Garlic Thyme Chicken is an easy, quick family friendly way to cook chicken. Full of lemon thyme chicken flavour. Ready in under 25 minutes this dish is gluten/dairy free, and top 8 allergen free.
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Why We Like This Recipe
We like this garlic thyme chicken recipe because it is quick and easy. It can be for a salad or as part of a hot main course with the traditional potatoes and steamed veggies. A mild tasting flavour addition that the kids find easy to eat. Great anytime of year and can be made ahead for camping in the summer or made to top a salad with soup in the winter. A true year round meal.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Flaky sea salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Olive oil
- Vegan butter stick
- Fresh thyme
- Lemons
See recipe card for quantities needed to make garlic thyme chicken.
Instructions/
Directions and Tips
Step 1
Line a thick plastic cutting board with plastic wrap, leaving enough to fold over the chicken breast with overhang. Place one trimmed butterflied (or thinly sliced) breast on the plastic wrap and cover it with the extra wrap. Using a meat tenderiser on the flatter side pound the chicken until ⅓ inch thick. Repeat for all chicken breasts.
Step 2
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
Step 3
In a deep large skillet, heat olive oil over medium/low heat. Add in garlic and shallots once oil is warmed. Cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4
Add vegan buttery sticks to the pan and let melt, turning the heat up to medium. Once melted add the chicken breasts. Be sure to get the butter on the side that is down. Cook that side for 5 mins or until starting to slightly brown.
Step 5
Flip the chicken to cook the other side. Add the thyme and lemon zest to the pan. Let it cook and spoon the butter extra over the side that is up and the meat cooks.
Step 6
Cook until the chicken is done on both sides and slightly browned. Watch the shallots and garlic don’t burn, you can pile them on the side of the chicken that is up to remove them slightly from the heat. The internal temperature of the chicken breasts should be 165°F for safety.
Step 7
Serve the garlic thyme chicken by spooning extra butter, garlic and shallots over the chicken. Finish the chicken with the juice of ¼ lemon on each breast.
Hint: Check the temperature on the garlic thyme chicken with a food thermometer often as this method of cooking chicken will be quick. This will help from overcooking the chicken and drying it out.
Substitutions
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Other cuts of meat can be used, either bone in or boneless. The skinless versions work best in this recipe. Thighs would also be good for this dish. Pork chops, without the bone, would also work in place of chicken.
Garlic
Can be changed to 1 tablespoon garlic powder.
Shallots
White or yellow onions can be used but as onions are more potent in flavour. Us ¼-½ a medium onion.
Olive Oil
Another safe oil can be used as long as it has a high smoke point. Go with what is safest for your restrictions.
Vegan Butter Stick
Spreads can be used in place of sticks. They have more water in them and may need a bit extra as it cooks down.
Fresh Thyme
Can be replaced with dried, just reduce the amount to 2 tsps- 3 tsps. Oregano, marjoram, or sage can also be use in place of thyme if that is what you have onhand or what is safe for you.
Variations/
Adaptations
Marinated Version
To make a Lemon Thyme Chicken Marinade combine The olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, lemon zest and juice as well as shallots and garlic. Marinade the chicken for 20 minutes to 2 hours for a deeper flavour. melt the vegan butter and pour in the marinade to the pan until the garlic and shallots are translucent. Cook the chicken as per the recipe, spoon the cooking marinade over the meat. Make sure to cook the marinade well along with the meat.
Spicy Version
Putting ½ tsp-1 teaspoon red chilli flakes in the pan to cook with the shallots. Replacing 1 -2 Tablespoons of olive oil with chilli infused oil.
Creamy Version
Add in ½ a can of coconut milk, about 200ml right after the chicken goes in. Cook the chicken in the coconut cream and let it reduce to ½ of its volume before serving as a sauce. Serve the cream sauce over the chicken.
Cumin Lime Version
Replace Lemons with limes and add a dash of cumin in place of the thyme for a flavour kick. Marinating the chicken before cooking in a bit of tequila will also give it a tremendous flavour.
Equipment
There are a few things you will need to make this recipe.
Let’s start with the meat tenderiser “hammer”. It will have two sides, one flat and one with ridges and points. The flat side is best for this recipe. The Spruce Eats has an excellent article about which meat tenderiser is best.
Other equipment needed are a knife, cutting board, plastic wrap, a frying pan, meat thermometer, utensils for cooking.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
To store the chicken, wrap it in plastic wrap or a reusable beeswax cover.
-Fridge
The chicken will keep for 3 days once cooked in the fridge.
-Freezer
Place the chicken in a freezer safe well sealing container, and wrap it in plastic. This will help avoid freezer burn. The cooked breasts will keep in the freezer for upto 3 months.
Reheating
Lemon Thyme Garlic Chicken Breasts can be eaten cold after storing them in the fridge. If they are being reheated make sure they are warmed to a safe temperature.
-Stove Top
Over medium heat in a pan add 2-3 tablespoons of water to the pan with the chicken and cover with a lid. Cook 2-3 mins and flip the chicken to reheat the other side. Remove the lid and cook off the rest of the water. Check that the internal temperature is 165F.
- Microwave
On a microwave safe plate place 1-2 portions of chicken. In the Microwave reheat the meat for 1 minute and 20 seconds, flip and heat for an additional 25 seconds. Check they are heated through, if not, heat again in 25 second bursts, as needed.
Top Tip
Pounding the meat thinly helps to cook it quickly. The more even the cut in how thin it is the easier it is to cook evenly.
What To Serve With
This Lemon Thyme Garlic Chicken is phenomenal when served with cauliflower rice and a side salad, like our Summer Berry Mint Salad. It also pairs well with our Air Fryer Carrots and Thyme and Roasted Potatoes. For a light meal, slice the chicken into thin strips and top a salad like the Festive Spinach Salad or Apple Pear Avocado Salad. If there are leftovers, try it cold on those salads.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Gluten Free Roast Chicken Breast
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- 1 meat tenderiser
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- plastic wrap
- 1 frying pan
- utensils for cooking
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts butterflied and trimmed
- ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 3 shallots finely sliced
- 2- 4 Tbsps olive oil
- ¼ C vegan butter stick
- 3 Tbsps thyme fresh trimmed from stalks
- 2 lemons zested
- 1 lemon juiced
Instructions
- Line a thick plastic cutting board with plastic wrap, leaving enough to fold over the chicken breast with overhang. Place one trimmed butterflied (or thinly sliced) breast on the plastic wrap and cover it with the extra wrap. Using a meat tenderiser on the flatter side pound the chicken until ⅓ inch thick. Repeat for all chicken breasts.
- Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
- In a deep large skillet, heat olive oil over medium/low heat. Add in garlic and shallots once oil is warmed. Cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add vegan buttery sticks to the pan and let melt, turning the heat up to medium. Once melted add the chicken breasts. Be sure to get the butter on the side that is down. Cook that side for 5 mins or until starting to slightly brown.
- Flip the chicken to cook the other side. Add the thyme and lemon zest to the pan. Let it cook and spoon the butter extra over the side that is up and the meat cooks.
- Cook until the chicken is done on both sides and slightly browned. Watch the shallots and garlic don’t burn, you can pile them on the side of the chicken that is up to remove them slightly from the heat. The internal temperature of the chicken breasts should be 165°F for safety.
- Serve the chicken by spooning extra butter, garlic and shallots over the chicken. Finish the chicken with the juice of ¼ lemon on each garlic thyme chicken breast.
Notes
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Always check all ingredients for allergens everytime you cook
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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