These easy keto chicken bites are juicy, flavorful, and quick to prepare. They’re a hit with both kids and adults and work well on their own or served over cauliflower rice.
Brining the chicken helps keep each bite tender and moist. With just a few simple seasonings and a short cook time, these chicken bites come together easily. They’re excellent served as a main course, added to salads, or paired with low-carb sides.
Brining the chicken
Brine the chicken for at least 30–60 minutes for noticeable improvement in juiciness; longer (a few hours or overnight) is even better. Combine water, salt, and a keto-friendly granular sweetener in a bowl, container, or resealable bag and stir until mostly dissolved. Swerve works well, but any preferred keto sweetener will do. Submerge the chicken pieces in the brine, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to cook, discard the brine and pat the chicken dry before seasoning and cooking.
Tips for perfect chicken bites
These chicken bites are simple, but a few techniques improve the result. Cook in a mix of olive oil and butter for a rich, balanced flavor. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. You can toss the chicken with the seasonings for an even coating before cooking, or sprinkle half the seasoning on the chicken in the skillet and add the remainder after flipping. For a little heat, add red pepper flakes or a few dashes of hot sauce. Cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan so pieces brown evenly.
Serving suggestions
These chicken bites pair nicely with a variety of low-carb sides. Serve them on top of a fresh keto salad, alongside roasted or steamed vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, green beans, or spinach. They’re also great with mashed low-carb vegetables like mashed turnips, rutabagas, or kohlrabi. If you’d like a comforting touch, top with a simple keto brown gravy or chicken gravy. Low-carb breads like chaffles, keto biscuits, or quick keto English muffins can round out the meal if you prefer.
Keto salad ideas
Try these salads alongside the chicken: Easy keto coleslaw, broccoli bacon salad, cauliflower pea salad, or a tomato, olive, and cheese salad. Any crisp, low-carb salad makes a refreshing companion to the warm chicken bites.
Helpful Hints:
* Brine for as little as 1–2 hours, or refrigerate overnight for best results.
* Leftovers reheat well in the microwave or briefly in a skillet to restore crispness.
Main Kitchen Equipment and Utensils:
- Measuring spoons
- Large skillet
Recipe Card
Easy Keto Chicken Bites
6 Servings
10 minutes
10 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 20 minutes
These easy keto chicken bites are juicy, flavorful, and quick to prepare.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar substitute (Swerve or preferred keto sweetener)
- 1½ tablespoons salt
- 1½ pounds chicken breast, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Add the water, granulated sugar substitute, and salt to a bowl or container. Stir until most of the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the cubed chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1–2 hours or overnight.
- When ready to cook, drain and discard the brine. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Coat the chicken evenly with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook about 4 minutes without moving to develop color. Flip and cook another 3–4 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Cook in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: 101mg
Sodium: 535mg
Carbohydrates: 0.3g
Net Carbohydrates: 0.3g
Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 0g
Protein: 25g
Nutrition information is an estimate provided for convenience and may vary by ingredients and brands used. Net carbs generally subtract erythritol and fiber where appropriate.
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Splash of Encouragement:
“And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.” Isaiah 59:21