Garlic Butter Chicken
Juicy baked chicken breasts are covered in a rich garlic butter sauce with fresh rosemary and finished with melted Italian cheese. This easy oven-baked chicken recipe is simple enough for a weeknight but flavorful enough for a cozy family dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 16 ounces total
- Salt to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1 stick butter 1/2 cup
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
- 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Italian blend
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Lightly grease a baking dish with a pat of butter.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the prepared baking dish and set aside.
- Add the butter to a skillet and melt over medium heat.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring very frequently, until lightly browned.
- Do not burn the garlic.
- Stir in the fresh rosemary leaves, then remove the skillet from the heat.
- Pour the prepared garlic butter evenly over the chicken breasts.
- Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Sprinkle the shredded Italian cheese over the chicken.
- Return to the oven and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and let the chicken stand for a couple of minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to serving plates.
- Spoon a little garlic butter sauce over each chicken breast and serve warm.
Notes
For the juiciest chicken, use a meat thermometer and avoid baking past 165°F. If your chicken breasts are very thick, lightly pound them to an even thickness before baking so they cook evenly.