This easy Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan copycat recipe brings the restaurant favorite home with tender chicken, creamy goat cheese, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and a bright lemon butter sauce. It is a simple but impressive chicken dinner that feels special enough for company and easy enough for a busy weeknight.
Chicken Bryan is one of those meals that turns an ordinary chicken breast into something you cannot stop thinking about. The tangy goat cheese softens over the warm chicken while the buttery lemon sauce picks up every bite of sweet sun-dried tomato and fresh basil. Serve it with rice, pasta, or a simple green vegetable for an easy Italian-inspired dinner at home.
If you need more easy meals the whole family will love, browse my easy chicken dinner recipes for more simple ideas.
More Copycat Recipes To Try
What Is Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan?
Chicken Bryan is Carrabba’s Italian Grill’s signature chicken dish. It is made with grilled chicken breasts topped with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and a buttery lemon sauce.
This copycat Chicken Bryan recipe has all of those same craveable flavors without needing a restaurant reservation. It is rich, fresh, creamy, and full of bright lemon flavor, yet it comes together in about 30 minutes. It is the kind of dinner that works just as well for a casual weeknight as it does for a date night at home.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Bryan Copycat Recipe
- Restaurant-quality chicken dinner made at home
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- Rich lemon butter sauce with fresh, bright flavor
- Tender chicken topped with creamy goat cheese
- Easy enough for weeknights but impressive enough for guests
- Delicious with pasta, rice, potatoes, or vegetables
If you love rich, buttery chicken dinners, you will also want to try my creamy cowboy butter chicken pasta. Both recipes have that special-occasion flavor without requiring complicated steps.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken breasts
Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If they are very thick, slice them in half horizontally or pound them to an even thickness so they cook evenly.
Olive oil
A little olive oil helps the chicken develop a golden crust in the skillet or grill pan.
Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper
Simple seasonings keep the chicken flavorful without competing with the lemon butter sauce.
Butter
Real butter is the base of the signature sauce. It makes the sauce silky, rich, and perfect for spooning over the chicken.
Garlic
Fresh minced garlic adds savory flavor to the buttery sauce. Garlic is also what gives easy restaurant-style meals, like this perfect pan seared steak recipe, so much flavor at home.
Dry white wine or chicken broth
A dry white wine gives this copycat Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan recipe restaurant-style flavor. Chicken broth is a great substitute if you prefer not to use wine.
Fresh lemon juice
Fresh lemon juice is important here. It gives the sauce its bright, tangy flavor and balances the richness of the butter and goat cheese.
Sun-dried tomatoes
Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped. They add a sweet, concentrated tomato flavor that makes this dish so good.
Fresh basil
Fresh basil adds a pop of color and a light, fresh finish to the sauce.
Goat cheese
Creamy goat cheese is the ingredient that makes Chicken Bryan so memorable. It softens over the hot chicken and pairs perfectly with the lemon butter sauce.
How to Make Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan
Step 1: Season the chicken
Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
Step 2: Cook the chicken
Heat olive oil in a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and loosely cover it with foil.
Step 3: Make the lemon butter sauce
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, followed by the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Pour in the white wine or chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 4: Finish the sauce
Stir in the remaining butter, fresh lemon juice, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. Stir until the butter melts and the sauce looks glossy.
Taste the sauce and add a little more salt and pepper if needed.
Step 5: Add the goat cheese
Return the chicken to the skillet. Crumble goat cheese over each chicken breast, then spoon the warm sun-dried tomato lemon butter sauce over the top.
Let the chicken sit for a minute or two so the goat cheese begins to soften.
Step 6: Serve
Top with extra fresh basil and lemon slices, if desired. Serve warm with your favorite sides.
Tips for the Best Chicken Bryan
- Pound thick chicken breasts to an even thickness for juicy, evenly cooked chicken.
- Do not let the sauce boil hard after adding the final butter. Keep the heat low so the sauce stays smooth.
- Use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Let the chicken rest while making the sauce so it stays tender.
- Spoon plenty of the lemon butter sauce over the chicken right before serving.
Easy Variations
You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts if you prefer darker meat. They stay extra juicy and work beautifully with the lemon butter sauce.
If you do not love goat cheese, feta can work as a substitute, although it will have a saltier flavor and a different texture.
For a creamy version, stir a splash of heavy cream into the sauce just before adding the final butter.
If you like a little heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce with the garlic.
What to Serve with Chicken Bryan
This Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan copycat recipe is delicious with buttery rice, angel hair pasta, mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, green beans, or a crisp salad.
A fresh Greek Salad would be especially good alongside the rich lemon butter sauce. You could also serve it with garlic bread and a simple pasta dish, or make a full Italian-inspired dinner night with my Olive Garden Calabrian steak and shrimp bucatini.
Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan Copycat Recipe
Make Carrabba’s famous Chicken Bryan at home with tender chicken, creamy goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and a rich lemon butter sauce. This easy restaurant copycat chicken dinner is ready in about 30 minutes and perfect for weeknights or date night.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: STOVETOP
- Cuisine: ITALIAN INSPIRED
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 ½ pounds
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil, plus more for serving
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- Lemon slices, optional, for serving
Instructions
-
Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
-
Heat olive oil in a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F. Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely tent with foil.
-
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons butter and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
-
Pour in the white wine or chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly reduced.
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Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir just until the butter melts and the sauce is glossy.
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Return the chicken to the skillet. Divide the goat cheese over the chicken breasts, then spoon the warm lemon butter sauce and tomatoes over the top.
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Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes, until the goat cheese begins to soften. Garnish with extra basil and lemon slices, if desired.
Notes
- For evenly cooked chicken, pound thick chicken breasts to an even thickness before seasoning.
- Use chicken broth instead of white wine for an alcohol-free version.
- Do not let the sauce boil after adding the final butter or it may separate.
- Serve with creamy lemon noodles, angel hair pasta, rice, mashed potatoes, or roasted asparagus.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of chicken broth.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover Chicken Bryan in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place the chicken and sauce in a covered skillet over low heat. Add a splash of chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce. Heat just until warmed through.
You can microwave leftovers, but gentle stovetop reheating helps keep the chicken tender and the sauce smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Chicken Bryan without wine?
Yes. Replace the white wine with chicken broth. You will still have a flavorful, buttery lemon sauce.
Is Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan spicy?
No. Chicken Bryan is savory, buttery, lemony, and slightly tangy from the goat cheese. Add crushed red pepper flakes if you want a little spice.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
You can cook the chicken and prep the tomatoes, basil, and goat cheese ahead of time. For the best flavor, make the lemon butter sauce fresh right before serving.
What kind of goat cheese should I use?
Use soft plain goat cheese in a log. Crumble it over the warm chicken so it softens into the sauce.
Final Thoughts
This Carrabba’s Chicken Bryan copycat recipe is one of those easy chicken dinners that feels a little fancy without being difficult. Tender chicken, creamy goat cheese, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and lemon butter sauce come together for a meal that tastes like it came straight from your favorite Italian restaurant.
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