Brown Butter Sage Skillet Chicken
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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!
Flex or Feast
Channel similar flavors with my recipe for brown butter ravioli with roasted butternut squash. It makes a great side dish to this chicken or optional vegetarian main if you need variety for a larger Sunday supper or gathering.
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.
Brown Butter Sage Skillet Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced or pounded thin
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh sage leaves a generous handful
- juice of 1/2 lemon use the other half for serving as wedges
- 1/2 cup white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl or plate, then dredge each piece of chicken through it to form a light coating, shaking gently to remove any excess.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt and black pepper, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Add 2 Tablespoons of the butter and 2 Tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When butter melts, add the chicken and sauté for 2-4 minutes per side, until cooked through and lightly golden. Remove the chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and set aside.6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Add remaining 4 Tablespoons butter to the skillet. When butter has melted, add sage leaves. Allow the butter to brown and bubble, about 2-3 minutes, until it begins to give off a warm, nutty aroma. Remove sage to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving butter in the skillet.1/3 cup fresh sage leaves
- Add lemon juice and wine or broth to the skillet. Simmer the mixture for 2-3 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Taste sauce and adjust with more salt and pepper, if desired. When the sauce is slightly thickened, return chicken to the skillet to warm through, then top with sage, garnish with additional lemon wedges, and serve.juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 cup white wine or low-sodium chicken broth
Notes
- Cooking time for the chicken will depend a lot on how thickly it is sliced. A very thick chicken breast will take way too long to cook in a skillet and is prone to drying out on the outside before the inside reaches a safe temperature. For best results, either buy chicken breasts that are already labeled “thin-sliced” or grab your sharp chef’s knife and slice thick chicken breasts right through the middle so you get two thinner pieces, which will cook more beautifully and more quickly.
Nutrition Estimate
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.
The chicken is delicious, as is the brown butter sauce. We had it for dinner tonight and the whole family agreed it is worth repeating. Next time I think I will serve it with orzo. The sauce would be delicious with the pasta.
So easy and so good! Thank you for a great recipe!
This was crazy good! Made me feel and look like a French chef! Followed the recipe exactly.
Served up this dish for a Sunday brunch & it was a super hit‼️ Added mushroom since I had a bunch & want to try with gnocchi next time around‼️Thanks ❣️
This was SO good I made it twice in one week, I ate ALL the leftovers (which I rarely do), and I’m sharing it with family.
This recipe is TO DIE FOR! So delicious, the crispy sage and the butter…OMG. Sadly, I am trying to lose weight and I had to edit this out of my rotation for a while…it’s a lot of butter! For a while I was making this every other week! I started to grow my own sage just so I had it on hand for this dish!!! Really made me appreciate fresh sage! Thanks for this recipe, I will be making it again once I’ve dropped some weight lol!
No fuss recipe with great flavor, family loved it!. Made sure I cut the chicken breast slightly against the grain for tenderness and it all came out so perfect. Really enjoyed and will make this again. Thank you!
It’s absolutely lovely. My boyfriend won’t stop praising me for this and it’s timeless and elegant notes are so so delicious. We actually ended up adding it on rice we had leftover and it was so good! Made up a quick lemon based au ju to pour over it and voila!
Thank you for this easy-to-follow staple!
Your browned butter sage chicken with lemon recipe makes a delicious chicken dish! I made it last night & this recipe is now my new favorite. Fairly easy to make & it makes a very tasty chicken dinner!
So happy to hear that, Liane! Thank you for taking the time to leave this review!
Made this tonight for dinner, and it was so easy and absolutely delicious. My husband looooovvvved it. If I could give it 6 stars I would, it was that good.
This recipe is simple yet decadent. I add mushrooms to the simmering wine and butter before adding the chicken back in which was a nice edition. This was so good my husband started opining mid meal about us opening a restaurant.
This was perfect, will be a weekly addition to our dinner menu. It was delicious. Thank you!
I followed the recipe except I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs rather than breasts. Came our great! A keeper!
That’s terrific, Joe, so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing this feedback!
I’ve made this 3x… everyone cleans the plate!
Delicious!
So happy I have a new chicken dish for the dinner rotation.
Thank you, Jessica, so happy to hear that! Totally agree – new ideas for chicken are always good! I really appreciate your review.
Very flavorful and easy to make. Pounding the chicken thin is such a great idea to pan fry.
Another excellent recipe! It was very easy and I loved using the sage from our garden. My son loved the chicken.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to leave this note, Danielle, I really appreciate it!
RECIPE CALLS FOR:
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter – divided
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – divided
DIRECTIONS SAY:
Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat.
THEN;
Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter to the skillet.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OTHER 2 TBSP OF OIL? WHEN DOES IT GET ADDED, OR DOES IT?
THX
Hi Alice, so sorry about that, thank you for pointing that out! The ingredients should just call for 2 tablespoons olive oil – I’m adjusting it accordingly right now. I really appreciate you taking the time to ask and let me know so I can fix it for others!
My type of meal, easy and delish!
Thanks Denise, I’m with you on both counts!
Wow this recipe looks AMAZING! I love that you describe how to keep chicken breasts juicy, and your photos are beautiful! Can’t wait to try this delicious looking dish. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Aleta, your kind words and feedback mean a lot to me! I hope you enjoy the chicken and would love to hear how it goes for you!
I’m always looking for more chicken recipes! The lemon sounds amazing with the chicken!
I’m such a big fan of all these ingredients! Sage, lemon, and chicken sounds absolute DELICIOUS together – Definitely saving this recipe!
Such a gorgeous dish! Love sage! great addition!
I love sage infused brown butter, it adds so much flavor to any recipe. This skillet chicken looks easy and delicious. I’ll try to make it soon for my family.
Brown butter and sage is such a classic combo! And, for good reason 🙂 This looks delicious! Healthy and light, yet so comforting!
I think you described heaven in a pan! I never thought to cook chicken this way!