Buffalo Chicken Bites
Buffalo chicken bites are spicy, tangy and ready in under 15 minutes. Made in the skillet, these are a healthy swap for buffalo chicken wings and are great for meal prep or as a game day snack.
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Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy to make – the chicken bites cook on the stove in under 15 minutes.
- Simple, ingredients – the buffalo sauce is made from pantry staples
- Healthy recipe – gluten free, dairy free, paleo, Whole30 and low carb.
- Versatile – Serve as an appetizer (with toothpicks), on wraps or salads or as a main dish with rice or potatoes.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken – you can use chicken breast, chicken thighs, chicken tenders or even turkey breast for this recipe.
- Hot sauce – use any hot sauce you have on hand. If you want a slightly less spicy hot sauce, I recommend Texas Pete.
- Avocado oil – avocado oil helps to coat the chicken to ensure that it doesn’t stick during cooking and replaces the butter in traditional buffalo sauce recipes. If you want a more authentic flavor, you can use melted ghee or butter (not dairy free).
- Spices: Dried chives, dried parsley, garlic powder, salt, dried dill – This is my homemade ranch seasoning mixture. You can also use your favorite ranch seasoning (you will need about 1.5 tablespoons).
How to make buffalo chicken bites
Cut the chicken into cubes: Cut the chicken up into bite size pieces (about 1-1.5 inch cubes).
Make the buffalo sauce: Combining the buffalo sauce ingredients in a bowl. Pour buffalo sauce over the chicken.
Cook the chicken: Add the buffalo chicken mixture to a hot skillet and spread it out into a single layer.
Reduce the sauce if needed: If there is a lot of liquid left in the pan, remove the chicken with and cook the sauce for 1-3 more minutes to evaporate off some of the liquid. Add the chicken back in and stir well. Serve immediately.
Top tips
- Use sharp kitchen shears or a knife and a plastic cutting board to cut up the chicken. I recommend using a plastic cutting board so that you can sanitize it in the dishwasher after cutting the chicken on it.
- Cut the chicken into 1-1.5 inch chunks. It’s important to cut the chicken into relatively the same size chunks to ensure they cook evenly in the pan.
- How to tell if chicken is fully cooked: Usually, I can tell that the chicken is fully cooked by cutting a piece in half with the metal spatula (or a knife), it cuts apart easily and is fully cooked inside (not pink). Be sure to check the internal temperature (165F) of the biggest chunk of chicken with an instant read thermometer.
- You can easily double the recipe (just be sure to cook it in two batches or use two skillets so that the chicken doesn’t crowd the pan).
How to serve spicy chicken bites
- As an appetizer or snack dipped in ranch or blue cheese dressing with celery and carrots. Serve with toothpicks for easy dipping.
- On salads
- In a wrap with lettuce, tomato, and ranch dressing
- As the main dish alongside rice, mashed potatoes, quinoa, cauliflower mash and your favorite veggies for a super simple meal.
Common questions
What is the best hot sauce to use to make homemade buffalo sauce?
- Everyone is going to have a different idea of what the best hot sauce is for buffalo sauce, but I prefer Franks Red Hot Original hot sauce. (or the dupe at Aldi). Another great option is Crystal Hot Sauce.
- You could also use Texas Pete which has more vinegar and is less spicy or whatever your favorite hot sauce is.
Can you use store bought buffalo sauce?
Yes,*some of my favorites are Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce and New Primal Buffalo Sauce. These are both dairy free and so delicious!
Are these healthy buffalo chicken bites crispy?
No, there is no breading on these buffalo chicken bites so the chicken doesn’t get crispy when cooked on the stove.
Are boneless buffalo chunks spicy?
Yes, since the buffalo bites have a hot sauce based sauce on them, they are spicy. Reduce the spice by adding extra oil, or maple syrup or honey to the sauce to help offset some of the heat.
Want to make these spicier?
If you want to add more spice to the skillet buffalo chicken bites, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce (start with 1/4 teaspoon).
