Description
This easy one-pan Texas Roadhouse copycat butter chicken skillet features perfectly seasoned chicken breasts in a rich honey butter sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes with simple ingredients, it’s the perfect weeknight comfort food that tastes just like the restaurant favorite.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (I buy the McCormick one – regular works but you’ll miss that smoky taste)
For the Butter Honey Sauce:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened (leave it on the counter for about an hour)
- 2 teaspoons honey (or maple syrup if that’s what you have)
Instructions
Pat those chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels – this is important for getting a good sear. Season both sides with your salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. I usually let mine sit for about 10 minutes while I clean up my mess and get everything else ready.
Heat your olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken and don’t touch it for 5-6 minutes. I know it’s tempting to peek, but resist! You want that golden crust. Flip once and cook another 5-6 minutes until it hits 165°F. Take the chicken out and put it on a plate.
Pro Tip: My mom always told me “you cook with your ears” – when you hear that good sizzle, you know your pan is hot enough.
Don’t clean your pan! Add the butter and watch it melt, then stir in the honey. This is when I grab my wooden spoon and scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom – they taste like concentrated chicken goodness. Let it bubble for about a minute.
Put the chicken back in and spoon that butter sauce over each piece. Let everything simmer together for 5-7 minutes. The sauce will thicken up a bit and coat the chicken. This is also when I taste it and decide if it needs more salt or another drizzle of honey.
Pro Tip: I tilt my pan and use a spoon to baste the chicken with the sauce. Looks fancy, but it’s really just making sure every bite is perfect.
Give it a quick taste – you might want a little more salt or pepper. My kids like it sweeter, so sometimes I add an extra teaspoon of honey at the end.
Notes
Take your chicken out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking so it cooks more evenly. I learned this from watching too many cooking shows, but it actually works. If your chicken breasts are huge like the ones from Costco, cut them in half lengthwise – nobody wants to bite into rubber chicken.
Keep your heat at medium-high, not blazing hot. I burned the outside of my chicken the first time I made this because I was impatient. For the fancy version, add a splash of heavy cream when you add the honey – makes it taste like something from a five-star restaurant. And here’s something my sister taught me – save some of that seasoning mix and sprinkle it on your vegetables too.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Pan-seared
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg