Last Thursday, after a chaotic afternoon of school pickups and endless errands, the absolute last thing I wanted to do was face a mountain of dirty dishes. Jake was running late from work, and Lily and Noah were already asking about dinner. I grabbed a package of chicken and some fresh green beans we picked up at the farmer’s market, determined to make something incredible using just one single skillet. This Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans recipe saved the night, filling the entire kitchen with the most amazing savory aroma while keeping my cleanup to practically zero.
Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans is an easy, healthy, and incredibly flavorful one-pan weeknight dinner ready in under 30 minutes. Juicy golden seared chicken breasts and crisp, tender green beans are tossed together in a rich homemade garlic butter sauce with a hint of bright lemon. This clean, from-scratch recipe is perfect for meal prep and fits beautifully into a low-carb or high-protein lifestyle. You get a quick, crowd-pleasing comfort food dinner with minimal cleanup that the whole family will absolutely devour.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- One-Pan Cleanup: Cooking the meat and the vegetables in the exact same skillet means you spend less time scrubbing dishes.
- Low Carb and Healthy: This dish provides a massive amount of satisfying protein and crisp vegetables without any heavy starches.
- Quick and Easy: From prepping the ingredients to sitting down at the table, the entire meal takes less than half an hour.
- Insanely Flavorful: The combination of deeply browned butter, minced garlic, and bright lemon juice elevates simple ingredients into a restaurant-quality meal.
- Meal Prep Friendly: This reheats beautifully, making it the perfect recipe to divide into containers for healthy lunches all week.
Ingredients You'll Need
You probably already have most of these simple pantry spices and staples waiting in your kitchen right now.
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 800g / 1.75 lb): choose pieces that are relatively similar in size so they cook evenly.
- 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper: your savory spice rub that builds the beautiful golden crust.
- 1 tbsp olive oil: to sear the meat over medium-high heat without burning.
- 450g (1 lb) fresh green beans, trimmed: the star vegetable of the dish.
- ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper: to season the vegetables perfectly.
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, 6 garlic cloves, minced: the incredibly rich and aromatic base of your pan sauce.
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes: to add brightness and a gentle kick of heat.
- Fresh parsley, chopped: for a vibrant, fresh garnish right before serving.
Whenever possible, make sure you buy fresh green beans rather than frozen ones for this recipe. Frozen beans release too much water into the pan and will dilute that beautiful garlic butter sauce, leaving you with a soggy side dish instead of a crisp, vibrant one.
If you prefer a thicker cut of meat or want to switch things up, this exact same garlic butter sauce works absolute miracles poured over a juicy steak.
Note: If your chicken breasts are extremely thick, slice them horizontally through the middle to create two thinner cutlets. This ensures they cook all the way through before the outer spice crust begins to burn in the hot skillet.
How to Make Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans
This recipe moves quite quickly once you turn on the stove, so having all your ingredients measured and ready by the pan is highly recommended. Let us walk through the steps.
Step 1: Prep the chicken.
Pat the chicken breasts completely dry with a paper towel. Slice them horizontally if they are too thick. Season both sides generously with the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
Step 2: Sear the chicken.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the seasoned meat for 4 to 5 minutes per side until a gorgeous golden crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). Transfer the meat to a clean plate and let it rest.
Step 3: Blanch the green beans.
While the meat is cooking, boil a small pot of salted water. Blanch the trimmed green beans for exactly 3 minutes, then immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain them well and pat them dry.
Lora’s Tip: Do not skip the ice bath! Shocking the green beans in freezing water is the secret to locking in that vibrant, bright green color and keeping them perfectly crisp-tender.
Step 4: Build the garlic butter sauce.
In the same skillet used for the meat, lower the heat to medium and melt the butter. Sauté the minced garlic for 1 to 2 minutes until it is lightly golden and fragrant. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
Step 5: Add the green beans.
Toss your dried green beans into the bubbling garlic butter sauce. Stir them continuously for 2 to 3 minutes until they are heated all the way through and glistening heavily with butter. Season them with salt and pepper to your personal taste.
Step 6: Finish and serve.
