Buffalo Ranch Chicken Bites (Air Fryer)

If you are looking for a tasty snack or main dish that is nutritious and easy to make, you must try these buffalo ranch chicken bites. They are crispy on the outside and filled with flavor.

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Bites

Before making this recipe make sure you have all the ingredients you need. Swaps and alternatives are listed next to each individual ingredient.

• Chicken breast: Or chicken thighs. Other alternatives are listed in another section of this article.
• All purpose flour: You can substitute with cornstarch or arrowroot starch. 
• Eggs: You can also use a vegan egg substitute.
• Breadcrumbs: Or panko breadcrumbs.
• Hot sauce: You can use any brand you desire, I prefer Frank’s Red Hot (affiliate link). 
• Ranch seasoning: I use the Trader Joe’s one, but any variety works fine. 
• Olive oil: Or canola, vegetable or avocado oil. If you don’t mind the saturated fat, butter works great as well.

How to make Buffalo Chicken Bites

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Set aside. In three small bowls, add all purpose flour, egg and breadcrumbs, respectively. Dip each piece of chicken into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Make sure to tap off excess in between dips.

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the chicken bites to the air fryer rack and cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway. 

While chicken bites are cooking, combine the hot sauce, ranch seasoning and olive oil in a large bowl and mix together. Add chicken bites to the large bowl and toss to combine. Then serve with sides of choice.

Alternatives to chicken

If you don’t like chicken or just want to switch this recipe up, don’t worry! There are a few alternatives to chicken that would work well for this recipe. Here are a few options:

• Extra firm tofu
• Turkey breast
• Ground chicken or turkey (formed into small balls)
• Salmon
• Cauliflower
• Potato or sweet potato
• Winter squash

Where to find hot sauce

You should be able to find hot sauce at your local grocery store. That being said, it can be difficult to figure out which hot sauce is the best considering there are so many brands and varieties. Here are few of my favorites (affiliate links):

Are these buffalo chicken bites good for you?

Yes, this recipe is nutrient dense as well as delicious. One serving of this recipe contains about 300 calories, 32 grams of protein, 17 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of fat. It’s a good source of B vitamins, folate, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc.

It’s also low in saturated fat, with only 2.4 grams per serving. Most buffalo sauces are made with butter, making it high in saturated fat. While there’s nothing wrong with some occasional buffalo wings, the buffalo ranch sauce used in this recipe is a better option. 

What to serve this with

I recommend serving this dish with a carbohydrate source and a vegetable since this recipe is very protein heavy. Personally, I think this recipe pairs great with some oven baked french fries and roasted broccoli or green beans.

You could also serve this as a side dish alongside some vegetarian pizza (extra points if it’s homemade). It makes for a great game day snack as well.

How to store the leftovers

If you have leftovers, simply transfer them to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. When you are ready to reheat the leftovers, simply microwave them or reheat them in the oven or air fryer so they remain crispy.

Similar Recipes

• Trader Joe’s Peri Peri Chicken (Nando’s Copycat)
• Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick
• Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders