Cody Casey
Air fryer buffalo chicken bites are a healthier and easier alternative to deep-fried buffalo chicken wings. They are low-carb, tasty, and easy to make. You can use cooked or uncooked chicken for this recipe, and you can also use breast or thigh meat. The chicken is seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder, then coated in buffalo sauce. The bites are then cooked in an air fryer for 8-10 minutes at 390-400°F. You can serve them with blue cheese sauce, ranch dressing, or celery sticks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Chicken breast, thigh meat, olive oil, cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, hot sauce, butter, breadcrumbs, cayenne pepper, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, celery sticks, carrot sticks, egg, flour, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, melted butter, vinegar, garlic powder, wing sauce |
| Tools | Air fryer, large bowl, small bowl, wooden spoon, tongs, meat thermometer, food processor, baking sheet, shallow bowls or plates, rubber spatula, zip-top bag, microwave, stove, trays |
| Preparation | Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and chilli powder. Mix with olive oil and cornstarch. Dip chicken in hot sauce and then in breadcrumbs. Place in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray with olive oil. |
| Cooking | Preheat the air fryer to 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for 8-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. |
| Serving | Serve with blue cheese dressing, celery sticks, carrot sticks, or ranch dressing. |
| Storage | Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes. |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing your chicken
Choosing the right chicken is an important step in making buffalo chicken bites in an air fryer. You can use either cooked or uncooked chicken, depending on your preference. If you're short on time, opting for pre-cooked chicken is a great way to speed up the process. You can use cooked chicken breasts or thighs, and some recipes suggest using rotisserie chicken.
If you're starting with uncooked chicken, you'll need to cut it into bite-sized pieces. Most recipes recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use boneless thighs if you prefer dark meat. You can cut the chicken into small chunks or strips, depending on the size and shape you want for your buffalo chicken bites.
When cutting the chicken, aim for pieces that are roughly 1 to 2 inches in size. This ensures they cook evenly and are easy to eat. You can cut the chicken by hand or use a food processor to speed up the process, although cutting by hand ensures more uniform pieces.
Some recipes also call for eggs as a wet dip for the chicken before breading. This step is optional but can add moisture and help the breading adhere better. If you choose to use eggs, simply scramble a few in a bowl and dip the chicken pieces before moving on to the breading step.
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Preparing the sauce
If you want to make a basic hot wing sauce, you can melt butter and mix it with hot sauce. You can use Frank's Red Hot Sauce for this as well. You can also add some blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping. If you want to get creative, you can make a combination of sauces, such as buffalo, barbecue, and spicy sriracha.
You can also make a wet dip by scrambling eggs in a bowl and creating a flour mixture with flour, cayenne, chili pepper, and paprika in a separate bowl. Dip the chicken nuggets in the egg bowl and then, using a separate hand, dip them into the seasoned flour.
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Seasoning and coating the chicken
Firstly, cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can use chicken breasts or thigh meat, whichever you prefer. If you're using raw chicken, cut it into roughly 1-inch cubes. If you're using cooked chicken, you can cut it into smaller pieces, as it will hold its shape better.
Now, it's time to season the chicken generously. In a large bowl, add your chicken pieces and drizzle them with olive oil. Next, add your desired seasonings. You can use a combination of salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder. Mix well to ensure the chicken pieces are evenly coated. If you're using breadcrumbs, you can add some of these seasonings to the breading mixture as well for an extra kick of flavour.
For a simple breading procedure, set up a breading station. In one bowl, whisk together cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In another bowl, prepare your wet dip by whisking together some eggs. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off, and then coat them in the seasoned cornstarch mixture. If you're using breadcrumbs, you can dip the chicken in the egg, then coat with breadcrumbs, and finally, into the seasoned cornstarch mixture. This double breading technique will ensure an extra crispy crust.
If you're using panko breadcrumbs, place them in a shallow bowl or a zip-top bag. Add seasonings like sea salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper to the breadcrumbs and mix well. You can also add cayenne pepper and onion powder to the breading mixture for extra spice. Dip the chicken pieces in your buffalo sauce, shake off any excess, and then coat them in the seasoned breadcrumbs. Make sure the breadcrumbs adhere well to the chicken.
Finally, arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in your air fryer basket. It's important to not overcrowd the basket, so you may need to cook the chicken in batches. Spray the chicken generously with olive oil to promote even crisping.
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Cooking the chicken
To cook chicken for buffalo chicken bites in an air fryer, start by cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can use chicken breast or thigh meat, depending on your preference. If you're using raw chicken, season the pieces with salt and pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. If you're using cooked chicken, you can skip this step.
Next, prepare the breading by whisking together cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. You can also add cayenne pepper to the mixture for extra spice. Dip the chicken pieces into the wet batter, shake off the excess, and then coat them with the dry breading mixture. Make sure the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
Place the breaded chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between each piece to allow for even cooking. Spray the chicken with olive oil or vegetable oil to help them crisp up. If you're using an air fryer with a basket, you may need to cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding.
Air fry the chicken at a temperature between 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking process. The cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer, so adjust the timing as needed. The chicken is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which you can check with a meat thermometer.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the air fryer and toss it in your favorite buffalo sauce. You can use a store-bought sauce or make your own by mixing Frank's Red Hot Sauce with butter, vinegar, and garlic powder. Return the sauced chicken to the air fryer and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes to allow the sauce to set.
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Serving suggestions
Buffalo chicken bites are a tasty treat on their own, but there are many ways to serve them as a more substantial meal. For a quick snack, you can dip them in extra buffalo sauce or blue cheese sauce, and serve with celery and carrot sticks for a refreshing crunch.
For a more filling meal, you could place the chicken bites in a tortilla wrap, adding cheese, cream cheese, and buffalo sauce. You could also make a buffalo chicken sandwich, or serve the bites with a side salad and a dipping sauce of your choice.
If you want to make a full meal out of the bites, you could serve them with a variety of sauces, such as barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, or a spicy sriracha sauce. You could also make a platter with different sauces, including a buffalo flavor, and some wings in barbecue sauce.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat, place the bites back in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes, or until warmed through.
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Frequently asked questions
First, cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Then, season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and onion powder. Next, dip the chicken pieces into buffalo sauce and shake off the excess. Finally, add the chicken to the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 8-10 minutes at 390-400°F.
You can either use a bottled wing sauce or make your own. To make your own, mix Frank's Red Hot, melted butter, vinegar, and garlic powder.
You can serve the chicken bites with blue cheese sauce, ranch dressing, celery, and carrot sticks.
