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 heavy-hitter in our dinner rotation. And this is a skillet chicken recipe we come back to time and again. In fact, this post was originally published more than 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 our favorite herb-roasted turkey, bread 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!

Ingredient Notes

How To Make Sage Skillet Chicken

This recipe starts with the same foundation as my go-to lemon thyme chicken: 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! With good technique, you can ensure your chicken comes out deliciously, every time.

Cooking time for the chicken will depend a lot on how thickly it is sliced. Very thick chicken breasts take a long time to cook in a skillet and can be prone to dry out on the outside before the inside reaches a safe temperature of 165°F. For best results, either buy chicken breasts that are already labeled “thin-sliced” or grab a sharp knife and slice thick chicken breasts right through the middle so you get two thinner pieces, which will cook beautifully and more quickly.

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!

What To Serve with Sage Chicken

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

Storage & Reheating

• To Store: Tuck any 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 glass meal prep boxes are a favorite here.
• To Reheat: Warm portions in a small covered skillet over medium-low heat or on 50% power in the microwave. Using half power reduces the odds that your chicken will dry out in the microwave; it’s worth the extra few seconds it takes. Don’t worry if the sauce seizes up a bit; it should loosen as it warms, and you can always add a splash of broth or water if needed to thin it out a bit.

More Winning Chicken Dinners

In the market for more quick and easy skillets? You might also like this creamy Tuscan chicken with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes or a 20-minute Cajun butter chicken.

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

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.