Hot, spicy and full of flavor, these air fryer buffalo chicken bites are the perfect appetizer, finger food or snack. Serve these as a tasty snack at Super Bowl or Game Day gatherings, or any party. Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too.
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Jump to:
- What is Buffalo Sauce?
- Buffalo Chicken Bites (in the Air Fryer)
- Why This Recipe Works:
- Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Recipe Notes + Substitutions
- How to Make Buffalo Chicken Bites in Air Fryer (Step by Step):
- Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Recipe FAQs:
- Gluten-Free Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
- Air Fryer Recipes to Make:
- Gluten-Free Appetizers to Serve:
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Bites (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
What is Buffalo Sauce?
For those who don’t know what buffalo sauce is, rest assured that it doesn’t have anything to do with bison. Rather, the name “buffalo sauce” comes from its place of origin, which is Buffalo, New York.
Buffalo sauce is smooth, buttery and spicy, and is made with a base of cayenne pepper hot sauce. It is most often associated with chicken wings, so you might have heard of “buffalo wings” before.
In today’s recipe, we’re making buffalo chicken bites (small pieces of bite-sized chicken that can be eaten easily as finger food and doesn’t require more than a fork or a toothpick to be enjoyed!)
Buffalo Chicken Bites (in the Air Fryer)
We’ll be cooking the chicken in the air fryer (as opposed to a deep fryer), because it’s so much easier to clean up, and much less oil is required, making these air fryer buffalo chicken bites a healthier alternative.
Once the chicken is cooked, we’ll toss the chicken pieces in a homemade buffalo sauce (making your own buffalo sauce means you can vary the amount of heat according to your preferences).
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: The ingredients required for this air fryer buffalo chicken bites recipe are easily accessible at the local grocery store (nothing fancy required!).
- Easy to Make: Preparing these chicken bites come together quickly, and they are a great appetizer or perfect snack during footbal season or at any party or gathering. Spicy, flavorful and great for heat lovers, you’ll be making this easy recipe over and over again!
- Totally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: The best part is that these air fryer chicken bites are 100% gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or dairy intolerances can enjoy them without issues!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for this air fryer buffalo chicken bites recipe.
(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
Recipe Notes + Substitutions
- Chicken: You can use any chicken part that you like (boneless chicken breast, chicken thighs etc), but make sure to remove the bones and skin before cutting into 1-inch bite-sized pieces.
- Cornstarch: If you are allergic to corn, you may swap out the cornstarch for tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
- Ground Cayenne Pepper: To add more heat to these buffalo chicken bites recipe, I’ve added a pinch of ground cayenne pepper. Alternatively, you may also use ground paprika instead. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of pepper used depending on your heat tolerance.
- Ground White Pepper: If you don’t have ground white pepper, ground black pepper will work as well.
- Granulated Garlic: I like adding granulated garlic for more flavor. Alternatively, you may also use garlic powder if you prefer.
- Olive Oil: I used olive oil for greasing the air fryer basket, but you may also use another vegetable oil (such as canola oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil), nonstick cooking spray or olive oil spray if you prefer.
- Sriracha Sauce: If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure you use gluten-free Sriracha sauce.
- Frank’s RedHot Sauce: Frank’s RedHot sauce is the signature main ingredient in buffalo sauce. I would not substitute it.
- Butter: I used dairy-free butter to keep this recipe dairy-free. If you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular butter instead.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Bites in Air Fryer (Step by Step):
1. Whisk Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk the cornstarch, salt, ground cayenne pepper, white pepper, and granulated garlic until combined.
2. Coat Chicken with Condiments
Transfer the diced chicken fillet to a bowl and mix thoroughly so that each piece of chicken is fully coated with the condiment mixture.
3. Cook Chicken
Grease the air fryer basket with olive oil preheat the air fryer to 380F. Once preheated, arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer.
Fry at 380F for 15 minutes until chicken is golden brown (use kitchen tongs to turn the chicken over half-way through.)
(Note: After 15 minutes, the chicken fillet will be completely ready. It is important not to dry out the chicken.)
4. Prepare Buffalo Sauce
Pour both the gluten-free Sriracha sauce and Frank’s RedHot sauce into a saucepan, and add the dairy-free butter.