Return the rested chicken breasts and any juices collected on the plate back into the skillet. Spoon the rich butter sauce generously over the top of the meat and let it cook for 1 final minute on low heat. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Lora's Kitchen Tips
- Use fresh green beans: Fresh beans hold their vibrant color and satisfying snap far better than frozen ones, which can turn soggy in the sauce.
- The ice bath is worth it: Plunging the blanched beans into ice water stops the cooking instantly, ensuring they don't turn mushy in the pan later.
- Brown butter for extra depth: Let the butter cook just past the melting stage until it turns light golden before adding the garlic for a richer, nuttier flavor.
- Embrace the one pan wonder: Keeping everything in a single skillet ensures the vegetables absorb all those incredible savory drippings from the meat.
- Great for meal prep: You can divide this easily into separate containers and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days for quick, satisfying lunches.
Variations and Substitutions
Since every family has different tastes and dietary needs, here are a few simple ways to modify this one-pan dinner.
Make it dairy-free: Swap the regular butter for a high-quality vegan butter substitute or ghee if you are just avoiding lactose.
Change the protein: This exact same garlic butter sauce method works beautifully with large peeled shrimp or boneless pork chops.
Add a flavor twist: Stir a handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the skillet during the last minute of cooking to create a thicker, creamier sauce.
Kid-friendly adjustments: Leave out the red pepper flakes completely and swap the green beans for small broccoli florets if your little ones prefer them.
What to Serve with Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans
While this is a filling and healthy low-carb meal on its own, it is incredibly easy to bulk it up with a few extra sides for a larger family dinner.
I always serve this with a giant bowl of fluffy mashed potatoes or steamed white rice so we have something to soak up every last drop of that amazing garlic butter sauce.
You could also pair it with some thick slices of crusty artisan bread toasted with a little extra butter. [INTERNAL LINK PLACEHOLDER: easy garlic bread recipe]
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Storage: Keep leftover chicken and beans in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this dish, as the green beans will become extremely mushy once thawed.
- Freeze the meat: You can easily freeze just the cooked chicken breasts tightly wrapped for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in a skillet: The absolute best way to reheat is gently in a pan over medium heat with a fresh knob of butter to bring the sauce back to life.
- Microwave method: You can microwave portions on medium power for 60 to 90 seconds, making sure to stir halfway through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some common questions you might run into while making this one-pan dinner:
Can I make this dairy-free?
You definitely can. Just substitute the regular butter for your favorite plant-based butter alternative or use a high-quality olive oil for the sauce.
Why did my chicken turn out dry?
This usually happens if the breasts are left in the hot skillet too long. Always use a meat thermometer and pull them exactly at 74°C (165°F) so they stay incredibly juicy.
Can I use frozen green beans?
While you can use them in a pinch, I strongly suggest sticking to fresh beans. Frozen beans will release too much moisture and water down your rich garlic butter sauce.
Can I prep this ahead of time?
Yes, you can trim the green beans and mix your dry spice rub days in advance. The actual cooking process is so fast that you will be eating in no time.
Is this a good option for a low carb diet?
It is absolutely perfect for low-carb goals. You get filling, lean protein and healthy fibrous vegetables all tied together with satisfying fats from the butter.
This Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans recipe is exactly what weeknight cooking should be: effortless, incredibly flavorful, and practically mess-free. I know your family is going to devour it just as quickly as mine does, and I hope it makes your evenings a little bit easier. Try it out and enjoy your relaxed, delicious dinner!
With love and extra garlic butter,
Lora x
Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans
4
servings15
minutes15
minutes450
kcalIngredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 800g / 1.75 lb)
1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
450g (1 lb) fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
5 tbsp unsalted butter, 6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh parsley, chopped to finish
Directions
Pat chicken dry, slice horizontally if thick. Season both sides with all spices.
Cook in olive oil over medium-high 4-5 min per side until golden (74C / 165F). Rest on plate.
Boil salted water, blanch beans 3 min. Transfer to ice bath immediately, then drain and pat dry.
In same skillet, melt butter over medium. Saute garlic 1-2 min until golden. Add lemon juice, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes.
Toss beans in garlic butter sauce 2-3 min until heated through and glistening. Season to taste.
Return chicken to pan. Spoon sauce over. Cook 1 min over low. Garnish with fresh parsley.
