Pan fried Garlic Chicken recipe, is my son’s all-time favorite. He can have this for all three meals daily without fuss. The recipe and the making are straightforward, with very few ingredients.
The photograph of this pan-seared garlic chicken may give you a bland look, but it is a bundle of flavors and tastes.

My son is a huge chicken fan; if asked, he always says that he needs chicken dishes all the time, preferably white meat. So, I always store individually frozen chicken breast meat in my refrigerator.
Whenever he needs it, I pull one or two pieces and marinate it with his favorite flavors. Then, it will be followed by any cooking method like baking, pan-fried or deep-fried.
Do you want me to tell you this is one of his favorites? It's mine as well.
The apparent reason for making this pan-fried garlic chicken is because it is delicious and flavorful. Less obvious reason? It is easy to make with just a few ingredients in under 30 minutes, including the marination time.
I had never imagined making a full-course dinner in such less time until I came across this recipe.
This simple garlic chicken saute recipe is our recent discovery when trying to recreate pepper chicken that we encountered in our favorite restaurant.
I have a request: please do not judge the taste by looking at the photograph. The chicken may look bland in the picture, like a poached chicken.
But in reality, it's the opposite; this pan-fried garlic chicken is soft and moist, with deep, intense flavors of garlic that linger in the mouth.
If you are looking for other garlic-flavored recipes, look into Pan-fried Shrimp with Garlic and pepper, Store bought style Garlic bread, and delicious Garlic Knots.
Pro tips for making Pan fried garlic chicken
- The chicken breast is soft and juiced when it is tenderized.
- Use meat mallets for the best results. Pound it gently without breaking its shape.
- Alternatively, you may pinch using a fork for the even garlicky kick.
- Pat dry the chicken breast before adding to the spices for maximum absorbency.
- Allow the chicken to marinate with the herbs and spices for at least 15 minutes.
- Add the cooking oil in stages. You can drizzle the oil whenever you are flipping the chicken. This helps the chicken be soft and cooked thoroughly without getting crispy edges.
- Chicken tastes excellent and moist when it is served hot. So plan your cooking according to your dinner time.
How to Make Pan-fried Garlic Chicken
Wash and clean chicken breast meat. Pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Pinch the meat using the mallet or fork, by making gentle punches. This helps the meat to absorb all the flavors of the herbs.
Add 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic(reserve 1 tablespoon of garlic for seasoning), dried thyme, salt, and red chili flakes.
Marinate for about 15 minutes to 40 minutes.
Heat a skillet over medium flame; add cooking oil to grease the pan.
Place the chicken breast into the pan.
Cook one side for about 7-8 minutes or until it becomes golden brown by drizzling the oil whenever the surface of the chicken starts looking dry.
Flip it to the other side and continue to cook until it gets cooked completely
Serve immediately with some fresh vegetables.
How to serve pan-seared garlic chicken
Serve as the main dish along with some fresh salads like Fresco salad,
Serve as appetizers with sriracha aioli sauce or blue cheese.
The recipe variations
- The exact process of pan-fried garlic chicken can be made in the vegetarian version by replacing chicken with Cauliflower, potato, and paneer.
- Vegans may substitute chicken with tofu.
- The olive oil brings a whole new facelift to this recipe; try making it with different cooking oils and make your family believe you are serving them a new dish every time.
- Fresh thyme is more robust and refreshing.
- Thyme can also be swapped with rosemary or oregano. When opting for rosemary, add half the quantity of thyme.
Other chicken recipes,
- Cedar Grilled Lemon Chicken
- Teriyaki chicken with readymade sauce
- Broccoli stuffed chicken breast
- Buffalo chicken marinade
- Chicken recipes
Printable recipe card
Garlic Chicken, Pan Fried Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breast
- 4 tablespoon garlic Chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt or as required
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes or as required
- 1 teaspoon thyme
Instructions
- Wash, clean chicken breast meat. Using fork make small punches to the meat, this helps the meat to absorb all the flavors of the herb. Add 3 tablespoon of chopped garlic(reserve 1 tablespoon of garlic for seasoning), salt, red chili flakes, thyme. Marinate for about 30 mins to 2 hours.
- In medium flame heat oil in the pan, add remaining reserved chopped garlic. Saute for couple of seconds. Add marinated chicken to the pan. Cook one side for about 7-8 minutes or until it becomes golden brown in color. Flip it to the other side and continue to cook until it gets cooked completely.
- Serve immediate with some fresh salad.
Notes
Serve as appetizers with some sauce or blue cheese.
Chicken tastes good and moisty if it is served hot.
The same process can be made in the vegetarian version by replacing chicken with Cauliflower, potato, and paneer.
Nutrition
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