Description
Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites are a flavorful and easy-to-make dish featuring tender chicken pieces seared to perfection and tossed in a rich, garlicky, zesty butter sauce. This quick skillet recipe combines savory spices and fresh parsley for a delicious small bites appetizer or main course, ready in just 25 minutes.
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
- 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 for consistent flavor.
- 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 golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove cooked chicken 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 the sauce mixture for 1 minute, allowing the flavors to meld and the garlic to become fragrant.
- Combine and Finish: Return the seared chicken back to the skillet and toss with the cowboy butter sauce until every piece is fully coated. Allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for an additional minute to absorb the flavors.
- Serve: Garnish with extra chopped parsley for a fresh touch and serve the chicken bites immediately while warm and flavorful.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for more moist and flavorful bites, or breasts for a leaner option.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the heat level according to your preference.
- Serve with crusty bread or over rice to make it a more substantial meal.
- Ensure not to overcrowd the pan when searing chicken to get a nice golden crust.
- Fresh parsley adds a bright finish that can be substituted with cilantro if preferred.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cowboy butter chicken, chicken bites, skillet chicken, garlic butter chicken, quick chicken recipe, appetizer chicken, seared chicken
