Easy Garlic Butter Chicken Bites Recipe

These garlic butter chicken bites are quick and easy to make, made with juicy, pan-seared chicken tossed in a rich, flavorful garlic butter sauce. These chicken bites are ready in just 20 minutes, cooked in one skillet, and they’re perfect as an appetizer or weeknight dinner. Here’s how to make it with step-by-step photos and a video recipe.

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• Easy Chicken Bites Recipe
• Watch how to make it
• Ingredients Notes
• How to make Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
• Tips to make the Best Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recipe Card
• Recommended Recipes

Easy Chicken Bites Recipe

This garlic butter chicken bites recipe is packed with delicious flavors and requires minimal prep. I love the creamy garlic butter sauce infused with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and a touch of lemon. It pairs beautifully with pasta, roasted vegetables, or fried rice. Love garlic chicken? Don’t miss my Lemon Garlic Chicken, Spicy Garlic Chicken, and Garlic Chicken Curry.

I posted this easy chicken bites recipe a long time back, but recently updated it to make it even better. To keep these chicken bite cubes juicy and crispy, and prevent them from becoming hard or rubbery after cooking, I finish them in a flavorful, cornstarch-thickened garlic butter sauce to prevent them from drying out. Other chicken recipes you might like are our Cajun Chicken Bites and Chilli Chicken.

When I make these garlic chicken bites, I always pan-sear the chicken breast cubes until they develop a light golden crust. I avoid cooking it too dark because these chicken bites can easily get overcooked when we cook them again in the butter garlic sauce.

For me, there’s no substitute for butter in this recipe. It’s what gives the chicken bites a rich flavor. I like to use a mix of butter and oil because butter alone burns quickly, but the oil helps raise the smoke point.

You may also like these other popular chicken recipes from this website

• Chicken Nuggets
• Popcorn Chicken
• Kung Pao Chicken
• Lemon Garlic Chicken
• Chicken 65

Watch how to make it

Ingredients Notes

The ingredients required to make these garlic chicken bites are simple and easily available in your kitchen pantry. You can serve it as a side dish or make Garlic Butter Chicken Noodles with the same ingredients for a filling dinner. Here’s what you will need to make this recipe.

• Chicken: I have used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can also use boneless chicken thighs for this recipe.
• Garlic: I used fresh garlic for the best flavors.
• Butter: I used unsalted butter for this chicken bites recipe. You can use salted butter, too, but then be careful while adding salt to the recipe.
• Italian Seasoning:  I always keep Italian seasoning in my kitchen cabinet. Substitute with ½ teaspoon oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried basil, and ¼ teaspoon thyme.
• Refined olive oil: You can use any cooking oil with a high smoke point for this recipe, like sunflower oil.
• Cornflour/cornstarch: You can substitute it with all-purpose flour. Sprinkle it over chicken pieces before pan-frying them. Skip the addition of cornflour slurry.
• Coriander Leaves/Parsley: Both coriander leaves (cilantro) and parsley work with this recipe. Use whatever you have in your kitchen.
• Lemon Juice: At the end, I always add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten up the flavors. That little touch adds a zesty freshness that perfectly balances the buttery garlic sauce and makes these skillet chicken bites special.

For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.

How to make Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

1) Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, season 300 g boneless, skinless chicken pieces with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Combine. Oil helps to keep the chicken moist while cooking. Next, add 1 teaspoon of corn flour/cornstarch and toss to evenly coat each piece.

2) Sear the chicken: Heat 2 teaspoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, making sure there is enough space between them. Let it cook undisturbed until lightly golden on one side. Once it releases easily from the pan, flip and cook the other side. Don’t overcook, just aim for a light golden color. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.

3) Make the garlic butter sauce: In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped/minced garlic and sauté until lightly golden. Stir in 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and cook for about a minute, careful not to burn the garlic.

4) Thicken the sauce: Add 2-3 tablespoons of water to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful bits. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and let it simmer until slightly thickened. If the garlic butter sauce looks too thick, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of water and stir.

5) Combine chicken with sauce: Reduce the heat to low and return the chicken to the pan. Toss well to coat the chicken with the butter garlic sauce. Let it cook for another minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Finish with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and a sprinkle of chopped coriander leaves/parsley. These garlic butter chicken bites are delicious served with fried rice, noodles, or even a side of steamed veggies.

Tips to make the Best Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

1. Don’t overcook the chicken. Don’t worry about getting a deep golden crust. Sear just until lightly golden.
2. Corn flour/cornstarch coating helps to retain moisture and adds a little crispiness outside when these chicken bites are pan-seared.
3. Tossing them with the garlic butter sauce gives these chicken bites a crispy exterior while remaining juicy inside. Don’t skip this step.
4. Add lemon juice at the end to brighten and balance the rich garlic butter flavors.
5. Sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan or Feta cheese on top before serving if you love cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe Card

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