These boneless buffalo chicken bites are perfection. Lightly battered and pan-seared, they're crispy on the outside with a moist and tender interior, then tossed in my mom's signature buffalo sauce.
½cTexas Pete Original Hot Sauceor your favorite hot sauce - see suggestions in post
2tablespoonbutter
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 tablespoon 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.
To bake instead of pan-sear:
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.