Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Bites

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Bites are a quick, delicious dinner or snack made with juicy chicken breast pieces, pantry spices, and minimal oil. A healthier alternative to deep frying, these bite-sized pieces are perfect for the whole family and ready in under 30 minutes!

🍗 Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Bites (Perfect for the Whole Family!)

If you’re on the hunt for a quick dinner that’s packed with flavor and crunch, these Air Fryer Chicken Bites are a total game-changer. Whether you’re meal prepping for the week, feeding a hungry family, or just want a healthier alternative to deep frying, this crispy air fryer chicken bites recipe is the perfect combination of simplicity and satisfaction.

Made with simple ingredients and minimal oil, you’ll have golden, juicy chicken bites that taste like homemade chicken nuggets — without the mess!

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🤍 Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Chicken Bites Recipe

• ✅ Ready in under 30 minutes
• ✅ Extra crispy without deep frying
• ✅ A family favorite — even picky eaters love it
• ✅ Perfect for quick lunch, meal prep, or a delicious appetizer
• ✅ Made with real chicken and pantry staples

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🛒 Ingredients

These bite-sized pieces of chicken are seasoned to perfection and air fried until crisp!

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs), cut into chicken chunks
• 1 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• Optional: ½ tsp chili powder, lemon pepper, or cajun seasoning
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• Non-stick cooking spray

Tip: Swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer richer flavor.

Tip: You can use a Fried Chicken Spice blend like this one for quick seasoning!

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🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Chicken

On a clean cutting board, slice your chicken into even bite-sized pieces. This ensures uniform cook time and maximum crispiness. I actually love using these plastic sheets when I’m cutting up meat or fish of any kind. It protects my wooden cutting boards from bacteria, and I can really scrub the plastic sheet when I’m finished with it. 

Step 2: Season in a Large Bowl

In a large bowl, mix your chicken with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and any additional seasonings. Toss to coat evenly. Add panko breadcrumbs and toss again. 

You could also do this in a zip-top baggie, and take it back to the “Shake and Bake” days! Add all the olive oil and seasonings and give it a nice “smoosh around.” Then, add your breadcrumbs and shake the bag until nothing is left on the sides and all the chicken pieces are evenly coated.

Step 3: Preheat the Air Fryer

Preheat your air fryer to 365°F. Lightly coat your air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray.

When preheating your air fryer, I just let mine run for a full 3 minutes so I know it’s up to temperature before I drop my food in. This is where having an Alexa-enabled product in the kitchen is so handy! “Hey, Alexa! Set a three minute timer!” And go about your business.

This is the air fryer I’ve been using recently, and I absolutely LOVE it. It air fries so much better than my Ninja oven!

Step 4: Arrange in a Single Layer

Place the chicken in a single layer inside the basket. Avoid overcrowding — use a second batch if necessary. This gives you the crispy air fryer chicken bites you’re craving.

Step 5: Cook the Chicken

Just before you air fry your chicken, you’ll toss the chicken with cornstarch. This adds so much crunchiness to the texture of the chicken!

Air fry for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.

Note: For best results, don’t skip flipping the bites halfway. I really just shake the chicken bites vigourously to move them around. See my notes in the recipe card for upping your temperature halfway through for added crispiness, too!

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🥣 Favorite Dipping Sauces

Pair your crispy chicken bites with any of these favorite dipping sauce ideas:

• Honey mustard
• BBQ sauce
• Ranch dressing
• Marinara sauce
• A mix of soy sauce and brown sugar for a sweet-savory kick

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✨ Serving Suggestions

These versatile bites are perfect for:

• Appetizers with sweet potato fries or french fries
• Tossing into rice bowls or grain bowls
• Topping favorite salads for added protein (I end up calling them chicken croutons!) Toni’s Chopped Salad would be the perfect “blank canvas” salad for these chicken bites!
• