Description
Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites are tender, juicy chicken pieces seared to perfection and coated in a rich, flavorful butter sauce infused with garlic, lemon, Dijon mustard, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. This quick and delicious dish is perfect for a satisfying appetizer or main course that pairs well with a variety of sides.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Cooking
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Cowboy Butter Sauce
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: In a bowl, toss the bite-sized chicken pieces with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder until evenly coated.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in batches to avoid overcrowding, cooking each batch until they are golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare Cowboy Butter: In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and melt the unsalted butter. Stir in minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, and chopped fresh parsley. Cook for about 1 minute until the sauce is fragrant and well combined.
- Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet and toss them in the cowboy butter sauce until fully coated. Let everything simmer together for 1 more minute to soak in the flavors.
- Serve: Garnish with extra fresh parsley and serve immediately. These chicken bites are perfect on their own or paired with your favorite sides.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for a juicier and more flavorful result, but breasts work well too.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to control the spice level.
- Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread to soak up the flavorful butter sauce.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For extra flavor, marinate chicken pieces in the seasoning for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Main Course
- Method: Searing, Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (approx. 6 oz chicken with sauce)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: Cowboy Butter Chicken, Chicken Bites, Garlic Butter Chicken, Easy Chicken Recipe, Quick Chicken Dinner
