Pan-Seared Chicken with Garlic Butter and Fresh Thyme
Juicy pan-seared chicken breasts cooked in garlic butter and fresh thyme for a savory, aromatic finish. This American-inspired New Year's recipe, ready in about 22 minutes, pairs chicken breast, unsalted butter, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 pieces (6 oz each) chicken breast
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 2 chicken breasts (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1-2 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the chicken breasts and sear for 5 minutes without moving, until the underside is golden brown and releases easily from the pan.
- Step 4: Flip the chicken breasts and add 3 tbsp unsalted butter, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 3 sprigs of fresh thyme to the pan.
- Step 5: Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter and garlic over the chicken continuously for 4-5 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the garlic is fragrant but not burnt.
- Step 6: Remove the chicken and thyme sprigs from the pan; let rest for 5 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.







