Garlic Butter Chicken Bites and Asparagus – So much flavor and so easy to throw together, this chicken and asparagus recipe is a winner for dinnertime! Chicken bites are so juicy, tender, and delicious you’ll eat them hot right off the pan! This low carb, keto-friendly one-pan chicken dinner is ready in under 30 minutes. If you’re super hungry, serve the garlic butter chicken bites on top of cauliflower rice. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the Garlic Butter Chicken Bites and Asparagus
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 bunch of asparagus, rinsed and trimmed
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbes de Provence
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional (we used Sriracha)
- 1/2 cup (125ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- Crushed red chili pepper flakes, optional
- Slices of lemon, for garnish
For the chicken seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To prepare the chicken bites recipe and asparagus in garlic butter sauce: Start to slice chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks and season with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Let sit in a shallow plate while you prepare the asparagus.
2. Wash and trim the ends of the asparagus, then blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes, then soak in ice water to stop the cooking asparagus. This way, asparagus will cook faster and evenly in the skillet. You can skip this step if you have skinny asparagus. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat half butter and olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Gently stir-fry the chicken bites on all sides until golden brown. Lower the temperature, add one teaspoon minced garlic and Italian seasoning and stir and cook with chicken bites until fragrant. Remove the chicken bites from the skillet and set aside to a plate. You might have to work in batches to avoid crowding the pan and have steamed chicken bites instead of brown.
4. In the same skillet over medium-high, add minced garlic then deglaze with chicken broth (or wine). Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce to half the volume. Add remaining butter, lemon juice, hot sauce, parsley. Give a quick stir to combine.
5. Add the blanched asparagus and toss for 2 minutes to cook it up. Add the sauteed chicken bites back to the pan and stir for another minute to reheat. Garnish the chicken and asparagus with more parsley, crushed chili pepper, and lemon slices and serve your garlic butter chicken bites and asparagus immediately. Enjoy!
Tips for the chicken bites and asparagus recipe
This one-pan garlic butter chicken bites and asparagus skillet is full of rich, buttery herb flavors with both chicken and asparagus all cooked in one skillet for quick, easy prep and cleanup. Here are a few tips so you can make the most f this delicious chicken dinner recipe:
- Depending on the thickness of your asparagus, you might want to skip blanching.
- You can enrich the sauce by adding some white wine.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking the chicken bites. Proceed by batches, so each chicken bite has this delicious crisp golden crust!
- For a variant of the chicken recipe, you can use whole chicken tenders instead. They’re delicious, and you can skip the cutting board! Check this chicken tenders recipe for inspiration.
Can I use other veggies than asparagus?
If you don’t like asparagus, or couldn’t find some, replace them with green beans, broccoli, zucchini, or even cauliflower rice!
How long should I cook the chicken bites?
While a whole chicken breast must reach an internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC), smaller bits will reach this temperature quicker – in a matter of 5 or 6 minutes, depending on how you cut the chicken bites. Make sure to brown the chicken bites nicely. Proceed in batches if necessary, so you won’t crowd the pan and get steamed chicken bites.
What other readers say about this chicken and asparagus recipe
“Made this exactly as the recipe called for. Blanched the asparagus before throwing them in the pan. Made it with jasmine rice. Will definitely make this again. Winner, winner chicken dinner!” – Ashley
“I’ve made this chicken recipe at least 10xs. It’s one of my family’s favorites. I also add mushrooms and a little Worcestershire and low sodium soy sauce.” – Keri
“Delicious! We loved it! This is a keeper. I did only use 3/4 or the seasoning for the chicken, other than that; I did everything the same.” – Jessica
“Holy cow!!! This recipe was amazing. My husband devoured it and had seconds.” – Krystal
More one-pan chicken recipes you might like
- Garlic Butter Chicken with Spinach and Bacon
- Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans Skillet
- Salsa Fresca Chicken Bake
- Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes Skillet
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
