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These easy garlic parmesan chicken bites are golden brown and crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside, and tossed in a flavorful garlic butter sauce. They only take 20 minutes to make and are great for dinner or serve them as an appetizer!
If you love the chicken bites, be sure to try out these Greek chicken bites. For a steak version, try my garlic butter steak bites!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites
- Ingredients
- How to Make Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
- Substitutions and Variations
- Recipe Tips
- Dipping Sauce for Chicken Bites
- What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites
- Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- More Skillet Chicken Recipes
- Did you make these garlic parmesan chicken bites? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review.
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites Recipe
Why You’ll Love Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites
Juicy and full of flavor – Parmesan chicken bites are golden brown and crisp on the outside and tender and juicy inside. They’re full of Italian flavor thanks to fresh garlic and Italian seasoning.
Easy appetizer or dinner – These garlic chicken bites are so easy to make and there’s virtually no prep work involved. You can serve them as an appetizer with a dipping sauce of your choice or for dinner with pasta or your favorite salad.
Ready in 20 minutes – Since the chicken is cut into bite sized pieces it takes almost no time to cook. They’re perfect when you need dinner in a hurry!
Ingredients
- Olive oil and butter – A combination of olive oil and butter gives the chicken bites a rich flavor and crisp brown exterior.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts –
- Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes – The dried herbs and spices give the chicken lots of Italian flavor and a hint of spicy flavor.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is added at the end and coats the chicken bites in a glorious garlic butter sauce!
- Garlic – Use more or less depending on how much garlic flavor you like.
- Lemon – Lemon juice balances out the richness of the butter and adds a fresh flavor.
- Parmesan cheese – Grate the parmesan from a block for the best flavor.
- Parsley – Chopped parsley adds a fresh herb flavor to the chicken.
How to Make Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and put them in a mixing bowl. Toss the chicken together with the spices, salt, and pepper.
Dump the chicken into a heated 12 inch skillet that’s been coated with olive oil. Spread the chicken out and cook it until the outside is golden brown on all sides, but not quite cooked through.
Turn the heat down to low and add the butter and garlic to the chicken. Toss together for another minute or until the chicken is cooked through.
Squeeze the lemon juice onto the chicken and sprinkle on the parmesan cheese. Toss together and garnish with the chopped parsley.
Substitutions and Variations
- For a dairy-free option, instead of butter, use butter flavored coconut oil.
- Substitute chicken breasts with boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Use fresh basil, rosemary, or a combination of fresh herbs.
- If you don’t have fresh garlic you can use garlic powder. I suggest a 1/2 teaspoon for the butter sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the chicken into similar sized pieces so that they cook evenly.
- Use a cast iron skillet. This is the one I use. It will give you the best sear and golden brown crust.
- Don’t leave the chicken in the pan once it’s done cooking. The residual heat from the cast iron skillet will continue to cook the chicken.
Dipping Sauce for Chicken Bites
I love serving chicken bites as a quick and easy appetizer. Serving a dipping sauce with them is a must! A good quality jarred sauce marinara sauce, such as Rao’s is delicious.
Other dipping sauces that would be delicious are pesto, romesco sauce, homemade caesar dressing, healthy ranch dressing, or garlic aioli.
What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites
There are so many options with how you serve these garlic parmesan chicken bites or what you serve with them.
Try serving them on top of pasta that’s tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Or coat the pasta in marinara sauce or pesto and add the chicken bites on top.
If you want to serve the chicken with a salad, I recommend this Italian chopped salad, butternut squash orzo salad, or use it in place of the grilled chicken in this chicken caesar pasta salad.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Storage – The parmesan chicken bites will keep in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Freezing – Cool the chicken completely then keep it in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating – Defrost the chicken in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat them in a skillet or in the oven at 350° F. until they’re warmed through. You can also microwave them, although they’re likely to dry out more that way.
More Skillet Chicken Recipes
Did you make these garlic parmesan chicken bites? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review.
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 1/2 of a lemon, juiced
- 2-3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped flat leaf parsley
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into approximately 1 inch pieces and place them in a mixing bowl. Toss together with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.
- Preheat a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the skillet and swirl it to coat the bottom. Dump the chicken into the skillet and spread it out into a single layer. Let it cook untouched for 3-4 minutes.
- Once a golden brown crust has formed on the bottom of the chicken bites, flip them over and continue to cook until they’re browned, but not completely cooked through.
- Add the butter and garlic into the skillet. Toss the chicken bites in the garlic butter until coated and cooked through.
- Squeeze the lemon juice into the skillet and sprinkle in the parmesan cheese. Toss together and top with chopped parsley. Remove the chicken from the skillet onto a serving plate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
