Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

4.7

(9)

7 Reviews

Lemon pepper seasoning, garlic, and butter coat chunks of chicken in this fast and easy recipe

Andee Gosnell

Published on June 3, 2024

Tested by

Julia Levy

Garlic butter chicken bites — Photo:
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

Servings:

Quick-cooking pieces of chicken breast get a quick sear before they are coated with a luscious lemon pepper and garlic butter sauce in this easy dinner recipe. Serve the garlic butter chicken bites over rice, orzo, or angel hair pasta, or spear them with toothpicks for a stress-free appetizer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Could this recipe be made gluten-free?

Yes, swap the flour for cornstarch or potato flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
What is lemon-pepper seasoning?

Purchased lemon-pepper seasoning is made with dried lemon zest, ground black pepper, salt, onion, garlic, and spices.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Adding the chilled butter pieces to the sauce at the end is a technique called “mounting,” that results in an emulsified sauce.

Make ahead

Refrigerate the chicken and sauce in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat gently to melt the sauce.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, patted dry and cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup cold unsalted European butter (such as Kerrygold), cut into pieces
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Lemon wedges

Directions

Whisk together flour, salt, lemon-pepper seasoning, and garlic powder in a large bowl until combined. Add chicken pieces, and gently toss until evenly coated.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high; swirl to coat. Once oil is shimmering, add half of the chicken pieces; cook, undisturbed, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip chicken pieces, and cook until browned and pieces are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove chicken from skillet, and transfer to a bowl. Repeat process with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and chicken pieces.
Do not wipe skillet clean. Reduce heat in skillet to medium. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden brown, 20 to 30 seconds.
Pour chicken stock into skillet, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet using a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly reduced, about 1 minute.
Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and stir until completely melted before adding next piece. Immediately remove skillet from heat. Pour sauce over chicken in bowl, and toss to coat. Garnish with parsley; serve immediately with lemon wedges.