Whole30 Garlic Butter Chicken (2024)

This Whole30 Garlic Butter Chicken is a fast and easy 20-minute meal. It’s perfect for busy weeknights when you just need to get dinner on the table. It really comes in handy during my boys’ busy sports seasons, or when you have minimal energy to cook.

Why We Love This Whole30 Garlic Butter Chicken

First, it’s Whole30, which means it’s also Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and soy-free. Plus, this easy recipe also accommodates nut-free and egg-free diets, with a Keto option. It’s a perfect, simple option to address so many dietary needs.

Second, did you catch that this is a 20-minute meal?! It’s as quick and easy as dinner can get. And it’s simple—a great recipe for cooking beginners.

Third, it’s budget-friendly. This Whole30 Garlic Butter Chicken recipe mainly uses spices to create flavorful chicken, which keeps it budget-friendly. No custom sauces or pricey ingredients are needed.

Finally, it’s flavorful. In the words of my 18-year-old, “This chicken is so good, it doesn’t need a sauce!” A great one-and-done dish.

Ingredients

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – Use the highest quality you can afford. Keeping in mind a home-cooked meal is always a win, even if it’s not free-range, organic, all the things ; ).
• Ghee or vegan butter – Ghee is Whole30 compatible (read more about that in the Whole30 program rules here!) and works well for our family. I use the recipe from my Cookbook to make my ghee and keep it budget-friendly! But, if you have a true dairy allergy, ghee is derived from dairy and is not the right choice for you. Use a vegan butter like this one from Walmart instead. If you are on a Whole30 and using vegan butter, double-check the ingredients for compatibility!
• Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute or other Poultry Seasoning – I ADORE Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute. It is my first choice for seasoning steamed veggies and excellent on this chicken. I don’t live near a Trader Joe’s (an hour away), so I go a few times a year and stock up! Or, it is available on Amazon or Walmart.com. If you don’t have access to the 21 Seasoning Salute, grab a poultry seasoning of choice like this Mrs. Dash.
• Garlic salt – First, double check your poultry seasoning does not contain salt. If it does, omit this ingredient. But, if it doesn’t (21 Seasoning Salute does NOT), then be sure to use the garlic salt. My favorite garlic salt is the garlic salt grinder from Trader Joe’s (Whole30 compatible). If you are on Whole30, double check your ingredients on the garlic salt – some garlic salts have added sugars. This garlic salt from Walmart is Whole30 compatible.
• Pepper – Black ground pepper.
• OptionalStarch or flour – Potato, arrowroot starch, or cassava flour (all Whole30 + Paleo options). I don’t recommend tapioca flour for this recipe; it will make the results “tacky.” See my blog post on Paleo flours and how to use them here to learn more. Or, if you are not on a Whole30 or Paleo, you can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour in equal amounts. The flour gives it a fantastic texture. But, if you are Keto or don’t have any on hand, this Whole30 Garlic Butter Chicken is still delicious without it!
• Fresh minced garlic – I prefer to get pre-minced garlic such as this one from Walmart to save time, especially in a “get it done” recipe like this one. But you can always mince your own garlic if you prefer and have time from whole garlic bulbs.

How to Make Whole30 Garlic Butter Chicken

• First, add the cubed chicken to a large bowl or reusable zip-top bag. Add the seasonings and flour or starch (if using) to the bowl or bag and stir or toss until well coated.
• Add 3 tablespoons ghee to a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer.
• Cook chicken until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
• Once the chicken is mostly browned, add the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee and 2 tablespoons minced garlic. Saute for another 3-4 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant and the chicken is cooked through (no pink inside).
• Do a happy dance that dinner is done ALREADY and serve. If you are in a hurry, pair this with steam-in-a-bag rice or cauliflower and green beans that you can steam in your microwave while the chicken is cooking. BOOM, dinner is done!
• FREEZE leftover chicken in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

Want Other 30-Minute Meal Options?

I get it! You are someone who doesn’t have a lot of time or energy to make dinner. Here are some of my top 30-minute meals:

• Whole30 Ground Beef Stir Fry
• Whole30 Chicken Meatballs (Air Fryer or Oven)
• Whole30 Chili con Queso Dip
• Whole30 Sheet Pan Fajitas
• Whole30 Blackened Chicken