Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
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These rich, savory Garlic Butter Chicken Bites are perfect for an easy appetizer or a main course. With juicy, tender chicken breast and a delicious garlic butter sauce, everyone will be asking for seconds!
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Easy Garlic Butter Chicken Bites Recipe
If you love garlic, you’ll LOVE these buttery, savory chicken bites. I started making them on busy weeknights when I wanted something quick but still full of flavor, and now they’re one of my family’s most-requested meals. They’re juicy, delicious, and come together quickly in the skillet with just a handful of ingredients.
We love serving them as a casual appetizer when friends come over or as a simple main dish with rice or roasted veggies. However you serve them, they never last long!
Why I Love This Recipe
- The sauce is unbeatable. Each chicken bite has this delicious, crave-worthy sauce I can’t get enough of. With rich melted butter and savory garlic, the sauce makes these chicken bites just melt in your mouth!
- This recipe uses just one pan. No need to spend all night washing dishes with the use of a single skillet.
- They’re so versatile. I’ve used these chicken bites as an appetizer for a dinner party, a mid-day snack, or a winning main dish.
Ingredients
- Chicken: You’ll need 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Salt: Enhances the natural flavor of the chicken and the garlic butter sauce.
- Pepper: Adds a subtle kick to every bite.
- Garlic powder: Boosts the garlicky flavor in the seasoning blend.
- Onion powder: Rounds out the seasoning with a savory, slightly sweet note.
- Olive oil: A little oil helps the chicken brown evenly and keeps it from sticking to the pan.
- Butter: This is the base of the sauce. You can use salted butter or unsalted butter. Be sure to taste the finished garlic butter sauce before adding any additional salt.
- Garlic: If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, you can use jarred, chopped garlic. 1 tablespoon is equivalent to about 6 cloves of garlic.
- Fresh parsley: Makes the dish bright, fresh, and just a little fancy.
Substitutions and Variations
Chicken thighs: You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. Just be sure to cook them thoroughly, as they may take a minute or two longer.
Italian seasoning: Add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning to the garlic butter sauce for an herbaceous twist.
Red pepper flakes: Want a little heat? A pinch of red pepper flakes adds just the right amount of spice without overpowering the garlic butter flavor.
How to Make Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
- Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, cook chicken pieces until golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add ¼ cup butter to the pan and melt.
- Add minced garlic to melted butter and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add parsley and stir together to soften parsley.
- Return chicken to the pan and toss to coat chicken pieces evenly with the garlic butter sauce.
- Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to blend flavors. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
Tips for Success
This easy chicken recipe is simple to make, but a few tricks can take it from good to great. To make sure it turns out perfectly, here are a few of my best tips:
- Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches to get a nice golden sear.
- Add the garlic after lowering the heat to keep it from burning.
FAQ
Let the pieces of chicken cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To keep the pieces of chicken juicy, reheat them in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or extra butter until warmed through. You can also microwave them for 30–60 seconds.
Yes! Cook the seasoned pieces of chicken in the air fryer at 400°F for 8–10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Once cooked, toss them in the garlic butter sauce on the stovetop.
How to Serve
I love serving these chicken bites as an appetizer! They’re also an amazing main dish my family can’t get enough of. Here are some of our favorite side dishes:
Air fryer roasted green beans come together quickly for an easy vegetable side.
We make this tasty air fryer asparagus a few times a month.
This microwave broccoli is a staple at our house. You can make it with fresh or frozen broccoli!
More Chicken Recipes
This tangy ranch chicken is one of our favorite chicken dinners.
Grilled chicken drumsticks are amazing in the summertime!
Orange chicken is a sweet and savory weeknight meal.
And don’t forget to try this savory baked pesto chicken.
I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe! Please leave a comment and rating below!
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, cook chicken pieces until golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add ¼ cup butter to the pan and melt.
- Add minced garlic to melted butter and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add parsley and stir together to soften parsley.
- Return chicken to the pan and toss to coat chicken pieces evenly with the garlic butter sauce.
- Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to blend flavors.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
