Now you can enjoy the irresistible flavors of Carraba’s Chicken Bryan at home with this easy, one-pot copycat recipe! Simply sear chicken breasts, whisk up a lemon-garlic butter sauce, and serve with melted goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes- all ready in under 30 minutes!

Chicken is cooked in a skillet in a sauce with onion, garlic, and sundried tomatoes.

Carrabba’s Copycat Chicken Bryan Recipe

I’m a fan of Carrabba’s Grill! And if you had told me there was a chicken dish at Carrabba’s that was BETTER than their pasta, lasagna, or other wheat-laden dish I would have never believed you…

I had to taste this oh-so-famous Chicken Bryan for myself- and taste it, I did. Well, actually- DEVOURED it would be a better descriptor.

Bites of tangy goat cheese, hearty sun-dried tomatoes, and tender chicken… all doused in the most lick-your-plate-worthy lemon butter sauce.

For days I dreamed about that dish. Until I finally bucked up the courage and tried to make it at home.

The first few attempts either came out too lemony, too buttery, or a sauce that didn’t quite whisk together.

But about the fourth try in this recipe was born- and ya’ll… it’s an absolute PERFECT copycat recipe of the Carrabba’s dish you know and love!

This juicy chicken with the Carrabba’s lemon butter sauce is perfect for a special occasion dinner party, or just a normal weeknight. I guarantee it will become a family favorite.

Chicken breasts, butter, oil, sundried tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings are the main ingredients for this dish.

Ingredients

  • Oil. Both avocado oil and olive oil work due to their mild flavor and relatively high smoke point.
  • Chicken. For the most authentic dish, stick with boneless skinless chicken breast. Be sure to pound them until their no more than 1-inch thick, then slice into 5 pieces.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes. Grab a jar of these near the canned vegetables in the grocery store! You can get pre-cut in a julienne style, or you can cut whole sundried tomatoes yourself. Don’t skip these, they’re my favorite part.
  • Goat cheese. A log of plain goat cheese is needed for this recipe. Stear clear of flavored cheeses, or it will affect the end result.
  • Other ingredients. Salt, black pepper, butter, white or yellow onionminced garlic, chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and fresh basil round out this dish.
5 Secrets to Healthier Family Dinners
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How to Make Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan

Please see the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and more detailed instructions.

1. Sear the Chicken

Be sure to take a few minutes to pound the chicken with a meat mallet until it is 1-inch thick. Cover it in plastic wrap or place it in a bag before pounding to stay cleaner.

Add the oil to a large skillet and set the stove to medium high heat.

Season the chicken breasts with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. When the oil is hot, carefully set the chicken in a single layer across the bottom of the pan. 

Cook the chicken for 7 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. The chicken should be nearly fully cooked but seared on each side. Set the chicken on a plate to the side.

Prepared chicken is seared in a skillet.

2. Sauté the Vegetables

Reduce the heat to medium, then add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pot. Stir in the garlic and onion into the melted butter.

Sauté for 2 minutes, just until the onion is tender.

Onion and garlic are sauteed in a skillet.

3. Make the Lemon Butter Sauce

Pour the broth and the lemon juice into the pot. Whisk well, being sure to scrape any burned-on bits on the bottom of the skillet.

Allow the mixture to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be reduced by half in about 5 to 7 minutes.

Once it’s reduced, turn the heat to low. Slowly stir in the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Finally, mix in ½ teaspoon salt and the drained sun-dried tomatoes.

Sun-dried tomatoes are added to the sauce mixture.

4. Finish the Dish

Place the pieces of chicken back into the skillet with the sauce, then top each breast with equal amounts of goat cheese. 

Cover the skillet and let everything simmer over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165℉ on a meat thermometer.

Pour the creamy lemon butter sauce over the copycat Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan recipe before serving, then sprinkle with fresh basil leaves that have been finely chopped.

Chicken is cooked with goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, and basil in a skillet.

Why is it called Chicken Bryan?

Chicken Bryan is a dish made famous at Carrabba’s Italian Grill. The owner dedicated it to his grandfather and named it after Bryan, Texas, where the Carrabba family originally settled after coming from Italy.

