Brown Butter Sage Skillet Chicken

Brown Butter Sage Skillet Chicken is a long-time favorite! Juicy chicken breasts, rich sage-infused browned butter, white wine, and a squeeze of lemon juice combine in the most delicious 30 minute chicken dinner that feels worthy of any restaurant.

Best Sage Chicken

Call me basic, but the simple skillet chicken dinner is a definite heavy-hitter in our dinner rotation. And this is one chicken recipe we come back to time and again. In fact, this post was originally published six years ago — and it’s still a family favorite!

I originally began making this as the calendar turned to fall, because I often had extra sage sitting around from making turkey, stuffing, and other seasonal treats. But it turns out that the warm, heady aroma and flavors of browned butter and sage are absolutely amazing any time of year.

And a squeeze of lemon is always a good idea, right?

Related: Brown Butter Ravioli with Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredient & Substitution Notes

Here are a few notes and shopping tips about the ingredients you’ll need. Find full amounts in the print-friendly recipe card below.

• Chicken breasts. For best results, use thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts, which cook quickly! You can purchase chicken this way, though it’s usually more economical to purchase standard chicken breasts and butterfly them yourself by slicing through the middle. Chicken thighs also work but will take longer to cook.
• All-purpose flour. This helps the chicken form a delicious light crust as it cooks. Substitute almond flour or just skip this step to keep the dish gluten-free.
• Butter.
• Olive oil.
• Fresh sage. Fresh sage leaves are crucial for the right flavor here.
• Lemon. Juice half of one lemon into the sauce, and cut the other half into slices or wedges to serve with the chicken. It looks pretty and gives citrus lovers an easy way to up the effect.
• White wine or chicken broth. Use either of these, or a mix, to make the sauce. If using broth or chicken stock, aim for a low-sodium variety. You can always season the sauce with more salt to taste.
• Kosher salt and black pepper.

How To Make Sage Skillet Chicken

This recipe starts with the same basic concept as my go-to lemon thyme chicken, which is also the foundation of this reader favorite bruschetta chicken with balsamic glaze. Chicken breasts, cut or pounded thin, generously seasoned with salt and pepper and dredged in a light layer of flour before being cooked in a sizzling skillet.

The seasoning and coating locks in flavor and allows the chicken to form a nice little crust, keeping it juicy and moist. After all, there’s nothing worse than a flavorless or dry chicken breast! But with a good technique, you can ensure your chicken comes out deliciously, every time.

Brown Butter Sage Sauce

After the chicken is cooked, a simple pan sauce is all that stands between you and dinner. You’ll melt extra butter in the pan and crisp the sage in it as it bubbles and browns.

As a bonus, this sauce is dreamy to drizzle over any sides you might make.

Return the chicken breasts to the pan and spoon the sauce generously on top. Add the crisped sage and dinner is done!

Serving Suggestions

Some of my favorites with this include egg noodles, orzo, or another light pasta; roasted broccolini, baby carrots, or asparagus; or cubed and roasted sweet potatoes. A light salad is always perfect, as well.

Storage & Reheating

I personally consider leftover sage chicken to be an example of extreme good fortune. 🙂

• Storage: Place leftover pieces of chicken in any airtight container, top with sauce and extra sage leaves, and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. (These are our favorite meal prep boxes for the fridge.)
• Warming: Reheat on 50% power in the microwave until warmed through. Using half power reduces the odds that your chicken will dry out in the microwave; it’s worth the extra few seconds it takes. You can also warm in a small covered skillet if needed. Add a splash of broth or water if needed to thin out the sauce a bit.

I have yet to try freezing this dish. I’ll share results if I do in the future!

Related Recipes

In the market for more quick and easy chicken dinners? You might also like this one-pot cashew chicken and rice, creamy Tuscan chicken with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, or a more recent favorite of ours, a 20-minute Cajun butter chicken skillet.

Creamy Dijon chicken and potatoes, creamy lemon chicken, chicken Florentine, and lemon chicken pasta also always hit the spot.

If you try this Brown Butter Sage Skillet Chicken recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.

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This post was originally published on August 26, 2018, and has been updated with new photos and more helpful information on cooking technique, serving suggestions, and related recipes. The recipe is the same.