Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites (Printable Version)

Juicy chicken bites coated in buttery garlic herb sauce with lemon and mustard

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

→ Searing

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Cowboy Butter Sauce

07 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
13 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Toss with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and red chili flakes in a bowl. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes to absorb seasonings.
02 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and golden, being careful not to brown. Stir in Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and thyme. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, sear chicken pieces until golden and crispy on edges, approximately 3-4 minutes per batch.
04 - Return all chicken to the skillet. Pour cowboy butter sauce over chicken and toss to coat evenly. Allow to sizzle for 1 minute to meld flavors.
05 - Transfer to serving dish and serve hot. Garnish with additional fresh herbs or lemon wedges if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Chicken thighs stay incredibly juicy and forgiving, which means you're not constantly worried about drying them out like you would with breast meat.
  • The whole thing comes together in 25 minutes, which somehow feels longer in your head than it actually takes.
  • It works equally well as a quick dinner, a showstopping appetizer, or meal prep that tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the skillet when searing, I learned this the hard way by watching chicken steam instead of sear, and it completely changed how this dish tastes.
  • Garlic can go from golden to burnt in seconds, so stay present and use your nose as much as your timer because that's how you catch it at the exact right moment.
03 -
  • If you have fresh tarragon on hand, use it instead of thyme for a slightly more elegant flavor that still feels approachable and bold.
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper hidden in the butter sauce adds a gentle heat that makes people ask what that flavor is they can almost taste but not quite name.
Return