Creamy, herby, garlicky and with a lot of brightness from lemon zest, this garlic oregano sauce instantly transforms grilled chicken, fish or ravioli into a gourmet meal. The recipe is easy and super-fast to make and requires just a few common ingredients.
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Recipe ingredients & notes:
- For a garden-fresh herb flavor you can use finely chopped fresh oregano instead of the dried herb. (And if you have fresh oregano left, use it to make this spicy burger sauce recipe or this broccoli soup recipe!)
- You can use pre-grated Parmesan or freshly grated Parmesan cheese for this recipe. Both work great!
- You need the zest of one small lemon for this recipe. Suggestion: Juice the lemon after zesting and use the juice to make this flavorful kale lemon pasta or this scallion aioli recipe!
How to make it:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. This sauce is very simple to make. Start by melting butter in a saucepan or skillet.
Step 2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Step 3. Add chicken broth, heavy cream and Parmesan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens.
Step 4. Stir in oregano and lemon zest.
How to serve it:
This sauce is great on grilled, baked, fried or roasted chicken or seafood. It also makes a great ravioli sauce.
Here are a few options of how to use it:
- If you're in a time crunch, cut a chicken breast into bite-sized cubes, toss them with vegetable oil and put under the broiler until the chicken is cooked (~10 min.), then serve with this sauce and rice for a delicious meal in minutes.
- Alternatively, you can pound a chicken breast really thin (about ¼ inch thick*), then coat it with all-purpose flour on both sides. Fry the chicken breast in melted butter in a cast iron pan until cooked (about 5 minutes on each side).
*RECIPE NOTE: The meat has to be that thin to cook quickly. If you leave it thicker than that, it will take quite a bit longer to cook through.
Recipe notes, tips and questions:
When to add oregano to the sauce?
Add oregano (whether you're using dried or fresh herb) at the end of the cooking process.
How to store leftover sauce:
If you have any leftover sauce, or want to make the sauce ahead, simply cool and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Gently re-heat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
How much sauce does this recipe make?
This recipe makes about 1 cup of sauce. You can easily double or half the recipe, depending on what you need.
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Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating or comment! Thank you!
Full Printable Recipe
5-Minute Oregano Sauce
Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and cutting board OR garlic press
- cheese grater (if using block cheese)
- lemon zester
- skillet or saucepan
- wooden spoon
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano*
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (you need about 1 small lemon for that)
Instructions:
- Melt the butter in a skillet or saucepan.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add chicken broth, cream and Parmesan, bring to a boil and cook, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens (about 4 minutes).
- Stir in the oregano and the lemon zest.
Notes:
Nutrition Information (Estimated):
Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.
Steffani K.
I absolutely love the touch of lemon in this. I made it to put on grilled chicken and rice, and it was wonderful! Now I'm going to have to try it on fish!
Nicole B.
So happy to hear you liked the sauce, Steffani! I love cooking with citrus zest, it adds so much flavor without the intense acidity.
Claire
Great sauce with lobster ravioli! #5 🌟
Nicole B.
Wonderful to hear that, Claire! I'll have to try it with lobster ravioli, sounds delicious indeed! Thanks so much for coming back and leaving such great feedback, I really appreciate that! :)