Description
Indulgent yet balanced, these Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites feature a bold, buttery sauce enriched with garlic, lemon, and smoky spices, perfect for quick dinners or casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Optional: ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. Melt butter in the skillet, then stir in garlic. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, parsley, and thyme. Stir to combine and let the sauce simmer for 30–45 seconds.
- Return chicken to the skillet and toss until fully coated. Simmer 1–2 minutes to ensure chicken is heated through.
- Garnish with parsley and serve hot with lemon wedges.
Notes
For lower calories or fat, reduce butter to 3–4 tablespoons or substitute part with olive oil. For a nuttier taste, consider using ghee instead of butter.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 495
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 325mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 53g
- Cholesterol: 140mg