Garlic Rosemary Chicken is a simple skillet chicken breast recipe perfect for busy weeknights! Tender chicken breasts are seasoned and cooked in a reduction of white wine and chicken broth that is infused with garlic and fresh rosemary herbs.
Ready under 20 minutes, this rosemary chicken breast is filled with amazing flavors, and will get you the most delicious dinner in record time!
Love a simple and delicious chicken dinner? Don’t forget to also check out my Lemon Balsamic Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken Skewers, Skillet Chicken Parmesan and Panko Baked Chicken Tenders recipes.
Rosemary chicken Recipe
Everyone needs a few basic yet delicious chicken breast recipe in their hip pockets, and trust me when I say this Garlic Rosemary Chicken recipe it is a keeper!
All you need is a large skillet, a stove top, only a few pantry-friendly ingredients, and you are ready to go!
But know this. this Rosemary Chicken recipe uses minimal ingredients but it sure is not lacking at all in the flavor department. Garlic and fresh rosemary are two gorgeous ingredients that goes so well together and make the dish super yummy.
Rosemary is the perfect herb to pair with chicken. You really cannot go wrong with it. Rosemary has a herbal scent that is fresh and earthy without being sweet. I always equate the smell to Thanksgiving dinner because it’s a key spice in turkey and dressing/stuffing.
Whenever I make a pan-seared chicken breast recipe (such as Garlic Butter Chicken Breast, Baked Pesto Chicken, Creamy Mushroom Chicken etc), I always use chicken cutlets, aka thinly sliced chicken breast. And that is exactly what we are using to make Garlic Rosemary Chicken as well.
Chicken breast that you get from the store are super thick and are typically hard to cook through properly on the skillet..the insides will be way undercook before the outsides are overcooked.
Therefore, always slice chicken breast into half lengthwise so that it’s thinner and easier to cook.
This will also help boast the flavors, in this case, the delicious white wine, garlic and rosemary soak through the chicken because there’s more surface area to do so.
This results in the insides of your Rosemary Chicken Breast (and not just the surface) being actually flavorful.
If you have a few minutes to spare, serve this delicious garlic rosemary chicken with some mashed potatoes, Creamy Parmesan Orzo or Lemon Risotto on the side and you got yourself a tasty and satisfying meal!
Ingredients
Here is a the short list of ingredients needed to make Garlic Rosemary Chicken:
- skinless, boneless chicken breasts – I high recommend slicing the chicken breasts thinly lengthwise. You can get them ready sliced, or slice them yourself. It should be about 1/4-1/2 inch thick so that it cooks quickly and soaks up all the delicious juices in the skillet. Chicken thighs can be used in placed of chicken cutlets. Chicken thighs are typically thinner than chicken breast, but you can also slice it thinner if you prefer.
- garlic cloves – do not use garlic powder for your Rosemary Chicken because it will significantly change the flavor of the dish. Use peeled garlic cloves and crush them to release their flavors into the sauce.
- fresh rosemary – use fresh rosemary herbs if possible. In a pinch, dried rosemary can work, but will be less flavorful.
- white wine – an ingredient that is packed full of flavor. Use a decent quality wine, but it doesn’t have to be super expensive. Avoid using old wine that has been opened for more than a week. The basic rule of thumb for cooking with wine is to cook with wine you won’t mind drinking. If you do not want to use wine, substitute with chicken broth
- chicken broth – even if you use wine, we will need to use some chicken broth in this recipe. Good quality broth makes a difference. Here’s a recipe to make chicken broth from scratch.
- salt and black pepper
- all purpose flour – to give the chicken cutlets a light coating, which helps make the chicken tender and also thicken the sauce and helps it stick to the chicken.
- cooking oil – avocado oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil…whatever you have on hand!
How to make it
You’ll see what I mean when I say this Rosemary Garlic Chicken recipe is so easy to make!
