Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites (Printer View)

Juicy chicken thighs coated in a rich, garlicky butter sauce with fresh herbs and zesty notes.

# Components:

→ Chicken

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

→ For 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

# Method:

01 - Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. In a mixing bowl, toss with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and red chili flakes. Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
02 - In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, approximately 1 to 2 minutes, ensuring garlic does not 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. Sear chicken pieces in batches, avoiding overcrowding, until golden and crispy on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch.
04 - Return all chicken to the skillet. Pour cowboy butter sauce over the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Let 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.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Chicken thighs stay impossibly juicy while the edges get crispy and caramelized, no dry bite in sight.
  • The cowboy butter sauce is tangy, garlicky, and rich enough to make people think you spent hours cooking when you really didn't.
  • It works as a weeknight dinner, party appetizer, or midnight snack, and everything comes together in under 30 minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time after seasoning the chicken, it seems pointless but it's the difference between seasoned chicken and chicken that actually tastes like something.
  • Watch the garlic like a hawk, golden and fragrant is magic, but one minute past that and it turns bitter and the whole sauce shifts, learned that the hard way on a dinner party night.
03 -
  • Don't overcrowd the pan when searing, it drops the temperature and you end up steaming instead of getting that crispy golden edge that makes people go quiet and just eat.
  • If you want more heat, add a pinch of cayenne to the butter sauce instead of the chili flakes, it's smoother and builds instead of hits, and you can always add more if you're feeling bold.
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