Begin by placing the ripe banana in a mixing bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to mash it until it's completely smooth without any lumps.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk these dry ingredients together until they are thoroughly mixed and free of clumps.
Return to the bowl with the mashed banana. Add in the milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until all the wet ingredients are well incorporated and the mixture is uniform.
Gradually introduce the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together using a spatula or wooden spoon, being careful not to over-mix. It’s perfectly alright to have a few lumps remaining in the batter!
Once the dry ingredients are just combined, gently stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add the unsalted butter, allowing it to melt and coat the surface of the skillet for even cooking.
Using a tablespoon, drop small dollops of the batter onto the heated skillet, each about the size of a silver dollar. Be sure to leave a little space between each pancake bite to allow for spreading.
Cook the pancake bites for 2 to 3 minutes. Watch for small bubbles to form on the surface; this indicates they're ready to flip. Turn each pancake bite over and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until they achieve a lovely golden brown color.
Carefully transfer the cooked pancake bites to a plate and continue the process with the remaining batter, adding more butter to the skillet as necessary for each batch.
Notes
Arrange the pancake bites in an appealing stack and drizzle with maple syrup or chocolate sauce.