Sometimes when I bite into it, it tastes so good I cannot believe it came together that easily.
It has a nice complex flavor which I think the white wine brings, but the process is not complex at all!
Step 1: Season and coat chicken
Slice your chicken breasts horizontally so they are thinner, or get chicken cutlets from the store. Make sure chicken cutlets are not wet by pat drying them with a paper towel if needed.
Season both sides of chicken with salt and black pepper.
Coat chicken cutlets on both sides in flour mixture.
And now they are ready to be fried in the skillet!
Step 2: Pan sear chicken
Heat skillet with oil and set it to medium/ medium high heat.
Sear it on both sides until chicken is cooked and slightly golden brown on the outside.
Remove and set aside.
Using the same skillet, drizzle a little bit more cooking oil and sear the crushed garlic for 30-60 seconds until garlic is slightly golden brown.
Add white wine, and it should bubble and evaporate under the heat.
Let it boil for about 30 seconds, then add chicken broth and herbs.
Let the garlic and rosemary sauce boil for about 30-60 seconds, then go ahead and add the chicken back into the skillet.
When you first add the chicken back in, it should be sitting in some sauce, but as you boil it under medium heat, the sauce will slowly soaked into the chicken and there will be less of it in the skillet.
At the end, chicken should soak up most of the sauces, and is infused with the lovely flavors of white wine, rosemary and garlic. It should not be swimming in the sauce.
Once all the rosemary chicken breasts reach an internal temperature 165ºF when measured using a meat thermometer, remove chicken from heat promptly.
I like to garnish the rosemary chicken breasts with some fresh parsley to finish it off!
How to serve this
Garlic Rosemary Chicken is a simple chicken breast recipe that can be served alongside so many different sides. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Pasta: try it with my Lemon Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti or Tomato Basil Gnocchi! It’s super delicious! Or simple toss your favorite pasta in marinara or Alfredo sauce, sprinkle with some Parmesan, and serve the garlic rosemary chicken on the side.
- Potatoes: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Baby Potatoes and Garlic Parmesan Hasselback Potatoes go great with it!
- Vegetables: if you prefer a healthier, lower-carb side dish, pair Garlic Rosemary Chicken with some Garlic Honey Roasted Carrots, Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli, or Roasted Zucchini with Garlic Parmesan.
- Salads: serve it with a side of salad or slice up chicken and top it on a salad! Lemon Orzo Spinach Salad, Fall Harvest Salad or Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad will go so well with it!
Tips and Tricks
- Use Thinly-sliced Chicken Breasts: To ensure that your rosemary chicken cooks quickly and absorbs the flavor around it more efficiently, make sure you use chicken cutlets or thinly sliced chicken breast. You want to make sure your meat is only about ~1/2 inch thick or less.
- Use Fresh Rosemary: Fresh herbs are always much more flavorful compared to dried. If using dried herbs bring a lot more when using.
- Wine Selection: Avoid sweet wine and use a dry white wine (Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay work great) that you wouldn’t mind drinking. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but avoid using old wine.
- Other Herbs: You can also add other herbs such as thyme or oregano to the sauce.
- Avoid Overcrowding: When pan searing chicken, don’t over crowd skillet so you can sear each side until they are golden brown.. If you are using a small skillet, sear chicken in multiple batches if needed.
- Avoid Overcooking Chicken: One of the biggest mistakes when cooking chicken is overcooking it. Overcooked chicken is dry and unappetizing. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken breast. Once it reaches 165ºF, remove from heat promptly.
- Add Salt: At the end, taste your rosemary chicken (and the sauce) and add salt to taste to open up the flavors if needed!
Reheating and Storage
Store rosemary chicken in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat, drizzle a few drops of water onto chicken and reheat in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
ABSOLUTELY. It has a mild, earthy flavor that pairs with chicken (or any poultry) perfectly.
