Texas Roadhouse Garlic Butter Chicken (Copycat)
Texas Roadhouse Garlic Butter Chicken — Copycat Recipe
This copycat Texas Roadhouse garlic butter chicken is a dead ringer for the restaurant version — perfectly seasoned chicken breasts pan-seared until golden and finished in a rich garlic butter sauce that pools around the plate. It’s the kind of simple, restaurant-quality dinner that takes 25 minutes and makes you wonder why you ever eat out. Serve with mashed potatoes for the full Texas Roadhouse experience.
Why This Works
- Texas Roadhouse copycat — the exact flavor profile
- Garlic butter sauce — rich, savory, pools on the plate
- 25 minutes — including rest time
- Simple ingredients — butter, garlic, chicken, herbs
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ¾-inch thickness
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup chicken broth
- Fresh parsley, chopped
How to Make It
Step 1 — Pound chicken to even ¾-inch thickness. Season both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper.
Step 2 — Heat olive oil + 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear chicken 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F). Remove to plate.
Step 3 — Reduce heat to medium-low. Add remaining 3 tbsp butter and garlic to the same pan. Cook 1 minute until fragrant and golden — don’t burn the garlic. Pour in chicken broth. Stir, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 2 minutes.
Step 4 — Return chicken to the pan. Spoon garlic butter sauce over the chicken repeatedly for 1 minute. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with the sauce poured over.
Serving Ideas
- Mashed potatoes — the classic Texas Roadhouse pairing, pools of garlic butter sauce
- Rice — absorbs every drop of sauce
- Roasted vegetables — broccoli, green beans, or asparagus
- Bread rolls — for soaking up the remaining sauce (like Texas Roadhouse rolls)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes — bone-in thighs need 6–7 minutes per side + finish in a 400°F oven 10 minutes. Boneless thighs cook the same as breasts.
Why do I need to pound the chicken?
Even thickness = even cooking. Without pounding, the thin end overcooks while the thick center is still raw.
Can I add cream to the sauce?
Yes — add ¼ cup heavy cream after the broth for a garlic cream sauce variation. Simmer 2 more minutes.
What if the garlic burns?
Start over with fresh garlic — burnt garlic tastes bitter. Keep heat at medium-low and stir constantly during the 1-minute garlic cook.
Can I prep this ahead?
Season chicken up to 24 hours ahead. The sauce is best made fresh — takes only 3 minutes once the chicken is cooked.
Can I make this for meal prep?
Chicken stores 4 days refrigerated. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth to re-loosen the sauce.
What gives Texas Roadhouse chicken its flavor?
The combination of garlic powder in the seasoning + fresh garlic in the sauce creates a double garlic hit that’s the signature of this dish.
Can I grill instead of pan-sear?
Yes — grill the seasoned chicken, then pour the garlic butter sauce over after plating. The sauce is too thin for basting on the grill.
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Texas Roadhouse Garlic Butter Chicken
Succulent chicken breasts cooked to perfection and smothered in a rich and aromatic garlic butter sauce, inspired by the bold flavors of Texas.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Fresh parsley (for garnish)
Directions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and sauté minced garlic until fragrant.
- Add the seasoned chicken breasts to the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides.
- Pour in the chicken broth and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
- Reduce the heat, stir in the heavy cream, and allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Garnish the dish with freshly chopped parsley.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
