Tender 1-inch chicken breast cubes seasoned with herbs and seared in olive oil, then finished in a fragrant garlic butter sauce with fresh parsley. Ready in 15 minutes start to finish with 11 pantry items and one skillet.
Ingredients
Scale
20 oz (1 ¼ lb) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp parsley, freshly chopped
Gluten-free flour can replace all-purpose flour.
For a dairy-free option, use vegan butter instead of unsalted butter
Instructions
Cut 1¼ lb chicken breast into 1-inch cubes; pat completely dry with paper towel for crisp searing in 2 minutes.
Toss cubes with flour, oregano, basil, paprika, salt, and pepper until each piece is evenly coated — about 1 minute.
Sear chicken in 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, flipping once for golden color.
Add 2 tbsp butter and 3 minced garlic cloves to the pan; cook 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
Toss chicken in the garlic butter, sprinkle fresh parsley, and serve immediately — 4 minutes from pan to plate.
Notes
Refrigerator: Cool to room temperature within 45 minutes, then transfer to airtight glass containers. Keeps fresh for 4 days. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil or melted butter over the top before sealing — it forms a thin barrier that prevents the cubes from drying against the lid.
Freezer: Spread cubes on a parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze for 90 minutes to lock in shape, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag with the air pressed out. Keeps 2 months with no quality loss; texture starts softening past 60 days.
Oven reheat: Spread leftover cubes on a sheet pan, cover loosely with foil, and warm at 325°F for 10 minutes. Remove foil for the last 2 minutes if you want to re-crisp the surface. Internal temp should hit 145°F (warm through, not re-cooked).
Microwave reheat: Use 50% power in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, for a total of 90 seconds per portion. Add 1 teaspoon water to the container before reheating. Full-power microwave dries the cubes within 60 seconds — never use that setting.
Air fryer reheat: Air fry at 360°F for 4 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. The dry circulating heat re-crisps the flour coating better than any other method and produces leftovers that taste fresher than the original. Best for single portions; double up and the basket crowds, ruining the crisp.