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up close shot of air fryer buffalo chicken bites served in a basket with side bowl of blue cheese dressing.

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Nuggets

Katerina | Diethood
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Nuggets are the perfect snack, appetizer, or light dinner! With plenty of crispy crunch and classic buffalo sauce, they are a flavor-packed favorite that's easy to make.
Servings : 4
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Marinating Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Combine the chicken pieces and the pickle juice in a mixing bowl; toss to coat and set aside for 20 minutes.
  • In a separate mixing bowl combine the egg white, cornstarch, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  • Lightly grease the air fryer basket with oil.
  • Dip the chicken pieces in the batter, coat on all sides, and shake off any excess; place chicken in the air fryer basket.
  • Repeat the process until the bottom of the basket is full, with about ½-inch space between the chicken nuggets. DO NOT crowd the basket; you’ll have to cook the chicken nuggets in batches.
  • Cook at 360˚F for 7 minutes; flip and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, or until crisp and cooked through.
  • In the meantime, in a small mixing bowl whisk together the hot sauce and the melted butter.
  • Remove the cooked chicken nuggets from the air fryer basket and transfer to a bowl.
  • Pour the hot sauce over the chicken and toss until coated on all sides.
  • Arrange on a serving platter.
  • Garnish with sliced green onions.
  • Serve.

Notes

  • Chicken: I use boneless chicken breasts to make chicken nuggets, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. 
  • Pickle Juice helps to make the chicken tender and juicy, but it also adds to the flavor of the chicken nuggets. 
  • Don't Crowd the Basket: Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer cooking basket because the chicken will steam instead of crisp up. Leave at least 1/2-inch space between each chicken piece.

Nutrition

Calories: 318 kcal | Carbohydrates: 16 g | Protein: 38 g | Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g | Trans Fat: 0.3 g | Cholesterol: 124 mg | Sodium: 1724 mg | Potassium: 682 mg | Fiber: 0.4 g | Sugar: 0.2 g | Vitamin A: 380 IU | Vitamin C: 3 mg | Calcium: 17 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Appetizer / Lunch / Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer chicken nuggets, air fryer recipes, buffalo chicken recipes