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small irregular cooked chicken-breast chunks with a light crisp coating and thin orange-red Buffalo sauce on an ordinary plate, with no heavy breadcrumb shell, wings or dipping sauce
Melissa Hart

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Bites

Small breast pieces with a light cornstarch coating give Buffalo sauce plenty of edges to cling to without turning the bowl into a pile of breaded nuggets. Dry the chicken well before coating, because the starch should sit in a thin film, not dusty clumps, and the hot sauce goes on only after the chicken is cooked. Serve promptly while some crisp edges remain, because any butter-and-hot-sauce coating softens as it sits against the chicken.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1/4 cup cayenne hot sauce
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp white vinegar

Method
 

  1. Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Pat chicken dry and toss with salt, garlic powder, pepper and cornstarch, shaking off loose starch.
  2. Toss gently with oil and arrange half the pieces in the basket in one layer with gaps. Air fry for 5 minutes, turn and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more until lightly crisp and at least 165°F.
  3. Transfer to a clean bowl and repeat with the remaining chicken. Meanwhile, warm hot sauce, butter and vinegar in a small saucepan until the butter melts.
  4. Toss both cooked batches with the warm Buffalo sauce just until coated.
  5. Rest for 2 minutes and serve immediately while the edges still have texture.