with cheese and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
  • Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the chicken to serving plates; spoon garlic butter sauce over the chicken and serve.

Notes

  • Switch up herbs like thyme or parsley if you’re not a fan of rosemary.
  • Choose from cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar, or Parmesan, and consider olive oil or ghee as healthier alternatives to butter.
  • You may use chicken thighs instead of breasts but adjust cooking time as they take longer. Check the internal temperature (165˚F) for doneness.
  • Be sure to sauté garlic on medium heat, stirring often to avoid a bitter taste.
  • Check the chicken’s doneness by ensuring it reaches 165˚F with a meat thermometer to keep it juicy and safe to eat.
  • Let the chicken rest after baking for a more flavorful bite.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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164 Comments

  1. Baily says:

    This looks so yummy and I’m going to try it tonight since I have most of the ingredients on hand. What would you say is a good side dish with this meal?

    Thanks

    1. PJ says:

      It goes great with steamed white rice and a side salad.

  2. AshLee says:

    Iโ€™m so one of those people that keeps fresh garlic and pre-minced jar garlic on hand at all times! Like you said, itโ€™s not like chopping fresh garlic is time consuming but the simplicity of jarred minced garlic is so satisfying. Iโ€™m always looking for new ways to bake chicken and will be making this tonight! Thanks for the tip! I for one did not have any issues with your site as commented by other users.

  3. Patrick says:

    I cooked this all in one pan and then finished in the oven. I browned the chicken first and it made a big flavor enhancement.

  4. Tom says:

    Hi, I’ve got 2.33 lbs of chicken breast (4 pieces) so they’re obviously a bit larger than what you’re using. How would you adjust for this between ingredients and cook time? Seems odd that they would be over twice as large (they do have a little fat but they’ve been mostly trimmed already)

  5. Brenda says:

    Hi. This recipe for Baked Garlic Butter Chicken looks great. But I am confused – there are 2 Nutrition Facts. In the first one there are 8 carbs – is that coming from the garlic?

    Looking forward to trying it. Thanks for posting!

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      Hi! Thank you very much for letting me know! It was pulling from two different recipes and neither one was for this Chicken. :-/ I updated the nutrition facts and WW points. Again, thank you!

      1. Brenda says:

        That looks WAY better!! Thank you for the incredibly quick response! I now know what I am making for our New Year’s Eve dinner!

  6. Lora says:

    Phenomenal!

  7. sepatu cewek says:

    Thanks for sharing the recipe, I really like and would love to try it. 5 stars for this recipe because I like it <3

  8. Mallory says:

    Oh I’m excited to try this! The husband and I are eating Keto, so I think it’s funny that you’re like don’t freak out about the butter – cause I’m like, we *want* all the butter! haha ok maybe not aaaallll of it, but it definitely doesn’t hurt.

  9. illy says:

    Hi!! I just did this tonight and it was wonderful!! Definitely making it again! I put it on a nice green salad! Everyone enjoyed it!
    Thank you!

  10. Monique says:

    Did u cover the chicken before putting it in the oven?

    1. Katerina Petrovska says:

      Hi! No, there’s no need to cover it. You can also see exactly how I made it in the video that sits right above the recipe.

      1. coco says:

        Hi, when I click on the video link that is above the recipe –nothing happens. Did you take the video down? Would love to see it.

        1. Katerina Petrovska says:

          Hi!
          No, I did not take it down – I see it on both, mobile and on desktop. Could you please tell me if you were on mobile or desktop when you tried to open the video? Thank YOU!!

          1. Coco says:

            Hi KP, thanks for the quick response. I was on my Mac laptop. I will se if it works on my iPhone.

          2. Coco says:

            Ok Hi again KP, it’s me Coco. It works from my iPhone! Thanks again!