As good as Carrabba’s makes it!
I’ve always been a HUGE fan of Carrabba’s Grill! So much so, that it was THE restaurant I would request to eat at for my birthday, even as a young kid.
So if you had told me there was a chicken dish on their menu that could rival their classic pastas or pizzas? I would’ve laughed you right out of the booth.
That is… until I tasted their oh-so-famous Chicken Bryan. And not just tasted… DEVOURED. One bite of that juicy, flavor-loaded chicken and I was a goner.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
It’s got that dreamy combo of tangy goat cheese, rich sun-dried tomatoes, and juicy chicken all smothered in the most lick-your-plate-worthy lemon butter sauce.
Whether you’re cooking for date night, guests, or just your average Tuesday, this Chicken Bryan is a total showstopper. It’s one of those recipes you’ll come back to again and again.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.
- 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 breasts. 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 sun-dried tomatoes yourself. Just make sure you drain them well and pat them dry before using.
- Goat cheese. A log of plain goat cheese is needed for this recipe. Steer clear of flavored cheeses, or it will affect the end result.
- Lemon Juice and Butter. Yup, that’s all you need to make that creamy sauce! Use fresh juice and a good quality salted butter for the best flavor.
How to Make Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan
Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Pound and sear the chicken.
Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1-inch thickness, season with salt and pepper, then sear in a hot skillet over medium-high heat.
You want golden, seared edges and the chicken to be just cooked through. Set it aside on a plate while you make the sauce.
Pro Tip: Place chicken breasts between plastic wrap or in a ziplock bag to make cleanup a breeze!
Sauté the garlic and onions.
Reduce the heat to medium, then melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 2 minutes, or until just softened.
Pro Tip: Scrape up any golden bits from the bottom of the skillet after cooking the chicken—they add tons of flavor to the sauce!
Make the lemon butter sauce.
Pour in the broth and lemon juice, whisking to combine and deglaze the pan. Let the sauce simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until it reduces by half.
Pro Tip: Keep the heat at a gentle simmer so the sauce thickens without evaporating too quickly.
Add the tomatoes, chicken, and goat cheese.
Reduce heat to low and stir in the remaining butter one tablespoon at a time. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, the chicken, and top each piece with goat cheese. Cover and let simmer for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through.
Pro Tip: I love serving this dish with some Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes and spooning that dreamy lemon butter sauce over the top!
FAQs
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.
Goat cheese is classic for Chicken Bryan, but if you’re not a fan, try substituting with cream cheese or Boursin for a similarly creamy, tangy finish.
Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a large zip-top bag and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to gently pound to an even thickness—this helps it cook more evenly and stay juicy.
You can prep the lemon butter sauce and cook the chicken in advance, then reheat everything and melt the goat cheese just before serving for the best texture and flavor.
What to Serve with Chicken Bryan?
Add a quick side dish to this easy main for a full meal! Here are some of my favorites to try:
- Plain pasta or a creamy side of Pasta Carbonara would taste great!
- Green veggies, like Air Fryer Broccoli, Roasted Asparagus, or Green Beans Almondine all go well with this recipe.
- A simple salad tossed with a homemade Caesar salad dressing, a light Lemon Basil Vinaigrette, or a Balsamic Vinaigrette would taste delicious.
- Or, serve it up with your favorite potatoes: these Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes, Duchess Potatoes, Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes, or Hasselback Sweet Potatoes.
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Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan (Copycat Recipe)
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil avocado or olive
- 1 ¼ pounds chicken breast pounded to 1-inch thick and cut into 5 pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon 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 ounces sun-dried tomatoes julienned, drained
- ⅓ cup fresh basil chiffonade
- 4 ounces goat cheese log
Instructions
- Heat oil in 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 tablespoon oil, 1 ¼ pounds chicken breast, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 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
- 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 ounces sun-dried tomatoes
- 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 ounces goat cheese log
- Pour sauce over chicken for serving and sprinkle with additional fresh basil leaves, if desired.⅓ cup fresh basil
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Video
Notes
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- Thickness. Be sure to pound the chicken until it is no more than 1-inch thick.
- Tomatoes. Grab a jar of julienne tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and drain them before using.
- Lemon. Whole lemons are the best thing for getting the most flavor.
- Prep-Ahead: This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can pound the chicken a day or two before.
- Storage: Place leftover chicken into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: 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.
- Reheating: You can warm this dish back up in the oven or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Delicious Copycat Recipes
It’s so fun to recreate restaurant favorites at home. Here are a few delicious dinners to try next:
Had this at a restaurant this past week and I had to make it home. Thank you for putting this into a recipe for me!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Karen! You’re so welcome. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Made this tonight. Husband said “you couldn’t get a better meal in a restaurant.” Thank you for sharing!
Woohoo!! That’s a HUGE win! Thanks so much for letting me know and for taking the time to leave a comment/rating, Sally! 🙂
This is SO flavorful holy moly! Meal prepped this for the week and I already can’t wait to have this for dinner again tomorrow!!
Yay, Warner! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe so much. Thanks for your comment and rating 🙂
Can I just say yummmm! This just became a family favorite and saved in our book of best recipes! Thank you so much for sharing ❤️
Yay!! So happy you and your family enjoyed it, Jamie. Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
Excellent recipe. The recommendations on the goat cheese, etc. are very helpful. My family stopped short of licking their plates.
So happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Kim! Thanks so much for your comment!
What do you eat this with? What sides are best?
Hi Missie! Your options are endless! I would try a few of the Roasted Broccoli or Cauliflower recipes on the site for a lighter side or some Baked Potato Wedges.
After reading Alison Kifer’s comment, I decided to make this without any added salt. None on the chicken or in the sauce, because my sundried tomatoes, chicken stock, goat cheese, and butter were all already salted. I put extra lemon just in case to tamper down the salt. And since I had no fresh basil, I used the dried leaves all over the chicken and chopped spinach into the sauce just to get that beautiful fresh green look. It turned out great! Very decadent.
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed it and am happy the salt level came out to your preference. Thanks for your comment and rating!!
I made this yesterday and it was extremely salty. Couldnt eat it.. Cant figure out why. Double checked the recipe and my measurement tools and i was accurate
Not totally sure what happened either, Allison? My only guess is that the butter or goat cheese could have had an extra bit of salt that took it over the edge for you. Sorry for the saltiness!
This was amazing! We made it last week and have plans of making it again this week. Instead of butter we used coconut oil and it tasted amazing 🙂
Yay, Kelly!! So happy you enjoyed it. Coconut oil sounds incredible! Will definitely have to try that soon. Thanks for the comment and rating 🙂
This recipe was really good! Added spinach ravioli to it and it was perfect. Even my picky husband enjoyed it,
Yay!! So so happy you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the review and rating!