Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes
Golden chicken and baby potatoes tossed together in a skillet of garlic butter.
- Measurements grams + cups
- Cuisine American
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- One skillet, and the potatoes pick up the flavour the chicken leaves behind.
- Par-cooking the potatoes in the microwave means they crisp rather than burn.
- Chicken and a side in one pan, in forty-five minutes.
Recipe
Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes
Skillet chicken and baby potatoes finished in garlic butter.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled. The method below still refers to the original quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1. Place the halved potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl with about 30 mL (2 tbsp) water.
- Step 2. Cover loosely and microwave for about 5 minutes to partially soften them. Drain.
- Step 3. Season the chicken with paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Step 4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Step 5. Add the chicken and cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked to 74°C / 165°F.
- Step 6. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Step 7. Add the potatoes to the same skillet, cut-side down where possible.
- Step 8. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender.
- Step 9. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Step 10. Add the butter and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Step 11. Return the chicken to the skillet.
- Step 12. Toss the chicken and potatoes in the garlic butter and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Step 13. Sprinkle with parsley if desired and serve hot.
Notes
- Drain the par-cooked potatoes and pat them dry. Wet potatoes steam and refuse to brown.
- Cut-side down and left alone for the first few minutes. Stirring too early prevents a crust forming.
- Cook the chicken and potatoes in sequence rather than together — they need different heat and different times.
Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes — Simple Table Recipes · https://simpletablerecipes.com/recipes/garlic-butter-chicken-and-potatoes/
Ingredient Notes
- Baby potatoes
- Small and waxy, so they hold together through both the microwave and the pan. Larger floury potatoes break apart.
- Butter added at the end
- Butter burns at the heat needed to brown chicken. Adding it in the last two minutes over lower heat gives you garlic butter rather than brown butter.
- Garlic
- Thirty seconds, right at the end. Any earlier and it burns in the hot pan.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Wooden spoon
Substitutions
- Chicken breast
- Thighs stay juicier and are more forgiving of a couple of extra minutes.
- Baby potatoes
- Larger waxy potatoes cut into 3 cm chunks. Floury potatoes like russets fall apart.
- Herbs
- Fresh rosemary or thyme added with the butter, or a squeeze of lemon at the end.
Storage
Storing: Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or oven to bring the crisp back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you microwave the potatoes first?
Baby potatoes take far longer to cook through than chicken takes to brown. Par-cooking them for five minutes means they only need enough pan time to crisp the outside.
Why are my potatoes not browning?
Moisture, or a crowded pan. Drain and dry them after par-cooking, give them space, and leave them undisturbed for the first few minutes so a crust can form.
Can I make this in the oven instead?
Yes. Toss everything with the oil and seasoning and roast at 220 C / 425 F for about 30 minutes, adding the butter and garlic for the last five.
Why did my garlic burn?
It went in too early. Garlic needs about thirty seconds at medium-low, right at the end, after the chicken and potatoes are already cooked.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes, and they are more forgiving. Cook them a couple of minutes longer and check for 74 C / 165 F.
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