Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites Recipe
Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites are juicy, bite-sized pieces of chicken seared to golden perfection and tossed in a rich, flavorful butter sauce infused with garlic, lemon, Dijon mustard, and a touch of red pepper flakes. This quick and savory skillet dish makes a perfect appetizer or main course, bursting with smoky and tangy notes accented by fresh parsley.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
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.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in batches to avoid overcrowding, cooking until they develop a golden brown crust and are cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare Cowboy Butter: In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir in minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, and chopped parsley. Cook this mixture for about 1 minute, until fragrant and well combined.
- Combine and Finish: Return the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet and toss them thoroughly in the cowboy butter sauce to ensure each piece is fully coated. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for an additional minute to absorb the flavors.
- Serve: Garnish with extra fresh parsley if desired and serve the Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites immediately while hot and flavorful.
Notes
- Use either chicken breasts or thighs depending on your preference; thighs will be juicier.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the spice level.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute butter with a vegan butter alternative, but flavor may vary.
- Cook chicken in batches to ensure a perfect sear and avoid steaming.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently in a skillet.
Keywords: cowboy butter chicken bites, garlic butter chicken, skillet chicken recipe, quick chicken bites, spicy butter chicken
