Why you’ll love them
I’m beginning to lose count of how many times we’ve eaten these spicy chicken bites lately. They’re just so full of flavour and so easy to make, it’s a no-brainer when you want something quick on the table.
First up, chicken breast is so light, yet incredibly quick and easy to cook – aka it’s always a weeknight dinner winner. Now amp up the flavour on two fronts; first, a flavourful cajun spice. Second, an epic honey garlic combo to finish that takes it to another level. Sweet and savoury all in one perfect little bite.
I use a homemade cajun spice on the bite size pieces of chicken, then serve it up with a creamy jalapeno mayo that tastes amazing. While we generally eat these spicy chicken bites as a full meal by adding some rice and roasted peppers on the side, it’s also great served as an appetiser with some little cocktail sticks or forks to grab your piece and simply dunked into that gorgeous mayo.
If you’re looking for breaded or crumbed chicken bites, these are not that. No messing around with flour, eggs, breadcrumbs or batter and no deep frying here, just serious flavour in a quick and easy recipe.
If you love this, try this spicy chicken pasta.
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Ingredients you’ll need
With just 6 ingredients, this sweet and spicy chicken is quick to prepare and cook.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
- Chicken breast: You’re after boneless skinless chicken breast here, though chicken thighs will work perfectly as well.
- Cajun seasoning: I use a homemade cajun seasoning but store bought will work fine. There’s a good hit here to make the chicken bites spicy but you can dial up the heat if you like them hotter by adding a little cayenne pepper too. Cajun spice is a mix of paprika, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, pepper, oregano, thyme and basil.
- Honey: Just a little honey added at the end adds a touch of sweetness and the most gorgeous sheen to the chicken. Honey pairs beautifully with both cajun spice and garlic too.
- Garlic: Just to take that flavour up to epic, we add some fresh garlic too. I use two cloves but if you love a lot of garlic you can add more. Equally, if you don’t love garlic, leave it out – these cajun chicken bites are still loaded with flavour without it.
- Dried chilli flakes: Dried chilli flakes (or you may know them as red pepper flakes) add just a bit more heat to the dish.
- Fresh coriander: Fresh coriander (cilantro) is what I use to finish and freshen the chicken. Fresh parsley will work just as well if you aren’t a coriander fan.
If you want to add a little tang to the flavour, I’ve found a little squeeze of lime juice or lemon juice over the top at serving is lovely but not at all necessary.
How to make spicy chicken bites (step-by-step)
I promise you’ll love the amazing flavour that can come from just those simple ingredients above.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
- Cut and coat the chicken: First, dice up the chicken into 1-1 ½ inch chunks. Mix them with the cajun seasoning so they’re all coated.
- Make the sauce: There is nothing to making the sauce – just mix honey, water, garlic and chilli flakes in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in a non-stick, large skillet or frying pan. If your skillet isn’t non-stick, you’ll need to use a little more oil. Cook them until golden brown on both sides.
- Add the sauce: Pour the honey garlic sauce into the pan and give it a good mix. Let it cook for another couple of minutes to cook the garlic but make sure to keep stirring so the honey doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the fresh herbs and it’s done!
Serving suggestions
These spicy chicken bites are great served as a full meal. Add them to a side of steamed rice or mashed potatoes. Chips or roast potatoes are great too. Steam some veggies like broccoli or roast capsicum (bell peppers like I have here) or serve with a salad. I always make up a batch of jalapeno mayo to serve on the side too.
Chicken bites are also great served as an appetizer with cocktail forks and a nice dipping sauce like that jalapeno mayo or try my ranch dip or avocado cream sauce. You can also serve them buffalo style on game day with some blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
Storage
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. They can also be frozen. They reheat easily in the microwave or back in the pan again over a medium heat.
More easy chicken recipes you’ll love
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Ingredients
- 700 g skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 2.5cm / 1 inch pieces (1 ½ lb)
- 1 ½ tablespoons cajun seasoning (notes 1)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (notes 1)
- 2 tablespoons honey (notes 1)
- pinch dried chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), or parsley
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Instructions
- Combine the chicken pieces and cajun seasoning in a bowl and mix well to coat.
- Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan /skillet over medium-high heat.
- While the pan heats, in a separate small bowl, combine the honey, chilli flakes, garlic and 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside until required.
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes each side, until golden. Try to turn just once.
- When golden and almost cooked through, turn the heat down to medium. Add the honey mixture and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t catch, until sticky and coated.
- Stir in the chopped coriander and serve immediately.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
- Chicken: You can use chicken thighs instead.
- For extra juicy chicken, you can brine it for an hour first. Bring 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a boil stirring until dissolved. Add 3 cups of ice water and 1 tablespoon of peppercorns. Add the chicken and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. It really makes an amazing diffeence.
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