Say goodbye to bland, stringy, overly breaded boneless buffalo wings. These Buffalo Chicken Bites are a game-changer! Lightly battered and pan-seared or baked, then tossed in my mom’s famous buffalo sauce, these guys are the perfect appetizer for a crowd.
Jump to:
- Watch the Recipe Video
- Boneless Buffalo Wings for the Win!
- Ingredients
- How to Make Buffalo Chicken Bites
- The Best Buffalo Sauce
- What’s the Best Hot Sauce for Buffalo Wings?
- Can I Bake These Boneless Buffalo Wings Instead of Frying?
- How to Make These Buffalo Chicken Bites Paleo
- My Best Tips for Perfect Boneless Buffalo Bites
- More Ways to Enjoy Buffalo Chicken
- Recipe
My mom’s homemade buffalo wings are a big deal. They’re that perfect balance between crispy and tender, and her wing sauce is to-die-for delicious. It’s the only recipe I use, and I put that ‘ish on everything – instant pot chicken wings, buffalo chicken lettuce wraps, buffalo chicken meatballs, even buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes.
My husband dared me to make a restaurant-quality buffalo chicken salad that could rival our local pub, and I simply rolled my eyes, busted out my mom’s sauce, and topped it with boneless wings. In fact, that it how and why this recipe was born!
Watch the Recipe Video
Boneless Buffalo Wings for the Win!
Despite my mother’s buffalo wing legacy, I’m not the biggest fan of bone-in wings. So much work for so little meat!
I always opt for boneless buffalo wings when I have the choice. They’re so much easier to eat, and you get all of the good stuff (juicy meat, full sauce coverage) with none of the mess.
But I’ve got a few problems with most of the offerings out there. My biggest pet peeve is with the breading – for one, there’s just too darn much of it; and for two, it’s so freaking bland. Then there’s the deep fried factor, which often results in a crust that’s overly crispy and meat that’s either stringy or dry (or both!).
Am I the most annoying buffalo wing eater ever? Yes. Do I have a solution for myself (and perhaps you too)? Of course I do!
Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: diced into bite sized pieces.
- Cornstarch: this is the base of the breading; cornstarch yields perfectly crispy buffalo chicken bites that aren’t heavy or overly breaded.
- Seasonings: onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika are used to season both the breading and the buffalo sauce.
- Cooking Oil: pan fry the boneless wings in olive oil or avocado oil.
- Buffalo Sauce: we definitely suggest making your own buffalo sauce! Scroll to read more about why, and how.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Bites
These boneless buffalo chicken bites are perfection. Lightly battered and then pan fried, they’re crispy on the outside with tender, perfectly juicy insides. They’re finished in my mom’s signature buffalo sauce for best homemade boneless wings!
Boneless buffalo wing breading perfection looks like this: diced boneless skinless chicken thighs plus a light coating of seasoned cornstarch.
- WHISK BREADING: Whisk the cornstarch with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
- BREAD CHICKEN: Add the diced chicken breast to the cornstarch mixture. Toss gently with a spatula until the chicken is thoroughly coated with the cornstarch. Tip: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels or a cotton kitchen towel to help the cornstarch adhere evenly.
- PAN FRY IN BATCHES: Heat olive oil in a 12″ non-stick skillet over medium heat. Be careful with the heat – too high and the breading will scorch. Too low and the breading won’t brown. Add half the chicken bites in a single layer. Saute on one side until golden brown. Tip: gently shake off any excess cornstarch before adding to the skillet for a crispy breading that doesn’t clump.
- FINISH FRYING: Flip the pieces over and brown the other side. The chicken won’t cook all the way through at this stage and that’s okay – it’ll finish cooking in the sauce just a bit later. Transfer the chicken bites to a plate, then repeat with the remaining pieces.
The Best Buffalo Sauce
Perfect buffalo sauce looks like this: Not one, but TWO different hot sauces, plus good butter. My mom swears by using two different hot sauces for a more complex flavor. I used Frank’s RedHot and Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce.
IMPORTANT: Don’t use “wing sauce”, which is a pre-mixed buffalo sauce with added butter flavors and thickeners. Be sure to buy pure hot sauce.
- Add the butter to the skillet (no need to wipe or clean it first) and heat until it melts. Scrape up the browned bits leftover from sautéing the chicken for added flavor.
- Then add the hot sauces and whisk with the melted butter.
- Add the fried chicken bites and toss with the buffalo sauce. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens and the boneless wings are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
What’s the Best Hot Sauce for Buffalo Wings?
- Frank’s RedHot is our #1 choice. It’s that perfect balance of vinegar and heat without being overly spicy. It’s also one of the most “real food” hot sauces out there with just 5 simple ingredients – aged cayenne peppers, distilled vinegar, water, salt, and garlic powder.