Heat up the mixture over medium heat, stirring it until you get a homogeneous mixture.
5. Mix Cooked Chicken with Sauce
Transfer the air-fried chicken pieces to the saucepan and mix, coating the chicken on all sides with the sauce.
Heat the chicken for another 3 minutes over medium heat.
6. Serve and Enjoy
Serve the buffalo chicken bites with vegetable cruditées (such as carrot sticks or celery sticks) and enjoy!
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Make Buffalo Chicken Wings: If you prefer to eat chicken wings, simply swap out the cubed chicken for chicken wings!
- Make Buffalo Chicken Tenders: Use chicken tenders if you wish to make air fryer chicken tenders.
- Swap out Chicken for Cauliflower: For a vegetarian option, substitute the chicken with cauliflower florets.
- Additional Condiments: To jazz up the flavor even more, you can also add onion powder.
- Other Breading Ingredients: If you prefer not to use cornstarch, you can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour, almond flour, or gluten-free panko bread crumbs. Alternatively, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular wheat flour instead.
- Make a Quick Dinner: Serve these spicy chicken bites over a bowl of rice for a main dish instead!
- Make Buffalo Chicken Dip: Here’s how to make buffalo chicken dip – perfect for dipping cruditées, breadsticks or crackers in.
Recipe FAQs:
To store, place any leftover buffalo chicken bites in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the air fryer or microwave for a few minutes before eating.
Gluten-Free Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
Air Fryer Recipes to Make:
Gluten-Free Appetizers to Serve:
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PrintAir Fryer Buffalo Chicken Bites (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Hot, spicy and full of flavor, these air fryer buffalo chicken bites are the perfect appetizer, finger food or snack. Serve these as a tasty snack at Super Bowl or Game Day gatherings, or any party. Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 pound chicken fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/3 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/3 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Buffalo Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free Sriracha sauce
- 1/4 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free butter
Instructions
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the cornstarch, salt, ground cayenne pepper, white pepper, and granulated garlic until combined.
- Coat Chicken with Condiments: Transfer the diced chicken fillet to a bowl and mix thoroughly so that each piece of chicken is fully coated with the condiment mixture.
- Cook Chicken: Grease the air fryer basket with olive oil preheat the air fryer to 380F. Once preheated, arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer. Fry at 380F for 15 minutes, using kitchen tongs to turn the chicken over half-way through. (Note that after 15 minutes, the chicken fillet will be completely ready. It is important not to dry out the chicken fillet.)
- Prepare Buffalo Sauce: Pour both the gluten-free Sriracha sauce and Frank’s hot sauce into a saucepan, and add the dairy-free butter. Heat up the mixture over medium heat, stirring it until you get a homogeneous mixture.
- Mixed Cooked Chicken with Sauce: Transfer the air-fried chicken pieces to the saucepan and mix, coating the chicken on all sides with the sauce. Heat the chicken for another 3 minutes over medium heat.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the buffalo chicken bites with vegetable cruditées and enjoy!
Notes
Chicken: You can use any chicken part that you like (chicken breast, chicken thighs etc), but make sure to remove the bones and skin before cutting into 1-inch cubes.
Cornstarch: If you are allergic to corn, you may swap out the cornstarch for tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
Ground Cayenne Pepper: To add more heat to these buffalo chicken bites recipe, I’ve added a pinch of ground cayenne pepper. Alternatively, you may also use ground paprika instead.
Ground White Pepper: If you don’t have ground white pepper, ground black pepper will work as well.
Granulated Garlic: I like adding granulated garlic for more flavor. Alternatively, you may also use garlic powder if you prefer.
Olive Oil: I used olive oil for greasing the air fryer basket, but you may also use another vegetable oil (such as canola oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil) or nonstick cooking spray if you prefer.
Sriracha Sauce: If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure you use gluten-free Sriracha sauce.
Frank’s RedHot Sauce: Frank’s RedHot sauce is the signature main ingredient in buffalo sauce. I would not substitute it.
Butter: I used dairy-free butter to keep this recipe dairy-free. If you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use regular butter instead.
Storing: To store, place the buffalo chicken bites in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the air fryer or microwave for a few minutes before eating.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
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