Garlic Butter Chicken Bites (Print)

Tender chicken bites tossed in a fragrant garlic butter sauce with a hint of lemon and parsley.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

06 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
08 - 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
09 - 0.25 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

# Method:

01 - Pat chicken pieces dry using paper towels and season evenly with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in single layer and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium; add butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in minced garlic and optional red pepper flakes, cooking for one minute until fragrant.
04 - Add chicken broth and lemon juice to the skillet. Allow mixture to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
05 - Return seared chicken to the skillet and toss to coat completely in the garlic butter sauce. Continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.
06 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the dish and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 25 minutes, which means you can go from "what's for dinner?" to eating in less time than it takes to order takeout.
  • The garlic butter sauce is so good you'll find yourself scraping the pan with bread long after the chicken is gone.
  • Works as a weeknight dinner, a fancy appetizer, or meal prep that actually tastes fresh when you reheat it the next day.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when searing—if pieces are touching too much, they steam instead of brown, and you lose the whole point of the crust.
  • Once you add the broth, don't let it boil hard or the sauce will reduce too much and become too salty and concentrated.
03 -
  • Cut chicken into uniform 1-inch pieces so everything cooks at the same rate and you don't end up with some pieces dry and others barely cooked.
  • Always mince fresh garlic yourself—it browns better and tastes infinitely more vibrant than anything that's been sitting in a jar.
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