- Texas Pete is a tad more vinegary than Frank’s and not overly spicy. It does have additives, though, so it’s not appropriate if you’d like to make this recipe paleo.
- Crystal Hot Sauce is a great option if you’re paleo. With the just 3 real food ingredients (aged cayenne peppers, distilled vinegar, and salt) it’s perfectly tangy.
- Cholula isn’t a typical choice for wings, but if you like your wings hot and fiery, this sauce is for you. Paleo beware, this sauce contains xanthan gum.
Can I Bake These Boneless Buffalo Wings Instead of Frying?
Yes! They won’t be quite as crispy, and you’ll dirty 2 pans instead of 1, but it’ll get the job done. I really liked the baked version of these boneless wings, but the pan-seared was just a bit better.
How to Bake the Boneless Buffalo Wings:
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread a very thin coating of oil on the parchment (or spray with olive oil cooking spray).
- Prepare the chicken as directed in the recipe card through Step2.
- Spread the battered chicken bites onto the parchment paper in a single layer, leaving a bit of room between each piece. Bake for 7 minutes, flip, then bake an additional 7 minutes on the other side. They should be lightly golden brown.
- Prepare the buffalo sauce as noted in Step 4, then toss the baked chicken wings with the buffalo sauce in the pan until they’re cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickened.
How to Make These Buffalo Chicken Bites Paleo
These buffalo chicken bites easily translate to a paleo version with just a few simple modifications. Technically these would also be considered Whole30, but as an appetizer they’re definitely pushing the limits – so use your best judgement if you’re on a round!
- Substitute arrowroot powder for cornstarch
- Substitute avocado oil for olive oil if you’re strict
- Use a paleo-compliant dipping sauce like our Whole30 Ranch Dressing
My Best Tips for Perfect Boneless Buffalo Bites
- Pat the chicken dry so the cornstarch coating sticks well
- Cut the chicken breast into even, similar sized bites so they cook at the same rate
- Thoroughly coat the chicken with the cornstarch, but be sure to tap off any excess so that the breading crisps, not clumps
- Season the breading, not the sauce, for multi-layered flavor
- Keep an eye on the heat while sautéing; adjust as necessary to ensure the breading browns and doesn’t burn.
- Use 2 types of hot sauce for the best buffalo sauce. See our suggestions above.
- Simmer the browned chicken bites in the sauce for about 5 minutes – this steps ensures the chicken cooks through and allows the sauce to thicken up just enough.
More Ways to Enjoy Buffalo Chicken
- Restaurant Style Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Did you make these Buffalo Chicken Bites? I’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Bites (Boneless Buffalo Wings)
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Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, patted dry and diced into 2" pieces
- ½ c cornstarch, or arrowroot powder for paleo
- 2 tsp sea or kosher salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil, or avocado oil for paleo
- ½ c Frank's RedHot
- ½ c Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce, or your favorite hot sauce – see suggestions in post
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Combine the cornstarch, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Add the chicken to the cornstarch mixture; toss until evenly coated.
- Heat a 12" non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Add half the battered chicken to the skillet in a single layer. Sautee 5 minutes until the breading is lightly golden brown, flip the pieces, and sautee 5 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces, adding additional olive oil as needed.
- Add the butter to the skillet and melt, scraping up browned bits as it cooks. Add the buffalo sauces to the melted butter and whisk until combined.
- Add the cooked chicken to the buffalo sauce. Toss to coat all pieces in sauce, then cook an addition 3-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce slightly thickens. Serve immediately with blue cheese or ranch dipping sauce and sliced carrots and celery.
Notes
- Tap off any excess cornstarch when transferring the chicken bites to the skillet so that the breading crisps, not clumps
- Keep an eye on the heat while sautéing; adjust as necessary to ensure the breading browns and doesn’t burn.
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread a very thin coating of oil on the parchment (or spray with olive oil cooking spray).
- Prepare the chicken bites through Step 2.
- Spread the battered chicken bites onto the parchment paper in a single layer, leaving a bit of room between each piece. Bake for 7 minutes, flip, then bake an additional 7 minutes on the other side. They should be lightly golden brown.
- Continue to Step 4.
Jadyn
I baked them and they were so yummy and super easy to make
Julie
I made these last night and they were delicious. I didn’t have Texas Petes so I used a combo of a sweeter homemade bbq sauce that needed to be used up and some Franks hot sauce. They still had a bit of bite…but only for those who don’t like spicy. I will try baking these next time to cut down on the mess…or maybe the air-fryer!
Laura
These were fantastic! I was really surprised at how good they were. I fried them this time around, but I’ll be trying the baked version in the near future. Thanks for the great recipe!
Randy
Followed the recipe as posted. Delicious! The only thing I would change is to just use 1 tsp salt, instead of 2. I will absolutely be making this again! Probably a whole bunch, for a neighborhood party…something like that!