Absolutely! If chicken thighs are super thick (thicker than 1/2 inch), slice it into two lengthwise so that you get a thinner slice which makes it easier to cook, and also tastier (soaks in more juices and flavors).
You can also use skin-on-bone-in chicken breast/thigh, you may have to cook it for longer because they take longer to cook through. Always make sure internal temperature of the rosemary chicken reaches at least 165ºF before removing from heat and serving.
Double the amount of wine and chicken broth. Before adding chicken back to the sauce, taste it and season with a pinch or two of salt to taste. Don’t overcook chicken once you add them back into the sauce, pull the chicken out while there is still some sauce in the skillet.
Add some heavy cream after adding the wine and chicken broth to make the sauce creamier.
Yes! I would still recommend searing the chicken on both sides first. After adding the wine and chicken broth, you can bring chicken (along with the oven-safe skillet, or transfer to a baking dish) into the oven and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the rosemary chicken breast reaches 165ºF.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
- Sweet and Sour Chicken Meatballs
- BBQ Chicken Baked Potato
- Chicken and Spinach Manicotti
- Grilled Cajun Chicken
- Spicy Baked Chicken Tenders
- Baked Orange Chicken
Garlic Rosemary Chicken
Ingredients
- ~1.5 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts ~2-3 pieces
- 1/2 – 1 tsp salt plus more to taste if needed
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1-2 tsp cooking oil
- 5-6 cloves garlic smashed
- 1-2 twig fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp parsley chopped, optional
Instructions
- Pat dry chicken breast and butterfly them (thinly slice them horizontally). Season both sides of each piece of chicken with salt and black pepper.
- Bring flour to a flat bowl. Coat chicken breasts on both sides with flour.
- Add cooking oil to large skillet. Heat skillet to medium/ medium high heat.
- Sear chicken breasts on skillet. Do not overlap. Flip and sear the other side once one side is slightly golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add more cooking oil to skillet. Add smashed garlic, sear for 30-60 seconds until fragrant and slightly golden brown. Do not burn garlic.
- Pour white wine onto skillet. It should bubble up slightly. Let it boil for 30 seconds or so. Then add chicken broth and fresh rosemary. Bring to boil again, cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add chicken breasts back into the skillet. Let it cook in the juices and boil for 1-2 minutes under medium/medium low heat.
- Once chicken has soaked up most of the juices, taste and add salt to open up the flavors if needed. Garnish with parsley. Remove from heat.
- Serve and enjoy!
My family loved this chicken dish and I loved that it was so easy to prepare! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
That’s great Sheila! So glad your family loved this!
We LOVED this recipe!! Thanks for another winner!
Thank YOU! So glad to hear you all enjoyed it!
This chicken dish is so flavorful! A great way to use up some of my huge rosemary bush. thanks!
Thank YOU for trying the recipe, Kate! Glad you enjoyed it.
This Rosemary Chicken was so succulent and flavorful that it had everyone in the family raving! The rosemary gave it a delightful kick, making this dish truly irresistible.
Thanks Sophie! Happy to hear that it was a success!
Rosemary and chicken is such a great combination. The chicken came out tender and juicy and I love the white wine rosemary flavored sauce. It was so flavorful. The only change I would make is to make more sauce in the future because I like it so much. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
I’m definitely a big fan of the flavor of the sauce as well! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
This chicken turned amazing! It was a hit with the family and the hubby is asking for me to make it again. Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome, Ana! Glad your hubby likes it so much!
I made this chicken for dinner last night and it was delicious! It made the house smell amazing too!
Glad to hear that, Taylor!
Could not find cutlets, I pounded chicken breasts to desired thickness. Delicious.
That works just as well!! So glad you enjoyed it.
Looks delish. Can’t wait to try it. I know my family will love it
I can’t wait for you to try it, Marlene! Let me know how it goes! 🙂
I have made this recipe 3 times now since discovering it. It is delicious! Kay Spainhour
Thank you so much, Kay! Appreciate your kind review!