Ever get that craving for a restaurant classic, that rich, buttery flavor that just screams comfort food? I sure do! And that’s exactly how my Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet was born. Forget the carbs and the fuss; this is my take on that incredible dish, but made totally keto-friendly and all in *one* pan. Trust me, it’s a flavor explosion that tastes just like a weekend getaway to the Lone Star State, but it’s ready faster than you can say ‘yeehaw!’
Developing this recipe was a real adventure! I was trying to capture that soulful, buttery goodness I remembered from a trip to Texas, but I really wanted to keep us on track with our macros. So, I played around with the spices and swapped out traditional ingredients for keto-friendly ones, and voila! This skillet creation emerged, proving you don’t need all the carbs to get that amazing, satisfying restaurant flavor. As an International Keto Cuisine Explorer, I’m always looking for ways to bring those beloved global tastes home, the healthy way, and this one is a true gem. You can learn more about my culinary journey here.
Why You’ll Love This Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet
Seriously, this skillet dish is a winner and here’s why:
- Crazy Easy: It’s a one-pan wonder, meaning less mess and less to wash up later. Perfect for those busy weeknights!
- Bold Flavors: Get ready for a flavor party! It’s got that rich, buttery taste you’re after, with just the right amount of spice.
- Keto-Friendly: It’s totally low-carb and high-fat, so you can indulge without the guilt. Fits right into your keto lifestyle!
- Super Satisfying: This isn’t your average light meal; it’s hearty, filling, and absolutely delicious. You’ll feel content after every bite.
Ingredients for Your Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet
Alright, let’s get down to what you’ll need to whip up this magical Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet! I always say good ingredients are key, and for this one, we’re keeping it straightforward but super flavorful. Using good quality chicken breasts really makes a difference here, giving us that tender base we love.
For the Chicken:
- 1.5-2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 medium-large ones)
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing (grab your favorite, a good zesty one works wonders!)
For the Skillet:
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (or any neutral oil that can handle high heat!)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 10 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp water (just a splash to help us scrape up those yummy bits!)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 oz Monterey Jack cheese, sliced
Equipment Needed for the Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet
Okay, so you don’t need a whole professional kitchen for this one! To make your Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet dreams come true, you’ll just need a couple of key players. Grab a reliable cast iron skillet – it gets nice and hot, perfect for searing that chicken and melding all those amazing flavors together. You’ll also want something to poke those holes in the chicken, like a jacquard tool or just a good old fork. Easy peasy!
Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet
Alright, let’s get this Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet recipe rolling! It sounds fancy, but honestly, it’s a breeze, and the results are just *chef’s kiss*. We’re talking bold Texas flavors meeting that buttery chicken goodness, all in one pan. You can find more easy skillet recipes here!
Marinating the Chicken for Flavor
First things first, we gotta treat that chicken right! Grab your chicken breasts and lay them on a plate or cutting board. Now, take your jacquard tool or even just a fork and give those bad boys a good poke all over – think 10-15 little jabs on each side. This is super important, trust me! It creates tiny tunnels for all that yummy Italian dressing to soak into. Pop the chicken in a dish or a zip-top bag and pour over that Italian dressing. Make sure every piece is coated, then let it hang out in the fridge. You can let it marinate for at least 2 hours, but honestly, up to 24 hours is even better for maximum flavor!
Searing the Chicken to Perfection
Okay, time to get that skillet smoking! Preheat your oven to a nice 400 degrees F. Now, get your cast iron skillet nice and hot over medium-high heat. Add your avocado oil, and then carefully lay those marinated chicken breasts in the pan. Let them sizzle and cook for about 5 minutes without touching them – you want a really deep, gorgeous brown crust on that first side. Then, flip them over and do the same on the other side. Once they’re beautifully browned, take them out and set them on a clean plate for a sec. We’ll bring them back later! This similar smothered chicken recipe is also fantastic: Texas Roadhouse Smothered Chicken.
Sautéing the Vegetables
Lower the heat on that skillet to medium. Toss in your tablespoon of butter. Once it’s melted and looks all shimmery, add your sliced mushrooms and onions. Give them a good stir and let them soften up and get fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. When they look nice and tender, pour in that 2 tablespoons of water. This is where the magic happens – use your spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. That’s pure flavor, right there!
Assembling and Baking the Skillet
Now for the grand finale! Add all your spices – the white pepper, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt – and give everything a good stir in the skillet. Push that mushroom and onion mixture to the sides of the pan. Carefully place your seared chicken breasts back into the skillet, right in the middle. Spoon that savory mushroom-onion goodness right over the top of the chicken. Finally, lay those Monterey Jack cheese slices over everything. Pop the whole skillet into your preheated oven. Let it bake for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and your cheese is all melty and starting to get those lovely golden-brown spots. And there you have it – your Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet is ready to wow!
Tips for a Perfect Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet
Okay, so you’ve got the recipe, but let’s talk about making this Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet absolutely sing! A few little tricks up my sleeve can take this from good to *unforgettable*. First off, don’t skimp on that marinating time! Seriously, poking those holes and letting the Italian dressing work its magic for at least a few hours is key. It really infuses the chicken with so much flavor before it even hits the pan. And when you’re searing that chicken, let it get a good, deep crust – don’t be afraid of a little color! That’s where so much of the depth comes from. Remember to spread out your mushroom and onion mixture evenly so everything cooks together beautifully. For more on making things look and taste great, check out my thoughts on good food presentation!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Sometimes specialty ingredients pop up, or maybe you’ve got a preference for something else! That’s totally okay. For this Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet, the Italian dressing is key for that initial marinade – it brings a lovely zesty flavor. If you can’t find a low-carb one, you could whip up a quick homemade vinaigrette with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian herbs. Just make sure it’s sugar-free! As for the Monterey Jack cheese, if it’s not your favorite, a good sharp cheddar or even Provolone would work wonderfully. The goal is just a nice, melty cheese topping!
