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Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites

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Bold, buttery chicken bites in a silky lemon-bright butter sauce, perfect for weeknight dinners.

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

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

  1. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
  2. 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.
  3. Lower heat to medium. Melt butter in the skillet, then stir in garlic. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, parsley, and thyme. Stir to combine.
  5. Return chicken to skillet and toss until fully coated. Simmer 1–2 minutes.
  6. Garnish with parsley and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Notes

For a make-ahead approach, keep sauce and chicken separate until final reheating to maintain the crisp edges.

  • Author: Sam Razal
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Searing
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 400
  • Sugar: 1g
  • Sodium: 350mg
  • Fat: 30g
  • Saturated Fat: 15g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 5g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 35g
  • Cholesterol: 100mg