Lemon Garlic Chicken Bites
Lemon Garlic Chicken Bites are an easy go-to dinner option. Juicy, flavorful bites of chicken with minimal ingredients required!
A Fast, 20 Minute Dinner Recipe
These golden brown Lemon Garlic Chicken Bites have become a weekly staple in our house, especially since they’re so versatile and can go with so many different sides. If you have never experienced the flavor of fresh lemon with chicken – you are truly missing out. It really enhances the flavor of chicken along with the fresh garlic. It is such a simple recipe but packs a ton of flavor! You can also add a bit of parmesan cheese if you’re feeling fancy – ha!
This recipe is excellent and so easy to make. The chicken was tender and had great flavor. I served it over white rice. My son, who is a picky eater, devoured it. Enough said…thank you!
– Jay
Frequently Asked Questions
These delicious bites go with just about anything. Here are some of my favorites:
A side of white rice (like I did in my pics), brown, or jasmine rice works well to soak up the lemon garlic sauce.
Try serving with grains like quinoa or couscous which add a light, nutty flavor that complements the chicken without overpowering it.
You can never go wrong with roasted asparagus, broccoli, green beans, or zucchini.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes make for a comforting side and balance out the tanginess of the lemon. A fresh green salad with mixed greens, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes topped with a simple vinaigrette works well.
A side of crusty Garlic Bread or a baguette can be perfect for soaking up any extra sauce. Maybe even some Breadsticks.
Ensure the pan is hot before adding the chicken, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding, and watch closely as smaller bites cook quickly. Remove the chicken as soon as it’s golden and cooked through. If needed, use a meat thermometer to make sure it reaches 165F before serving.
Definitely. You can skip the Italian seasoning or use a mix of dried oregano, basil, and thyme if you have those on hand. Even a bit of paprika works well to add a different flavor profile.
Absolutely. Just make sure to cook the chicken in batches, so you don’t overcrowd the pan, which can make the chicken steam instead of brown.
No marinade is needed! The quick seasoning in the recipe gives enough flavor without extra time.
Yes, you could. I would cook them in the Air Fryer, just as I did in my Air Fryer Chicken Bites recipe. Then prepare the lemon garlic sauce as the chicken is cooking. Once the bites have finished in the fryer, toss them in the sauce and serve.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
For the best results, reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of lemon juice or chicken broth until heated through. If using the microwave, heat in short intervals to prevent the chicken from drying out.
Leftovers can be stored in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- boneless, skinless chicken breast– cut into 1-inch cubes. You could also use chicken thighs. I think this would also be great using pork. Cut up boneless pork chops. Pork needs to cook to 145F on a meat thermometer before they’re done, so they’ll probably need less time. Try not to overcook them as they’ll get tough. Once the pork is cooked you can toss them in the sauce that you made while the meat was cooking.
- Italian seasoning– if you want a different option to use, I shared in the Frequently Asked Questions section above.
- salt and pepper
- salted butter– it is for divided use and you can use unsalted butter if needed.
- garlic– minced. Try to stick to fresh garlic cloves as they really bring so much more flavor to this otherwise super simple recipe.
- fresh squeezed lemon juice– I can’t insist on using fresh squeezed lemon juice enough. The bottled “lemon juice” just doesn’t do this recipe justice. It doesn’t bring the right flavor. To me, it’s far too acidic and fake tasting. Plus, you’ll see you need the zest of a lemon for the next ingredient. If you really can’t use a lemon for some reason, I guess you could use the bottled stuff but you definitely won’t get the same fantastic flavor.
- lemon zest – I think this with the combination of the fresh lemon juice and fresh garlic really set these chicken bites apart bringing the perfect match of flavors. While you could skip this, I really enjoy the flavor profile it helps achieve.
- flat leaf parsley – chopped. This is an optional ingredient that is just used for garnish.
How To Make Lemon Garlic Chicken Bites
Season the cubed chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.Heat olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, cook the chicken in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, until the pieces are golden brown and cooked through (165F degrees), about 6–8 minutes per batch. Set aside the cooked chicken as each batch finishes.
Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter and garlic, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the lemon juice and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat it with lemon garlic sauce.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.
Craving More Recipes?
- Crock Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
- Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Skillet
- Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
- Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice
- Lemon Rosemary Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Bites
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
- Easy Asian Lemon Chicken
- Grilled Italian Lemon Garlic
- Air Fryer Lemon Herb Potatoes
- Honey Garlic Chicken
Lemon Garlic Chicken Bites
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 large breasts)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter (divided use – can use unsalted)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Season 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes with 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil and 1 Tablespoon salted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, cook the chicken in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, until the pieces are golden brown and cooked through (165F degrees), about 6–8 minutes per batch. Set aside the cooked chicken as each batch finishes.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 2 Tablespoons salted butter and 4 cloves garlic, minced, cooking for about 45-seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons lemon zest and the cooked chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat it with lemon garlic sauce.
- Sprinkle with fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped (optional) and serve immediately.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This is chicken not pork. Should be cooked to 165 degrees. Might want to go back through the instructions.
If you read the whole section you will see that I am explaining they can use pork instead of chicken. If they are using pork, it needs to be cooked to 145F. You might want to go back through the instructions
These are tasty and quick. I modify it a bit and make a simple pan sauce with chicken broth and a bit of white wine, then toss the chicken with pasta in the pan.
This recipe is excellent and so easy to make. The chicken was tender and had great flavor. I served it over white rice. My son, who is a picky eater, devoured it. Enough said…thank you!
Love hearing that Jay! Especially love hearing when the kiddos enjoy it too! Thanks so much for commenting
I love making these and taste testing them as well.