Serving Suggestions for Your Skillet Dinner
This Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet is so hearty and flavorful on its own, but to make it a truly complete keto meal, let’s talk sides! My absolute go-to is fluffy, steamed cauliflower rice – it soaks up all those delicious pan juices perfectly. Or, you could keep it simple and vibrant with some garlicky steamed green beans or a big, fresh side salad. For more ideas on how to round out your meals, sometimes I just browse these inspiration pages to get my creative juices flowing!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Got some delicious Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet leftovers? Lucky you! To keep it tasting its best, let it cool down completely before you pop it into an airtight container. Pop that container in the fridge, and it should keep nicely for about 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to reheat, I find the stovetop is best – just gently warm it up in a skillet over medium-low heat, maybe with a tiny splash of water or broth if it seems a little dry. The microwave works too, just be sure to heat it evenly until it’s warm all the way through.
Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet
Got questions about my Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet? I get it! It’s always good to be sure. Here are a few things folks often ask, and I’m happy to clear them up!
Can I make this Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet ahead of time?
You sure can! You can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead of time, which actually makes it even tastier. You can also sauté the mushrooms and onions ahead of time and store them separately. Then, it’s just a matter of searing the chicken, adding the veggies, topping with cheese, and baking!
What kind of chicken breast is best for this recipe?
For this recipe, I really love using medium-to-large boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are pretty uniform in size. This helps them cook evenly. If you have super thick breasts, you might want to butterfly them or pound them slightly so they cook through at the same rate as the rest of the skillet ingredients.
Is this recipe truly a fast and easy chicken dinner?
Absolutely! It’s designed to be one of those fast and easy chicken dinner recipes. Once the chicken is marinated, the active cooking time is pretty short, and most of it is hands-off simmering and baking right in the skillet. It’s perfect when you need a delicious meal on the table without a ton of fuss!
Nutritional Information (Estimated)
Now, I know we’re all about flavor and keeping things keto-friendly, but it’s always good to have a ballpark idea of what’s in our amazing Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet! Keep in mind, these numbers are just estimates, and they can totally change depending on the exact brands you use, especially for things like the Italian dressing or the type of cheese. But generally speaking, you’re looking at around 678 calories, roughly 19g of carbs (but remember, most of that is fiber!), a fantastic 60g of protein, and about 40g of fat per serving. It’s a hearty meal that’s as satisfying as it is delicious!
Share Your Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet Creation!
Alright, my fellow keto adventurers, now it’s YOUR turn to shine! I really hope you give this Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet a try. Once you taste it, I’d absolutely LOVE to hear all about it! Did you make any fun tweaks? How did it turn out? Please, please leave a comment below and tell me everything! And if you snap some photos, tag me on social media – seeing your creations makes my day! You can also check out some of my other recipe adventures here, or dive into some sweet treats here!

Texas Roadhouse Butter Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- On a plate or cutting board, use a jacquard tool or fork to poke several holes in the chicken breasts. If using a fork, stab each side 10 to 15 times. Place the chicken in a dish or a gallon-sized ziploc bag.
- Pour the Italian dressing over the chicken, ensuring it is coated. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 to 24 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then carefully place the chicken breasts in the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes without moving, until deeply browned on one side. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove the chicken to a clean plate.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium and add the butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and onions and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Add the water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the spices and stir. Move the mushroom and onion mixture to the sides of the skillet. Place the chicken breasts back into the skillet. Spoon the mushroom-onion mixture over the chicken.
- Top the chicken with cheese slices. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
Nutrition
Notes
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Precision Keto Scientist
Numbers don’t lie, and neither do my recipes. I’m a biochemist who fell into keto cooking through my own metabolic research—and I approach recipe development like a lab experiment, complete with macro calculations precise to the tenth of a gram.
My journey started in diabetes research labs at Johns Hopkins, where I spent six years studying how different macronutrient ratios affected insulin sensitivity. Personal experimentation with therapeutic ketosis for cognitive enhancement led me down a rabbit hole of recipe testing that eventually consumed more hours than my actual day job.
While other cookbook authors describe flavors and textures, I quantify ketone elevation curves and glycemic impact data. My recipe database contains 340+ formulations, each tagged with detailed nutritional analysis, predicted ketosis timing, and optimal meal spacing. I measure salt by weight, time cooking processes to the minute, and log ingredient sourcing obsessively for consistent results.
My breakthrough research on fat-protein ratios for sustained ketosis got published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. My “Macro Math Mastery” workshops have trained over 5,000 people in precision meal planning. I even collaborated with continuous glucose monitor manufacturers to create the first real-time feedback system for recipe optimization.
I left my pharmaceutical research position at Merck three years ago to focus on metabolic nutrition consulting. Now I work with professional athletes, biohackers, and medical professionals seeking therapeutic ketosis protocols. When I’m not in my lab-kitchen, I’m competing in chess tournaments or documenting my daily biomarker measurements with true data scientist obsessiveness.
Cooking is just applied chemistry—and chemistry follows predictable rules. Master the variables, control the outcomes.