Description

This Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites recipe offers a flavorful and easy-to-make dish featuring tender bite-sized chicken pieces seared to perfection and tossed in a rich, garlicky butter sauce with a hint of smoky paprika and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. Perfect as an appetizer or a main course, it combines bold summer flavors with a creamy, tangy sauce.

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 and Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
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 to ensure an even coating of spices for maximum flavor.
Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in batches to avoid overcrowding and cook until they are golden brown and fully cooked through. Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Prepare Cowboy Butter: Using the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, and chopped parsley. Cook this mixture for about 1 minute until fragrant, allowing the flavors to meld.
Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet and toss them in the cowboy butter sauce, coating them thoroughly. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for an additional minute to absorb the flavors.
Serve: Garnish the chicken bites with extra chopped parsley and serve immediately while warm, perfect as an appetizer or main dish.

Notes

You can adjust the red pepper flakes quantity to suit your preferred spice level.
Chicken thighs can provide more juiciness compared to breasts if preferred.
Serve with crusty bread or over rice to soak up the delicious cowboy butter sauce.
Ensure not to overcrowd the skillet when searing chicken to get a nice golden crust.
Fresh parsley adds a lovely brightness; feel free to substitute with cilantro if desired.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Frying
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Chicken Bites, Cowboy Butter, Garlic Butter Chicken, Quick Dinner, Skillet Chicken, Spicy Chicken Bites