Description
Bold, buttery chicken bites enveloped in a creamy sauce with a hint of spice, perfect for busy weeknights or gatherings.
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
- Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the seasoned chicken in a single layer. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove cooked chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter to the same skillet and melt. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, chopped parsley, and thyme until the sauce is smooth.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the cowboy butter sauce. Simmer for 1–2 minutes to marry flavors.
- Garnish with extra parsley and serve hot with lemon wedges.
Notes
For lower fat, reduce butter to 3-4 tablespoons and add low-sodium chicken broth to maintain sauciness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 495
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 53g
- Cholesterol: 120mg