Meet my easy buffalo chicken bites with no breading! Tender, bite-sized pieces of seasoned boneless chicken tenders are pan-cooked and tossed with a tangy buffalo sauce. A healthy, lighter alternative to traditional buffalo wings, these homemade chicken bites love to be served with carrots, celery, and blue cheese dressing.
My love for all things buffalo sauce runs deep! I’ve made everything from buffalo cauliflower and buffalo wings to buffalo chicken meatballs and buffalo chicken chili, and now we have delicious boneless buffalo chicken bites. These easy bites might just be my favorite way to enjoy the tangy, spicy flavor of buffalo sauce! We love to serve them with crisp celery sticks and blue cheese dressing (although my hubby prefers them with ranch dressing).
Buffalo chicken bites are a great healthier, protein-packed appetizer to serve for game day, and pot lucks plus they work really well for meal prep! Zesty, hot, and stacked with original buffalo flavors, these have quickly become a family favorite in our home.
Ingredients needed
This recipe uses just a few simple ingredients, most of which you probably have in your kitchen right now. Here’s what you need:
- Chicken tenders: You’ll need to cut a little over a pound of chicken tenders into bite-sized chunks. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well, but it will take a bit more cutting.
- Spices: A blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper adds layers of flavor.
- Oil: For cooking the chicken, I like to use avocado oil but olive oil would work as well.
- Buffalo sauce: The star of the recipe! I love the Primal Kitchen brand – but feel free to use what you love – mild, medium, or hot all work. You can even make homemade buffalo sauce if you’re feeling crazy!
How to make this recipe
Follow the instructions below and you’ll have a delicious, zesty protein to enjoy as an appetizer, snack, or main course. Here’s the simple process:
Please see the recipe card for the full, printable recipe with all of the details.
- Cut and season the chicken: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, transfer it into a bowl, and season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Toss that together making sure all of the chicken is lightly coated with the spices.
- Cook the chicken: Heat avocado oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the chicken to the pan, making sure they are in a single layer. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and then flip the chicken bites and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.
- Add buffalo sauce: Turn the heat to low and stir in 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce. Gently toss the chicken in the sauce until all the chicken bites are lightly coated in buffalo sauce. Turn off the heat.
- Serve: Pair with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing and enjoy!
Expert tips
- Spiciness: The spices and sauce coating the chicken are intended to have some kick to it! Remember that dipping them in ranch or blue cheese will help to cool them down.
- Cutting the chicken: Cut your chicken tenders into fairly equal-sized pieces as this will help them to cook at the same rate.
- Pan fry in batches: When cooking your chicken, make sure to keep the chicken bites in a single layer in the pan. Cook in batches as needed, so as not to overcrowd the chicken.
- For serving: A spicy snack is best when served with a cool dip to keep the heat level to a reasonable level. We love these bites dipped in buttermilk ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing. You can buy pre-prepared dressings at the store (we recommend Primal Kitchen brand), or make your own homemade version.
Frequently asked questions
This recipe for buffalo chicken bites is made with small chunks of chicken tenders tossed in bold spices and cooked in buffalo sauce. So simple, yet so flavorful!
The buffalo flavor is tangy and a bit spicy. It’s like hot sauce with vinegar and some seasonings added to make the flavor deep and delicious.
These are super versatile and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Here are some ideas: serve as an appetizer for game day and parties, use these as a topping over a salad, or roll a few bites in a wrap with veggies and ranch.
Storage recommendations
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven, in an air fryer, or in the skillet, and add a bit more buffalo sauce, as needed, to freshen these up.
Thanks so much for reading! If you make this recipe I would love for you to give it a ★ rating below. And be sure to follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook for more healthy food inspiration. Cheers!
Easy Buffalo Chicken Bites (No Breading!)
Ingredients
- 1.25 pounds chicken tenders cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (I like Primal Kitchen brand)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, transfer into a bowl and season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Toss that together making sure all of the chicken is lightly coated with the spices.
- Heat avocado oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the chicken to the pan, making sure they are in a single layer. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and then flip the chicken bites and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.
- Turn the heat to low and stir in 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce. Gently toss the chicken in the sauce until all the chicken bites are lightly coated in buffalo sauce. Turn off the heat.
- Serve with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing and enjoy!
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