These Garlic Butter Chicken Bites are golden, juicy, and coated in a rich garlic butter sauce with fresh parsley and Italian herbs. Best of all, this quick skillet dinner takes just 15 minutes from start to finish.
With simple ingredients and one pan, this 15 minute chicken recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, quick lunches, or any evening when you want something flavorful without spending much time in the kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s a lot to love about these easy chicken bites. The chicken develops beautifully golden edges in the skillet while staying tender and juicy in the center. Garlic, butter, Italian seasoning, and fresh parsley create a simple sauce packed with savory flavor.
This recipe is also incredibly convenient. Everything cooks in one skillet, the ingredient list is short, and there’s very little preparation. Pair the chicken with rice, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, or salad for an easy family-friendly meal.
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1¼-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1½ tablespoons minced fresh garlic, about 4 cloves
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Pat the chicken pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture helps the chicken develop a better golden-brown exterior.
- Place the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Toss until every piece is evenly coated and there is very little loose flour remaining.
- Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the hot skillet. Allow the butter to melt, then gently tilt the skillet to distribute the mixture across the surface.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Avoid overcrowding the skillet so the chicken browns rather than steams.
- Cook without disturbing for about 3 minutes, or until the bottoms are nicely golden.
- Turn the chicken pieces and cook for another 2 minutes, or until nearly cooked through.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter along with the minced garlic and chopped parsley.
- Cook the Garlic Butter Chicken Bites for about 1 additional minute, gently tossing them in the melted garlic butter until evenly coated.
- Check that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), then remove it from the heat and serve immediately.
Tips & Tricks
Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces so they finish cooking at roughly the same time. Pieces around 1¼ inches are small enough to cook quickly but large enough to remain juicy.
Always pat the chicken dry before adding the flour and seasonings. This helps the coating adhere and encourages better browning.
The small amount of flour creates a delicate coating that helps give these skillet chicken bites their golden exterior while also helping the garlic butter cling to the chicken.
Give each chicken piece some room in the skillet. If your skillet is too small, cook the chicken in batches rather than overcrowding it.
Add the fresh garlic near the end rather than at the beginning. Garlic can burn quickly over medium-high heat, so a short cooking time in the butter gives you plenty of flavor without unwanted bitterness.
Chicken thighs can replace chicken breasts if preferred. Boneless, skinless thighs may require a slightly different cooking time depending on their size.
Details
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Category: Main Course
Method: Skillet
Cuisine: American-Inspired
Difficulty: Easy
Dietary Notes: Halal-friendly when prepared with halal-certified chicken
Notes
For extra garlic flavor, add another small clove of freshly minced garlic. You can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you enjoy a little heat.
Fresh parsley gives the garlic butter chicken a bright finish, but fresh basil can also work well.
Serve the chicken bites over steamed rice, buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or couscous. For a lighter meal, pair them with roasted broccoli, asparagus, green beans, zucchini, or a crisp green salad.
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving is another easy way to balance the richness of the butter.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving:
Calories: 330
Protein: 36g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fat: 18g
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients, brands, and portion sizes used.
FAQ
How do you make Garlic Butter Chicken Bites?
Cut chicken breast into bite-size pieces, coat it lightly with flour and seasonings, then brown it in olive oil and butter. Finish the chicken with additional butter, fresh garlic, and parsley until juicy and fully cooked.
How do I keep chicken bites juicy?
Use evenly sized chicken pieces and avoid cooking them longer than necessary. Chicken breast can become dry when overcooked, so remove the skillet from the heat once the pieces reach 165°F (74°C) internally.
Why do you add flour to chicken bites?
A light flour coating encourages browning and creates a delicate exterior. It also gives the melted garlic butter something to cling to, making each bite more flavorful.
Can I make this recipe without flour?
Yes. You can omit the flour if necessary. The exterior won’t have quite the same light coating, but the chicken will still be flavorful with the Italian seasoning and garlic butter.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are an excellent alternative and naturally have a richer flavor. Cut them into similar-sized pieces and cook until they reach a safe internal temperature.
What goes well with garlic butter chicken?
Rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, couscous, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, and salad are all excellent choices. These sides make it easy to turn the chicken into a complete quick chicken dinner.
Storage
Allow leftovers to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.
For longer storage, place cooled chicken bites in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
For the best texture, gently reheat the chicken in a skillet over medium-low heat with a small splash of water or broth. Heat just until warmed through to avoid drying out the bite size chicken breast pieces.
Similar Recipes
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites in 15 Minutes
Ingredients
- – 1¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1¼-inch pieces
- – 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- – 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- – ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
- – ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- – 1 tablespoon olive oil
- – 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- – 1½ tablespoons minced fresh garlic about 4 cloves
- – 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Pat the chicken pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture helps the chicken develop a better golden-brown exterior.
- Place the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Toss until every piece is evenly coated and there is very little loose flour remaining.
- Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the hot skillet. Allow the butter to melt, then gently tilt the skillet to distribute the mixture across the surface.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Avoid overcrowding the skillet so the chicken browns rather than steams.
- Cook without disturbing for about 3 minutes, or until the bottoms are nicely golden.
- Turn the chicken pieces and cook for another 2 minutes, or until nearly cooked through.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter along with the minced garlic and chopped parsley.
- Cook the Garlic Butter Chicken Bites for about 1 additional minute, gently tossing them in the melted garlic butter until evenly coated.
- Check that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), then remove it from the heat and serve immediately.
Notes
Fresh parsley gives the garlic butter chicken a bright finish, but fresh basil can also work well.
Serve the chicken bites over steamed rice, buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or couscous. For a lighter meal, pair them with roasted broccoli, asparagus, green beans, zucchini, or a crisp green salad.
Conclusion
These Garlic Butter Chicken Bites deliver plenty of flavor with surprisingly little effort. Golden chicken, fragrant garlic, melted butter, Italian herbs, and fresh parsley come together in one skillet for an easy weeknight chicken dinner.
With only 15 minutes needed from start to finish, this is a useful recipe to keep on hand for those nights when you want a homemade dinner without a complicated cooking process.