Recipe Tip

  • Hit it. Be sure to pound the chicken until it is no more than 1-inch thick.
  • Cover up. Place the chicken in a plastic bag before pounding to save on messes.
  • Save time. Grab a jar of julienne tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and drain them before using.
  • Make it fancy. A chiffonade cut is super impressive.
  • Go fresh. Whole lemons are the best thing for getting the most flavor.

What to Serve with Chicken Bryan?

Add a healthy side dish to this easy recipe for a complete (and delicious) meal!

Green veggies, like Air Fryer BroccoliChinese Green Beans, or Roasted Asparagus all go well with this recipe.

Or, choose Duchess PotatoesAir Fryer Roasted Potatoes, or Hasselback Sweet Potatoes.

Chicken breasts are cooked in a butter sauce and topped with goat cheese and sundried tomatoes.

More Delicious Chicken Recipes

You can do just about anything with chicken! Put any of these recipes to the test soon.

If you love restaurant copycats, try Olive Garden Chicken MarsalaGeneral Tso’s ChickenAir Fryer Chicken Nuggets, or Chipotle Chicken.

Or, go with Glazed Balsamic Chicken, Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken BreastThai Chicken Wings, Sheet Pan Chicken and Asparagus, or Baked BBQ Chicken Breast.

Warm up with Chicken and Dumpling Soup.

Tap stars to rate!

4.54 from 15 votes

Chicken Bryan (Carrabba’s Copycat Recipe)

Now you can enjoy the irresistible flavors of Carraba's Chicken Bryan at home with this easy, one-pot copycat recipe! Simply sear chicken breasts, whisk up a lemon-garlic butter sauce, and serve with melted goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes- all ready in under 30 minutes!
Chicken is cooked in a skillet in a sauce with onion, garlic, and sundried tomatoes.
Yield 5 servings
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 30 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • 2 Tbsp. oil avocado or olive
  • 1 ¼ lbs. chicken breast pounded to 1-inch thick and cut into 5 pieces
  • 1 tsp. salt divided
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ cup butter salted, divided
  • ¼ cup sweet onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic finely minced
  • ¾ cup chicken broth regular sodium
  • ¼ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 7 oz sun-dried tomatoes julienned, drained
  • cup fresh basil chiffonade
  • 4 oz. goat cheese log

Instructions 

  • Sear Chicken: Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper over all of the breasts. Once the oil is heated, place the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 7–8 minutes, flipping halfway through. You want the chicken to almost be fully cooked and seared on both sides. Remove the chicken and place on a plate until ready to use.
    2 Tbsp. oil, 1 ¼ lbs. chicken breast, 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • Saute Vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add garlic and onion. Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until the onion is tender.
    ½ cup butter, ¼ cup sweet onion, 3 cloves garlic
  • Make Lemon Butter Sauce: Pour in the broth and lemon juice. Whisk well to scrape up any bits that might be stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Once reduced, turn the heat to low and add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter one tablespoon at a time. Stir well after each addition. Mix in ½ teaspoon salt and the drained sun-dried tomatoes.
    ¾ cup chicken broth, ¼ cup lemon juice, 7 oz sun-dried tomatoes
  • Melt Goat Cheese: Place chicken back in the skillet and top each breast with equal amounts of the goat cheese. Cover skillet with a lid and simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
    4 oz. goat cheese log
  • Mix basil into the sauce. Pour sauce over chicken for serving and sprinkle with additional fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!
    ⅓ cup fresh basil
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Tap stars to rate!

4.54 from 15 votes

Video

Notes

Meal Prep and Storage

  • How to prep ahead of time: This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can pound the chicken a day or two before.
  • How to store: Place leftover chicken into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
  • How to freeze: If you’re going to freeze this dish, it’s best before adding the cheese. Tightly wrap or cover cooked chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • How to reheat: You can warm this dish back up in the oven or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 133mg, Sodium: 917mg, Potassium: 1838mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 1270IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Made this recipe?Leave a comment below!
5 Secrets to Healthier Family Dinners
Tips & recipes for getting yummy — and healthy — meals on the table.

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Comments

    1. There’s actually a new version of this recipe coming out in December that addresses this issue…Keep an eye out!

  1. 5 stars
    Made this tonight and it was sooo good! I added a little extra lemon and red chili flakes at the end to top it off. My fiancé almost finished the entire dish in one sitting lol. Loved the recipe, thank you!!!

    1. Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Abby! That sounds delicious. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!