Cowboy Butter Chicken Bites (Printable Version)

Juicy chicken thighs seared and coated in a zesty, buttery herb sauce bursting with bold flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 0.25 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

# Steps:

01 - Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. Combine salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and red chili flakes in a bowl. Toss chicken with seasoning mixture and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
02 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, approximately 1 to 2 minutes, 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 crowding, sear chicken pieces until golden and crispy on edges, about 3 to 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 garnish with additional fresh herbs or lemon wedges as desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Chicken thighs stay juicy and forgiving, unlike breasts that can dry out if you blink at the wrong moment.
  • The cowboy butter sauce is ridiculously simple but tastes like you spent hours building layers of flavor.
  • Works as a quick weeknight dinner, a party appetizer, or something to nibble on while cooking other things.
02 -
  • Do not brown the garlic or it turns bitter and ruins the whole sauce—if you're nervous, use medium heat instead of medium-high.
  • Chicken thighs have more fat than breasts, which sounds unhealthy until you realize it's what keeps them from being dry and stringy.
03 -
  • Mise en place is your friend here—have everything minced, measured, and ready before you start cooking, because once the chicken hits the pan you're moving fast.
  • If you want extra depth, add a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper or swap fresh tarragon for the thyme to make it feel different.
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