Garlic Butter Chicken Bites (Printable)

Tender chicken pieces coated in a rich garlic butter sauce with hints of lemon and fresh parsley.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. 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 add butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add chicken broth and lemon juice to the skillet. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
05 - Return the chicken to the skillet and toss thoroughly in the garlic butter sauce. Cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.
06 - Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the chicken. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means weeknight dinner stress actually disappears.
  • The sauce is so silky and flavorful that even plain rice becomes something you want to eat.
  • You can make it fancy for guests or casual for yourself, and it tastes equally good either way.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when you sear the chicken—if you pile it in, the pieces will steam instead of browning, and you'll lose half the flavor.
  • The sauce doesn't need to be thick; it should coat the chicken and taste rich, which means you're probably done when it looks glossy, not when it looks gravy-like.
03 -
  • Brown butter instead of regular butter takes this from weeknight dinner to something special—let the butter melt and sit for a minute longer until it smells nutty and toasty before adding the garlic.
  • A tiny pinch of dried thyme or oregano stirred in with the garlic adds complexity without announcing itself, which is sometimes exactly what a simple dish needs.
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