This Air Fryer Chicken Bites Recipe will be your new favorite crispy substitute for chicken nuggets. These bites are made with boneless chicken and seasoned breading. Paired with your favorite dipping sauces, these juicy chicken bites are perfect, considering they are a low-carb recipe.
Who does not like little bites made in minutes for any occasion? Kids love them, Daddy loves them, and all the guests love them. What more do we need? Everyone is happy, and that makes us contained and glad as well.
Serve them with cauliflower rice and mashed cauliflower for a whole hearty meal aside from eating them as a snack.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Kid-Friendly: These chicken bites are so popular among kids, and air frying makes them even more appealing because of the minimal oil, crispy coating and juicy chicken inside.
- A Healthy Option: Making these chicken bites in the air fryer is healthier since it only requires a little oil. You can make healthy chicken bites by choosing healthy ingredients and a healthy cooking method in no time.
- Very Easy To Make: Cooking chicken bites in the air fryer is easy and hassle-free. It is a convenient option for busy weeknights when you need to get dinner on the table fast.
Air Fryer Recipes
Before making our chicken bites, I must introduce you to a few more crunchy snacks. Check out these air-fried pork rinds, the perfect low-carb snack made from pork skin.
If you are a veggie lover and love eating cabbage, this air fryer cabbage recipe is perfect for you. It is a crunchy and flavorful recipe for plain cabbage slices.
Our keto garlic croutons and cheese puffs are also made crispy in the air fryer for snacks and random cravings. Once you have an air fryer at home, you will realize how fun and easy it is to make recipes like these and even more.
Are These Chicken Bites The Same As Chicken Nuggets?
Chicken bites and nuggets are similar but different because chicken bites are small pieces of chicken covered in breading or seasoning. In contrast, chicken nuggets are made from ground chicken formed into shapes, covered in breading, and cooked by frying or baking.
Air Fryer Chicken Bites For Meal Prep
One thing I like about these chicken bites is that they are suitable for snack time and perfect for meal prep. They are ideal for people who like preparing their meals in advance and for the ones who control their food intake.
Most people choose plain chicken breasts as their protein, but if you want something new and more flavorful, make these chicken bites instead while keeping them low-carb.
Perfect Dips For Chicken Bites
The best way to serve these chicken bites is by serving them immediately right after cooking when they are the crunchiest, with different dipping sauces like:
- BBQ Sauce: This homemade BBQ sauce is perfect if you want a dipping sauce with a hint of smokey flavor.
- Buffalo Ranch: I recently made a buffalo chicken dip that is a fusion of buffalo sauce and ranch. It is one of the best I have ever made, perfect for bite-sized party food.
- Cheese Dip: If you are a cheese and garlic lover, I am sure you will love this homemade cheese dip made with lots of garlic and creamy cheese.
- Ranch Dressing: As a usual dip for chicken nuggets and chicken tenders, our ranch dressing is an all-around dip for anything, especially chicken bites.
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Bites Recipe
If you have watched the recipe video I prepared, making this chicken dish is easier than it looks. If you have your air fryer ready, let’s go and make this low-carb version of chicken bites.
Kitchen Gadgets Needed:
- Air Fryer: Invest in a good quality air fryer for quick-fried recipes like this.
- Tongs or Tweezers: Use any of these two if you do not want any mess when coating the chicken pieces. These will help you flip and turn the chicken bites in the air fryer basket.
- Mixing Bowls: You will need mixing bowls to coat the chicken bites in breadings before air frying. You can prepare a couple of bowls in different sizes for easy preparation.
Ingredients Needed:
- Chicken Breasts: Choose boneless and skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Egg: Use 1 or 2 eggs to act as the binding agent for the breading, helping it stick to the chicken.
- Breadcrumbs: If you have homemade breadcrumbs at home, they coat the chicken well. You can use crushed pork rinds or almond flour as a substitute.
- Granulated Garlic: For a garlicky flavor to your chicken bites, use granulated garlic. You can also use garlic powder if you do not have granules.
- Onion Powder: A little onion powder will add a sweet and savory flavor to the dry coating mixture.
- Paprika Spice: This smoked paprika spice will add smokey flavor and color.
- Salt and Pepper: Add some salt and black pepper to enhance the overall taste of the coating mixture.
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING CHICKEN BITES IN THE AIR FRYER
First Step: Prepare All Ingredients
Start preparing all the ingredients by washing and cutting the chicken into small bite-sized pieces.
