Skip the restaurant and make your own hot wings at home. Soak bite‑size chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce, then coat them with a mix of whole‑wheat panko and almond flour. The air fryer gives a crunchy crust without deep frying. Finish with a splash of hot sauce for extra heat.
Pair the wings with a simple veggie platter for a balanced snack or a light meal.
Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes + 8‑hour marinate
Air‑Fryer Buffalo Chicken Bites
Ingredients
- 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 1 cup low‑fat buttermilk, divided
- ¼ cup hot sauce, plus 1½ tbsp, divided
- 1½ tsp garlic powder, divided
- ¾ tsp salt, divided
- ¾ cup whole‑wheat panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup almond flour
- Cooking spray
- ¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp avocado‑oil mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp chopped chives or green onions
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 2 large carrots, cut into sticks
- 4 celery stalks, cut into sticks
Directions
- Place the chicken strips in a bowl. Mix ¾ cup buttermilk, ¼ cup hot sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp salt. Stir, then coat the chicken. Cover and refrigerate 8‑24 hours.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (191°C). Lightly spray the basket.
- Combine panko and almond flour on a plate. Remove a chicken piece, let excess drip off, and roll it in the breadcrumb mix. Press gently so it sticks. Put the coated piece on a clean plate. Repeat with all pieces, working in small batches.
- Spray the coated chicken lightly with cooking spray.
- Cook the chicken in the air fryer for about 15 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Keep cooked pieces warm in a low oven while you finish the remaining batches.
- While the chicken cooks, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup buttermilk, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, chives, vinegar, ½ tsp garlic powder, the remaining ¼ tsp salt, and black pepper. This makes a light ranch dip.
- When all the chicken is cooked, toss it with the remaining 1½ tbsp hot sauce.
- Serve the spicy bites with cucumber, carrot, and celery sticks, plus the ranch dip.
Serves: 6 (about 4 oz chicken per person with ¾‑1 cup veggies and 2 tbsp dip)
Nutrition (per serving): 311 kcal, 12 g fat, 19 g carbs, 32 g protein, 4 g fiber, 697 mg sodium.
Original recipe posted August 2025; updated March 2026.