Creamy Garlic Chicken Bites (Printable version)

Tender chicken bites simmered in a rich, creamy garlic sauce. A quick and satisfying main dish ready in just 30 minutes.

# Ingredients list:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour

→ Cooking

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Garlic Cream Sauce

07 - 6 large garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 cup chicken broth
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 0.5 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
12 - 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
13 - Salt and black pepper to taste
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Steps:

01 - Season chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Toss with flour until evenly coated.
02 - Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and sauté for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and minced garlic to the pan. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant without browning.
04 - Pour chicken broth into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes.
05 - Add heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and simmer for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Return seared chicken to the skillet and simmer for 2-3 minutes until heated through and fully coated with sauce.
07 - Taste the dish and adjust salt and black pepper as needed.
08 - Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one skillet, so cleanup is almost too easy for how fancy it tastes.
  • The garlic cream sauce clings to every piece of chicken like it was meant to be there.
  • It feels like restaurant food but costs a fraction and takes half an hour start to finish.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day after the flavors have had time to settle in together.
02 -
  • Don't skip scraping the pan after adding the broth, those brown bits are pure flavor and they dissolve right into the sauce.
  • If your sauce looks too thin, let it simmer another minute or two, it thickens as it cools slightly on the plate.
  • Overcrowding the pan steams the chicken instead of searing it, so work in batches if your skillet isn't big enough.
03 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-shredded stuff, it melts smoother and tastes about ten times better.
  • Let the skillet get properly hot before adding the chicken or it will stick and steam instead of getting that golden crust.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the chicken back in, it's your last chance to adjust seasoning before everything gets mixed together.
Go back