Keto Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Asparagus Recipe

If you’ve got a skillet, some chicken, garlic, and a few fresh veggies, you’ve got dinner. This isn’t fancy restaurant food, it’s better. It’s that kind of health dinner that makes you want to lick the spoon before it even hits the table.

You don’t need to be a trained chef. You don’t need a million ingredients. And you don’t need to spend hours chopping, sautéing, waiting, checking timers, burning things, cleaning up your tears. You just need one pan, about 30 minutes, and a little patience with the butter.

Let’s keep it real and make something that tastes like you worked all day on it—but didn’t.

What you’ll need For this Keto Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Asparagus

For the chicken bites:

• 1.5 lbs of chicken breast or thighs, chopped into bite-size chunks
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika (optional, but worth it)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the garlic butter sauce:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of half a lemon
• Fresh parsley (a small handful, chopped)

For the asparagus:

• 1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter (yes, more butter—it’s butter chicken night)

Let’s talk about the chicken – How To Make It 

You’re making garlic butter chicken, not dry sawdust bites. So, first things first: pat your chicken dry with paper towels. This helps it brown nicely and not just steam in the pan. Toss the chicken pieces in a bowl with olive oil, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

If you’ve got time, let it sit for 10–15 minutes. If not, go straight to the pan.

Searing the chicken bites

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, lay the chicken pieces down—but don’t crowd the pan. You want sizzle, not soup. Give them space. Let them cook for about 3–4 minutes per side, flipping once, until golden on the outside and cooked through.

Don’t fuss with them too much. Let them do their thing. That browning? That’s flavor. Pull the chicken out and set aside on a plate. Keep that pan on the heat—you’re not done yet.

The garlic butter moment

Drop the butter into the same pan. Let it melt down, then toss in your garlic. It’ll start to smell like you know what you’re doing. Stir it around for about a minute—don’t let it burn.

Squeeze in the lemon juice, stir again, and then toss the chicken back into the pan. Let it all mingle together, coating the bites in that golden, garlicky sauce. If you’re feeling fancy, sprinkle chopped parsley over the top.

This right here is the kind of butter chicken you serve with no shame—pure flavor, no breading, no sauce from a jar.

Meanwhile, asparagus needs love too

You don’t need a separate pan. Push the chicken to one side, or take it out briefly if your skillet’s small. Toss in the asparagus with a bit of butter and a pinch of salt. Cook for 4–5 minutes until bright green and just tender. Not mushy. Keep it with a bit of snap.

It’s simple. This asparagus recipe isn’t dressed up, and it doesn’t need to be. It soaks up all the leftover garlic butter from the pan, and honestly, that’s the secret.

The big picture: a proper health dinner

You just made a full health dinner on one burner. Low carb dinner? Check. Big flavor? Double check. This is one of those keto recipes dinner doesn’t always promise—satisfying, buttery, with actual color and crunch.

Here’s how it all ties together:

• Chicken bites that are juicy, garlicky, and perfectly crisp on the edges.
• Asparagus that’s bright, fresh, and a little buttery around the edges.
• And all of it? Drenched in a garlic butter sauce that you’ll want to scoop off the pan with your fingers.

What to Serve with Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

This dish holds up strong on its own, but here are a few easy ways to round it out depending on who you’re feeding:

1) For non-keto eaters who need bread at the table:

• Warm up some soft dinner rolls—the kind that are fluffy in the middle and steam when you tear them open.
• Serve with a bit of butter or use them to mop up the leftover garlic sauce from the plate (honestly, that’s half the fun).
• Great for kids, carb-lovers, or guests who just want something extra to fill up on.

2) For staying low carb but wanting a “bowl” feel:

• Spoon the garlic butter chicken and asparagus over a bed of cauliflower rice.
• It soaks up all that garlicky sauce like a champ and adds a nice base without messing with your carb count.
• Add a sprinkle of cheese or a soft-boiled egg on top if you’re feeling a little fancy.

3) For a heartier keto plate:

• Serve with a side of roasted radishes or sautéed zucchini.
• You can also whip up a small green salad with lemon vinaigrette for balance.
• A handful of olives or a slice of avocado can make it feel more complete without needing extra prep.

Whether you’re feeding picky eaters or sticking close to your keto goals, this recipe plays well with lots of sides—and doesn’t need much help to shine.

Leftovers (if you have any)

Let’s be honest—this might disappear fast. But if you do have leftovers, they reheat great. Store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. A quick zap in the microwave or toss in a skillet and lunch is done.

I’ve even wrapped the leftover garlic butter chicken and asparagus in a low-carb tortilla the next day with a little cheese and hot sauce. Game changer.

Now, Let Me Tell You A Story 

I made this once for a friend who swore they hated asparagus. Swore up and down it tasted like grass. I didn’t argue, I just made this and set a plate in front of them. Ten minutes later, they asked for more asparagus. That’s the power of garlic butter, my friend.

Another time, I served it over roasted radishes and people thought they were potatoes. No one noticed it was a keto recipe. No one cared. They just wanted more.

You made garlic butter chicken that actually tastes like something

You don’t need 50 ingredients or a sauce with 13 steps. You need real food, cooked right. Chicken bites that stay juicy. Asparagus that isn’t mushy. Garlic butter that coats everything like a dream.

And maybe—just maybe—some warm dinner rolls for those who want them. Because even a health dinner should make people smile.

Save this one. Make it again. It’ll be your go-to when you want something that tastes like home but cooks like a cheat code. The kind of meal that hits the table and disappears in 10 minutes flat.

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