Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Nuggets

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

5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Nuggets

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.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Marinating Time20

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer / Lunch / Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer chicken nuggets, air fryer recipes, buffalo chicken recipes

Servings:

Author: Katerina Petrovska

Equipment

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into nugget-sized pieces
2 tablespoons pickle juice
1 large egg white
½ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ cup Frank’s red hot sauce
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 green onion thinly sliced, for garnish

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