Easy Brown Butter Chicken

Name: Brown Butter Chicken Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 3/4 lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skinless); Salt and pepper; 2 tbsp avocado oil ((or olive oil)); 1/2 cup salted butter; 4 slices prosciutto (chopped); 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage

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This Brown Butter Chicken tastes like a gourmet meal but takes only 20 minutes to prepare. It’s an easy keto recipe that wows everyone who tries it. Even the kids love it!

A black bowl filled with Brown Butter Chicken and cauliflower rice.

Possibly the most frustrating thing about parenting multiple children is that you never know who’s going to eat what. You spend all this time and energy making a nice dinner and there is usually at least one child turning up their nose at it.

But every once in a while, they take you by surprise. You magically hit upon a delicious meal that all three of them love. And it’s not pizza or chicken nuggets or other junkie kid food. To your absolute delight, it’s Brown Butter Chicken!

Best of all, it’s an incredibly easy recipe that comes together in minutes. It’s one of our favorite easy keto dinner recipes.

Top down image of brown butter chicken in a cast iron skillet.

Why you will love this recipe

This Brown Butter Chicken really does taste like a dish you might have at a fancy restaurant. The chicken is succulent and cooked to perfection, with a luscious sauce drizzled overtop.

And yet it’s deceptively simple. You need only 5 ingredients and 20 minutes to get this amazing meal on the table. And it takes a single pan so clean up is easy too.

Honestly, it might just be the perfect dinner for busy weeknights. And the leftovers, if there are any, make a wonderful lunch the next day.

A spoon pouring brown butter over chicken in a cast iron skillet.

Ingredients you need

Chicken thighs: Choose boneless, skinless chicken for this recipe, since you cut it into bite-sized pieces. You can use chicken breasts too.
Avocado oil: You need oil to sauté the chicken, but it can be olive oil or even coconut oil. I don’t recommend butter for this step, as it will get too brown by the time you make the sauce.
Butter: I like to use salted butter for this recipe but you can also use unsalted butter.
Prosciutto: This thinly sliced Italian ham is ideal for this recipe, as it gets crispy quickly in the hot pan. It also has a milder flavor than other ham and bacon.
Sage: Fresh sage and brown butter are a match made in heaven! But you can use another herb like rosemary or thyme, if you prefer.

Close up shot of brown butter chicken with sage and prosciutto in a cast iron skillet.

Step by step directions

1. Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and sauté until cooked through, then transfer to a bowl.

2. Make the sauce: Add the butter to the hot pan and let it melt. When it’s melted, add the sage and prosciutto. Cook until the butter is a deep amber and the sage and prosciutto are crispy.

3. Toss together: Add the chicken back into the pan and toss to coat in the butter. Serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.

A bowl filled with brown butter chicken in front of a skillet.

Expert tips and FAQ

Make sure to watch the butter carefully as it browns. It can go from a lovely amber to burnt in a matter of seconds!

This recipe actually reheats really nicely in a pan or in the microwave. So you can make a bigger batch if you want leftovers for another day. Simply store the leftovers in a covered container in the fridge.

What is brown butter good for?

Brown butter is easy to make and can transform your keto recipes. It’s delicious in sweets like Keto Blondies, as it deepens the flavor. It’s also wonderful in savory recipes such as keto mushroom soup or this easy brown butter chicken.

What does brown butter taste like?

Properly browned butter tastes both little nutty and a little like caramel. The rich, unique flavor comes from the caramelization of the milk solids as you cook the butter.

Brown butter chicken with sage, prosciutto, and cauliflower rice.

More delicious brown butter recipes

Brown Butter Chicken Recipe

This Brown Butter Chicken tastes like a gourmet meal but takes only 20 minutes to prepare. It's an easy keto recipe that wows everyone who tries it. Even the kids love it!

4.94 from 15 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brown butter chicken

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 360kcal

Ingredients

1 ¾ lbs chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoon avocado oil (or olive oil)
½ cup salted butter
4 slices prosciutto chopped
2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the chicken and sauté until nicely browned and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl.
Add the butter to the pan and let melt. Once melted, add the prosciutto and sage. Cook until the butter is a deep amber (careful not to burn it), about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the chicken back into the pan. Toss to coat in the sauce.
Serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.

Video

Nutrition Facts

Brown Butter Chicken Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 serving = ⅙th of recipe)

Calories 360 Calories from Fat 209

% Daily Value*

Fat 23.2g36%

Carbohydrates 0.8g0%

Fiber 0.5g2%

Protein 31.3g63%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.