Storing leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze leftover chicken for up to 3 months. Be sure to let the chicken cool completely before freezing. Freeze in a freezer safe bag or container and label it with the name, date and use by date.
- Be sure to defrost the chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating instructions
- Stove – reheat in a skillet over medium low heat, covered. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of water or hot sauce to the skillet to ensure the chicken doesn’t dry out.
- Microwave – microwave on high for 1:30-2 minutes.
Substitutions
- Boneless, skinless chicken – you can use chicken breast, thighs, tenders or turkey breast. You can also make buffalo turkey meatballs (or buffalo chicken meatballs) if you only have ground chicken or turkey.
- Hot sauce – use whatever hot sauce you have on hand. You can also use a store-bought buffalo sauce.
- Avocado oil – you can also use olive oil, melted ghee or butter in place of the avocado oil.
- Spices – If you don’ have one of the spices on hand, you can simply omit it.
Love spicy food?
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Buffalo Chicken Bites
Buffalo chicken bites are so spicy, tangy and so flavorful! Ready in 15 minutes, these spicy chicken cubes are made on the stove and perfect for appetizers, game day, salads, wraps or as a main dish. Naturally gluten free, dairy free, paleo, Whole30 and low carb.
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Servings: 4
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp dried chives
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cut the chicken into cubes (about 1-1.5 inch chunks). Add the chicken to a bowl.
- Combine the hot sauce, avocado oils and spices in a bowl. Stir well then pour the buffalo sauce over the chicken cubes.
- When the skillet is hot, add the chicken and buffalo sauce and move the chicken to to one layer in the skillet then don't touch the chicken for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, stir the chicken and cook 4-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If there is a lot of liquid left in the skillet, take the chicken out and cook the chicken 1-3 more minutes until thickened. Return the chicken to the skillet and stir well.
Notes
Top tips
- Use sharp kitchen shears or a knife and a plastic cutting board to cut up the chicken. I recommend using a plastic cutting board so that you can sanitize it in the dishwasher after cutting the chicken on it.
- Cut the chicken into 1-1.5 inch chunks. It’s important to cut the chicken into relatively the same size chunks to ensure they cook evenly in the pan.
- If there is a lot of liquid left in the pan after the chicken is fully cooked, remove the chicken and simmer the sauce 2-3 minutes to thicken it slightly before adding the chicken back and stirring. This helps intensify the flavor and doesn’t make the buffalo chicken bites runny with sauce.
- Usually, I can tell that the chicken is fully cooked by cutting a piece in half with the metal spatula (or a knife), it cuts apart easily and is fully cooked inside (not pink). Be sure to check the internal temperature of the biggest chunk of chicken with an instant read thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to 165F at the thickest part.
- You can easily double the recipe (just be sure to cook it in two batches or use two skillets so that the chicken doesn’t crowd the pan).
- Fridge: Store leftover chicken buffalo bites in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze leftover chicken for up to 3 months. Be sure to let the chicken cool completely before freezing. Freeze in a freezer safe bag or container and label it with the name, date and use by date.
- Be sure to defrost the chicken in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Stove – reheat in a skillet over medium low heat, covered. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of water or hot sauce to the skillet to ensure the chicken doesn’t dry out.
- Microwave – microwave on high for 1:30-2 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
240
Fat
11
g
Carbohydrates
1
g
Fiber
0.2
g
Sugar
0.4
g
Protein
33
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
DID YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE?Let others know by rating and leaving a comment below!
These buffalo chicken bites sounded absolutely delicious! I appreciate the simplicity and efficiency of the recipe, allowing for a quick and satisfying meal. The homemade buffalo sauce adds a delightful kick of flavor, and the combination of herbs and spices promises a tantalizing taste experience. Your attention to detail in the notes section, such as ensuring even-sized chicken chunks and thickening the sauce, demonstrates your dedication to achieving the perfect outcome. It’s great to know that the recipe can be easily doubled for larger gatherings. Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe—it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser! And I’ll be sure to add it to flashnutritionco.com ‘s arsenal of healthy alternative recipes!
Thank you for leaving such a lovely review! So glad you enjoyed these!