These Lemon Pepper Chicken Bites are everything I love about crispy fried chicken, juicy on the inside, perfectly crunchy on the outside, and bursting with zesty lemon pepper flavor.
I came up with these lemon pepper chicken bites on a weekend when I was craving something more exciting than the usual chicken dinner. I wasn't in the mood for wings or tenders, just something bite-sized, crispy, and packed with flavor. If you love lemon pepper chicken or spicy chicken bites, this one's going to hit the spot.
These bites have become my go-to for game night appetizers or quick chicken dinners. I serve them hot, right after that buttery coating. The final toss in peppery butter is simple but essential, it clings to the hot chicken nuggets and gives you a bold finish in every bite. You can prep the lemon pepper chicken marinade in advance and fry when you're ready, making it practical for a weeknight dinner or for a weekend treat.
Jump to:
⭐Why You'll Love My Recipe
- Easy to Make Ahead: You can marinate the chicken in advance, so it's ready to fry whenever you are.
- Crowd-Pleaser: These bites are always a hit at parties and game nights; moreover, they make a fun and satisfying dinner when served with dipping sauces.
🧾Ingredients
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but here's a closer look at a few of the ingredients and why I use them.
- Chicken & Marinade: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for their juiciness and season them well with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper for layers of flavor.
- Zesty Kick: Fresh lemon juice, mustard paste, and red hot sauce bring brightness, heat, and depth, making every bite bold and full of character.
- Crispy Coating: A mix of flour and cornstarch gives the perfect crunch, light and golden without feeling heavy.
- Buttery Pepper Finish: I melt butter with a touch of salt and pepper for a simple, rich glaze that ties all the flavors together beautifully.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken Bites
You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below, but for now, here's a quick overview of how it goes:
1. Season the chicken breast pieces with the spice mix, then add eggs, mustard paste, hot sauce, and lemon juice. Mix well and marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Coat the marinated chicken in a flour and cornstarch mixture.
3. Fry the chicken at 350°F (175°C) until browned and very crispy, then transfer to a bowl.
4. Melt butter, stir in salt and ground pepper, then pour over the crispy chicken. Toss to coat and serve immediately with chives.
📖Variations
- Use Chicken Thighs: Swap chicken breast for boneless, skinless thighs for an extra juicy and tender bite.
- Try a Baked Version: Bake the coated chicken pieces on a rack at 400°F (200°C), flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.
- Make it Sweet and Spicy: Stir a little honey into the pepper butter sauce for a sweet-savory twist.
🍽What to Serve with Lemon Pepper Chicken Bites
When I serve Lemon Pepper Chicken Bites, I usually pair them with one of my homemade sauce like, ranch dressing, pepper mayonnaise, or Cane's sauce.
💭My Tips for Recipe Success
Shake off Excess Flour: After coating the chicken, I like to gently shake off the extra flour; this helps the crust stay light and not too thick when fried.
Fry in Small Batches: Too much chicken at once cools the oil and leads to soggy bites. I do a few at a time to keep things crispy.
Keep them Warm: If you're making a big batch, keep the fried chicken on a baking tray in a warm oven until everything's ready.
Store and Reheat: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and reheated in the oven for 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
🍗More Chicken Recipes to Try!
If you're enjoying these Lemon Pepper Chicken Bites, you'll definitely want to try these other delicious chicken recipes too:
🥗More Appetizer Recipes
Here are more of my favorite appetizer recipes! Try these:
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my Newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest updates.
📖 Recipe
Fried Chicken Bites
Ingredients
Crispy Chicken:
- 3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Paprika
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 ½ tablespoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tablespoon Mustard Paste
- 3 tablespoon Red Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 100 g Flour
- 50 g Cornstarch
Pepper Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Pepper
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, and place them in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Add the spice mix to the chicken and stir until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Add the eggs, mustard paste, red hot sauce, and lemon juice to the chicken. Mix until well combined.
- Cover and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour and cornstarch until well combined.
- Dredge the marinated chicken pieces in the flour mixture, coating each piece evenly.
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry the chicken pieces until golden brown and very crispy.
- Transfer the fried chicken to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter, then stir in the salt and ground pepper until combined.
- Pour the pepper butter sauce over the crispy chicken and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chopped chives.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
These are seriously addictive! The perfect balance of zesty lemon and peppery heat. I could eat the whole batch.