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Buffalo Chicken Bites Recipe
Buffalo chicken bites are a beloved, and wonderfully simple appetizer that can easily be prepared at home without requiring excessive effort. Each delightful bite is enveloped in a flavorful coating, and deep-fried to achieve a delightful golden-brown crispiness.
These delectable morsels are then generously coated in a spicy and tangy buffalo-style sauce that boasts an irresistible flavor, making them utterly addictive.
Serve them with a creamy ranch dressing that takes the dish to the next level with a balanced taste of richness and spiciness. Try this easy and delightful dish that everyone enjoys.
Why This Recipe Works
Homemade buffalo chicken bites are easy and quick to prepare with only a few everyday ingredients. The simple process is friendly to less experienced cooks.
These tangy, hot, and crispy buffalo chicken bites are absolutely delicious. It’s a perfect recipe served as a mouthwatering appetizer for game nights, parties, and even for dinner.
It’s also a freezer-friendly recipe. You may deep-fry the chicken bites in advance, cool them completely, and seal them in an airtight bag. Store them in the freezer until you’re ready to serve. Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C), and place the frozen chicken bites in a single layer on the baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake the chicken for 15 minutes until heated through. Toss them well in the buffalo sauce, and serve. Easy peasy!
Recipe Ingredients
This ultimate Buffalo chicken bites recipe only calls a few ingredients below.
- Chicken breast
- Buttermilk
- Buffalo-style hot sauce (Tabasco)
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Ground black pepper
- Baking powder
- Oil for frying
- Butter
- Ranch dressing for serving
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Bites
To make the best buffalo chicken bites, follow these simple steps:
First, marinate the chicken in buttermilk for a few hours to tenderize the meat.
Next, evenly coat the meat with beaten eggs and flour mixture. Then, deep-fry the meat until golden brown and crispy.
Prepare the tasty buffalo-style sauce in a bowl with melted butter. Generously toss the deep-fried chicken in the sauce and they’re ready to serve.
Cooking Tips
For the best result, please follow my tips below:
- I used chicken breast in this recipe. You may also substitute it with boneless and skinless chicken thighs. It will be just as delicious.
- To ensure the chicken meat remains tender and juicy on the inside, while keeping the outside crispy, marinate the chicken in buttermilk for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator or longer.
- Cut the chicken into similar sizes, so they get cooked around the same time.
- Coat the chicken twice in the flour mixture, which helps to get an extra crispy crust once fried.
- Work in small batches. Do not overcrowd the pan while deep-frying the meat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make buttermilk at home?
If it’s hard to find buttermilk in your local grocery store, it can be easily made with only two ingredients: milk and lemon juice.
Mix well 2 cups of whole milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, cover, and refrigerate it overnight. The milk will become thick after 24 hours and will be ready to use anytime.
What to serve with buffalo chicken bites?
Buffalo chicken bites are tasty and spicy; and served with creamy ranch, and blue cheese dressing as delicious dipping sauces. The rich dressing helps to cool down the spiciness and add creaminess to each bite. Fresh vegetables, such as cucumber, celery, and carrot sticks are traditional accompaniments for buffalo chicken. They provide a refreshing crunch and a contrast to the heat of the chicken.
Other than that, buffalo chicken bites also make a delicious side dish that is served along with a green salad, dinner rolls, or macaroni and cheese to complete the wholesome meal.
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This recipe has 361 calories per serving.
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Buffalo Chicken Bites
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pound (567 grams) chicken breast (boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch bite-size)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup buffalo-style hot sauce (Tabasco)
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ounces (60 grams) grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- ranch dressing (for serving)
Instructions
- Stir buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of Tabasco in a large bowl. Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk mixture for 2 to 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside. In a separate shallow bowl, combine all-purpose flour, grated parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, ground black pepper, and baking powder. Transfer the chicken from the marinade to the flour mixture and coat it evenly. Shake off the excess, dip it in the beaten egg, and return it to the flour mixture. After coating it in the flour, place the meat on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Heat a skillet (or a heavy bottom pot) with 2 inches (5 cm) of oil over medium-high heat. Work in small batches, add the meat to the skillet, and deep-fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74℃) using a food thermometer.
- After deep-frying, transfer the chicken meat to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and the remaining Tabasco. Add fried chicken and toss to coat evenly. Dish out and serve immediately with ranch dressing.
Video
Notes
- I used chicken breast in this recipe. You may also use a different meat option for boneless and skinless chicken thighs. It will be just as delicious.
- To ensure the chicken meat remains tender and juicy on the inside while the outside is crispy, marinate the chicken in buttermilk for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator or longer.
- Cut the chicken into similar sizes so they get cooked around the same time.
- Coat the chicken twice in the flour mixture, which helps to get an extra crispy crust once fried.
- Work in small batches. Do not overcrowd the pan while deep-frying the meat.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Looks so delicious. Do you think I could bake or air fry these instead?
Yes, you can bake or air fry the chicken pieces. Make sure to space out every piece so they get crispy. If using air fryer, you will need to do them in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
Looks very delish.
Can you bake or air fry these?