Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Bites
Crispy air fryer chicken bites are the best homemade chicken nuggets. They have crispy, golden brown edges and are moist in the middle. The whole family will love this simple recipe that’s dairy free and can easily be made gluten free.
Looking for more chicken recipes? Try my baked bang bang chicken skewers, gluten free general Tso’s chicken, or adobo chicken tacos.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these crispy chicken bites:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Egg – for dredging the chicken so the breadcrumbs stick.
- Panko breadcrumbs – use gluten free if needed. Aleia’s is my favorite brand for gluten free and dairy free breadcrumbs. It tastes identical to traditional panko and is what I used for this recipe.
- Seasonings – smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Bites: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces (chicken nugget size). Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF.
2. Set up your dredging station. In one bowl, mix the panko bread crumbs and seasonings. In the other bowl, beat the egg. Dredge each piece of chicken first in the beaten egg then in the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer the coated chicken pieces to a plate (don’t stack them).
3. Arrange the breaded chicken pieces in a single layer in the tray. Spray the top of the pieces of chicken with avocado oil or olive oil. Cook for 9 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through and spraying the tops of each piece with a little more oil.
4. Transfer the cooked pieces to a wire rack and continue until you’ve cooked all the chicken. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Helpful Tips
- The chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature on a meat thermometer reads 165ºF.
- Use a fork (or one hand) to dip the chicken into the beaten egg, shake off the excess egg, then transfer it into the bread crumbs. Then bread the chicken using your other hand. This prevents the bread crumbs from becoming overly soggy.
Quick Tip: Use different seasonings to switch up the flavor profile depending on what you’re serving them with. See the Make It Your Way section below for ideas!
Storage
Store leftover chicken bites in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. I find that they still stay crispy the next day.
Reheat the chicken pieces in a toaster oven or skillet to make them extra crispy.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this air fryer chicken bites recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- Use different seasonings – such as Italian seasoning, ranch seasoning, cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, or adobo seasoning.
- Add-ins – crushed red pepper flakes for a kick, chili powder, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
I haven’t tried making these air fryer boneless chicken bites with chicken thighs, so I don’t know the exact cooking time.
Chicken thighs typically take longer to cook than chicken breasts, so I recommend adding 1-2 minutes to the total time, then using a meat thermometer to temp them to know if they’re cooked through.
How To Serve
Serve these crispy chicken tenders with your favorite sauce such as dairy free ranch dressing, spicy honey mustard, BBQ aioli or BBQ sauce, or Japanese spicy mayo. You can add them to a bowl or salad such as my Asian crunch salad or shaved fennel apple salad with kale.
Enjoy them tucked into a wrap, sandwich, or with a side of french fries or roasted vegetables such as crispy roasted hot honey brussels sprouts or harissa roasted cauliflower with fresh herbs.
More Chicken Recipes
- Baked Bang Bang Chicken Skewers
- Gluten Free General Tso’s Chicken
- Adobo Chicken Tacos
- Marry Me Chicken Pasta (Dairy Free)
I hope you love these Air Fryer Chicken Bites! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Bites
Ingredients
- 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large egg beaten
- ⅔ heaping cup panko breadcrumbs use gluten free if needed, see notes below
- ¾ teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt use ½ teaspoon if using anything else
- ½ teaspoon EACH garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil or avocado oil spray
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces (chicken nugget size). Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF.
- Set up your dredging station. In one bowl, mix the panko bread crumbs and seasonings. In the other bowl, beat the egg. Dredge each piece of chicken first in the beaten egg then in the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer the coated chicken pieces to a plate (don't stack them).
- Arrange the breaded chicken pieces in a single layer in the tray. Spray the top of the pieces of chicken with avocado oil or olive oil. Cook for 9 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through and spraying the tops of each piece with a little more oil.
- Transfer the cooked pieces to a wire rack and continue until you’ve cooked all the chicken. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce (ideas are included in the blog post).