This easy Garlic Butter Chicken Broccoli Skillet is healthy, quick, and perfect for a busy weekday! Frozen broccoli makes this keto chicken dinner fast and convenient.
This simple Chicken Broccoli Skillet recipe will be your new go-to healthy, quick meal! Using frozen broccoli means you’ve got dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. Chicken thigh pieces stay nice and juicy while the broccoli cooks to perfectly tender. A little garlic butter and a dash of red wine vinegar add a flavorful sauce to bring it all together!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
- EASY – This entire meal cooks in just one pan, meaning you’ll have few dishes to clean afterwards. It also uses simple ingredients that are easy to find and convenient to keep around.
- HEALTHY – Chicken and broccoli provide tons of protein as well as good vitamins and minerals. This dish is naturally low-carb and gluten-free. A butter substitution would also make this dairy-free!
- QUICK – This recipe only requires about 5 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking! All prep could be done up to 2 days ahead of time, making this a super fast meal after a long, busy day.
Ingredients
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this recipe. For exact measurements, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs and Avocado oil – Thighs will stay juicier while chicken breasts or tenderloins are more likely to dry out and overcook. You can use your preferred cooking oil if you don’t have avocado oil.
- Frozen broccoli and Minced garlic – Frozen broccoli has been blanched prior, so it cooks quicker than fresh broccoli. The small chicken pieces cook quickly, so you’ll need to blanch the fresh broccoli if you prefer to not use frozen.
- Butter, Chicken broth, and Red wine vinegar – These add tons of flavor and deglaze the pan for all those tasty bits that get stuck on the bottom. This would be the perfect time to use any homemade stock you may have!
- Italian seasoning, Onion powder, Salt, and Parsley – You could swap out the Italian seasoning for your favorite all purpose blend. If you prefer things spicy, you could use a blackening seasoning instead! Fresh thyme or even basil would work well as a garnish if you don’t have parsley.
How to make Garlic Butter Chicken Broccoli Skillet
This is such an easy recipe that is great for beginner cooks and families! Here’s a quick step-by-step guide for making this healthy chicken dinner.
Brown chicken
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the avocado oil to warm up. Once hot, add the diced chicken and brown it, turning occasionally so that all sides get a nice even browning. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside. It won’t be cooked yet, but it will finish later.
Cook broccoli
Add two of the tablespoons of butter to the skillet and allow it to melt, then add in the frozen broccoli. Cook this for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Finish together
Add the chicken back into the skillet, then pour in the broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, red wine vinegar, onion powder, salt, and the rest of the butter. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and the garlic is tender.
What to serve with garlic butter chicken and broccoli
Garnish the skillet with fresh parsley, thyme, or sliced green onions for additional flavor. We like enjoying this as a full meal, but you can easily add Keto Dinner Rolls or Garlic Bread Chaffles to stretch it further. Mashed Cauliflower would make this a very hearty, filling meal . Wash it down with a Basil Whiskey Sour for a treat!
More easy keto side dishes
Storage Instructions
This dish is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing it as the broccoli becomes very mushy and unpleasant.
Best ways to reheat chicken and broccoli
- Skillet – Spray a skillet with oil and heat up to medium heat. Pour in leftovers and allow to warm up, occasionally turning and stirring so that all bits get nice and warm.
- Oven – Pour leftovers onto a sheet pan and roast at about 350 degrees F until chicken is warmed throughout and the broccoli is crisp on the edges.
Alternatively, you could reheat this in the microwave or the air fryer. The microwave will give you a very strong broccoli smell, and it does make the broccoli a bit mushier than I personally enjoy. The air fryer can make the broccoli nice and crispy, but you do run a greater risk of drying the entire dish out. You don’t really get any sauce using the air fryer method.
Garlic Butter Chicken and Broccoli FAQs
I tried, but raw broccoli takes longer to cook than the small chicken pieces. Frozen broccoli works best because it’s already been blanched, keeping the cooking time short. If you want to use fresh broccoli, you’re going to need to blanch it first so that it’s finished on time.
You can, but the lower calories and fat also means you’re working with less moisture. Chicken breasts will dry out quicker and are more likely to overcook than chicken thighs. You can still use chicken breasts, but you may want to thaw the broccoli first just to have it finished a minute or two earlier, keeping the chicken nice and juicy.
Frozen vegetables like brussels sprouts, green beans, and asparagus all work work great in this! Again, you want to use the frozen options because they’re already partially cooked and require less time overall.
More One-Pan Dinners
- French Onion Chicken
- Steak and Shrimp Skillet
- Lemon Pepper Chicken and Veggies
- Cajun Pork and Fried Cabbage
- Blackened Chicken and Brussels Sprouts
Want more? Check out all my one-pan keto dinners here.
Garlic Butter Chicken Broccoli Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 lb frozen broccoli florets
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- Parsley optional for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced chicken, browning and turning occasionally so all sides are browned evenly. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add 2 tbsp of butter to the skillet, then add the frozen broccoli. Cook the broccoli for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet along with the chicken broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, red wine vinegar, onion powder, salt, and the remaining 1 tbsp butter. Continue to cook for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is tender. Garnish with parsley and serve!
Notes
- When I initially tested this, I did so with fresh broccoli but it didn’t cook fast enough, and the chicken ended up being super dried out and overcooked. If you do make this with fresh broccoli, it needs to be blanched first so it cooks faster. Frozen broccoli is just easier!
- You can use chicken breasts for this recipe but they may be a little bit drier than the chicken thighs. Use thighs for the juiciest result!
- You can use other frozen vegetables like asparagus, brussels sprouts, and green beans in place or in addition to the broccoli!
- Net carbs 4 g per serving
