Butter Poached Chicken
Butter Poached Chicken is such an easy chicken recipe, with just four simple ingredients needed. Perfect for home cooks who need a new recipe to add to their list of dependable, everyday meals. The butter adds a rich flavor, making it a simple comfort food dish with minimal effort.
This is one of my go-to recipes for quick weeknight dinners. Depending on the sides that you pair with it, you can make this juicy chicken taste unique and different each time you make it.
Also, many people think that poaching chicken is hard, but that’s not the case. All you have to do is follow the simple steps listed on the recipe card below, and you’ll get tender chicken full of flavor, every single time.
Be sure to try my Butter Poached Steak and this Butter Poached Salmon for two other must-make dinner recipes.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – I use skinless chicken breasts for easy meal prep.
- Olive oil – Helps the chicken cook easily in the pan.
- Salted butter – Keeps the natural flavor and adds richness.
- Salt and black pepper – To taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Butter Poached Chicken
Preheat the skillet to medium heat. Add the oil.
Step One: Preheat the skillet to medium heat. Add the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Step Two: Put the boneless chicken breasts in the frying pan and cook until a crust forms. About two minutes per side.
Step Three: Flip and cook. You want a nice golden brown crust.
Step Four: Reduce the heat to low and add butter to the pan.
Step Five: Spoon the melted butter on top of the chicken and continue cooking and basting the chicken over low heat for another 8-10 minutes. Cook until it reaches 160 on a meat thermometer.
Step Six: Remove from the pan and plate. Discard any remaining butter in the pan.
Top Tip💡
Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken. The last thing you want to do is overcook it, as it will dry out. Check the temperature until it reaches 160 degrees.
Substitutions
- Coconut oil – For a dairy-free option, use buttery coconut oil. You will still get a nice flavor without the dairy.
Variations
- Fresh herbs – Add some fresh herbs to the skillet for a delicious, natural flavor. Basil, oregano, thyme, dill, or even tarragon add great flavor.
- Garlic cloves – Putting some garlic cloves in the pan while the chicken is cooking will add delicious flavor.
- Vegetables – You can also add some quick-cooking vegetables to the pan with the butter. Grape tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, zucchini, and mushrooms all work well.
See this Garlic Butter Chicken Wings for another delicious chicken recipe where butter is the star.
Equipment
All you need to make this simple chicken dinner is a frying pan and a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the cooked chicken. It’s really as simple as that!
Storage
Once this poached chicken is cooked and cooled to room temperature, store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. Be sure to reheat thoroughly before eating again.
You can also freeze the leftovers for another time. Simply store the chicken in a freezer-safe bag or container for later. You can freeze it whole, diced, or shredded for ease of use.
Kick up your buttery chicken even more with some amazing Shallot Cream Sauce!
Common Questions
The serving options are unlimited. You can serve it just like it is and pair it with a side of steamed vegetables, cauli rice, or mashed cauliflower for a healthy and nutritious meal. You can also slice it and add it to a bowl to make chicken salad.
You can. I’m a big fan of salted butter because I think that it just easily adds a ton of extra flavor with minimal work, but if you have unsalted butter, you can use that as well. You might want to add a bit more salt if you do that, but it’s up to you and your personal preference.
There’s a good chance that the frying pan wasn’t hot enough when you added the chicken. If you add it too early, the crust won’t form. It will still have the flavor, but you’ll just miss that outside crisp texture. Be sure to heat the pan before adding the chicken for the best results.
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Butter Poached Chicken
Ingredients
- 12 oz chicken breasts (2 breasts)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper
- Preheat a skillet to medium heat.
- Add the oil.
- Place the chicken in the frying pan and cook for 2 min per side until a crust forms. Flip the breasts.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the butter to the pan.
- Spoon the melted butter on top of the chicken. Continue cooking and basting the chicken with the butter for another 8-10 minutes or until 160.
Notes
Nutrition
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