Set all the seasonings and coating ingredients aside for easy preparation.
Second Step: Season The Chicken
Beat the egg in a medium-sized bowl and toss the chicken. Coat them evenly with the egg and prepare the dry breading separately.
For the dry mixture, combine the breadcrumbs and all the seasonings in one bowl until thoroughly combined.
Third Step: Coat Chicken
Once you have the dry mixture ready, start coating each chicken piece. If you do not want to use your hands, use a tweezer.
The image shows that I prepared a chopping board with paper tissue on top for the coated pieces.
Fourth Step: Assemble
After coating all the chicken pieces, place them in the air fryer in a single layer. Make sure to leave tiny spaces between each piece to cook them evenly.
Do the same with the rest of the batch and spray olive oil on the breaded chicken bites.
Fifth Step: Air-Fry the Chicken
Set the internal temperature of the air fryer to 200C or 400F and cook the chicken until golden brown, 8 minutes at most. Cooking time depends on the size of your bites.
When it starts looking crunchy and golden brown like this, take them out of the air fryer and serve.
RECIPE TIPS AND TRICKS WHEN MAKING CRISPY CHICKEN BITES:
- Seasonings: you can experiment using different savory seasonings and other spices for your chicken coating.
- Turn: Depending on your Air Fryer, you can flip your nuggets and cook for another 3 minutes to add extra crispiness.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Substitute For Chicken Breasts
Skinless chicken thighs are the best substitute if chicken breasts are unavailable since they are flavorful and juicy. But when you plan on using chicken thighs, trim any excess fat and cut them into bite-sized pieces before breading and air-frying.
What To Serve With Chicken Bites?
To balance their flavor, serve these juicy air fryer chicken bites with fresh salads like broccoli salad with bacon and fresh potato mayo salad. It is also perfect to serve with vegetables on the side, such as cauliflower bites and zucchini boats, for an extra flavor while staying low-carb.
You can enjoy these chicken bites with tater tots and keto french fries for a grain free meal.
Can I Make Chicken Bites Without Breading?
Yes, of course. You can make chicken bites without breading, and it is actually the usual low-carb way to do so. But do not be confused because these unbreaded chicken bites are still delicious, quick, and easy to make.
How Do I Store Boneless Chicken Bites?
If you ever have leftover chicken bites, the easiest way to store them is in a medium-sized airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Just make sure to cool them completely before doing so.
When ready to enjoy your chicken bites after storing them, you can reheat them in the air fryer for a few minutes until heated, or you can enjoy them cold as a tasty snack or in addition to salads and wraps.
More Best Chicken Recipes Here
Here are some of the best chicken recipes from our blog that I would like to share with you. Make your own chicken jerky with this dehydrated chicken recipe, which you can turn into a chicken powder spice and use for your savory recipes.
If you want to feel warm and cozy, make this healthy chicken soup to keep yourself full and warm at the same time. Our stuffed chicken Hasselback can also be your go-to chicken meal since it is made from chicken breasts and full of protein. A few more ideas are down below.
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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Bites Low Carb Version
Equipment
- 1 Tweezers
Ingredients
- 2 Pieces Chicken Breasts
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Black Pepper
Instructions
- Start preparing all the ingredients by washing and cutting the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Set all the seasonings and coating ingredients aside for easy preparation.
- Beat the egg in a medium-sized bowl and toss the chicken. Coat them evenly with the egg and prepare the dry breading separately. For the dry mixture, combine the breadcrumbs and all the seasonings in one bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Once you have the dry mixture ready, start coating each chicken piece. If you do not want to use your hands, use a tweezer. The image shows that I prepared a chopping board with paper tissue on top for the coated pieces.
- After coating all the chicken pieces, place them in the air fryer in a single layer. Make sure to leave tiny spaces between each piece to cook them evenly. Do the same with the rest of the batch and spray olive oil on the breaded chicken bites.
- Set the internal temperature of the air fryer to 200C or 400F and cook the chicken until golden brown, 8 minutes at most. Cooking time depends on the size of your bites. When it starts looking crunchy and golden brown like this, take them out of the air fryer and serve.
Video
Notes
- Seasonings: you can experiment using different savory seasonings and other spices for your chicken coating.
- Turn: Depending on your Air Fryer, you can flip your nuggets and cook for another 3 minutes to add extra crispiness.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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Chicken here comes
More chicken recipes that are low carb and keto and delicious? Enjoy.
