Garlic Butter Chicken Bites (Printer-friendly)

Juicy chicken bites tossed in a flavorful garlic butter sauce with fresh herbs and spices.

# What You Need:

→ 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

# Steps:

01 - Pat chicken pieces dry and season evenly with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange chicken in a single layer and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium and melt butter in the skillet. Stir in minced garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing for 1 minute until aromatic.
04 - Add chicken broth and lemon juice to the skillet, simmering for 2 to 3 minutes while scraping up browned bits from the pan.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet, tossing to coat with sauce. Cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.
06 - Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • Dinner lands on the table in under 30 minutes, leaving you time to actually enjoy your evening instead of standing over the stove.
  • The sauce is silky and garlicky without any cream, so it feels indulgent but won't leave you feeling weighed down afterward.
  • Chicken stays tender because you're not wrestling with it, and the lemon juice brightens everything so it never feels heavy.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when searing; if your chicken pieces are touching each other, they steam instead of sear, and you lose half the flavor.
  • The difference between juicy chicken and rubber chicken comes down to that instant you stop cooking it—overcook by two minutes and it's done for, so pull it off the heat while it still feels slightly soft.
03 -
  • Buy your chicken on the day you plan to cook it; it tastes better and stays safer, and there's something about fresh ingredients that just works better in quick recipes like this one.
  • If your sauce seems too thin after simmering, you can whisk together a teaspoon of cornstarch with a teaspoon of water and stir it in for exactly 30 seconds—it'll thicken without making things gluey.
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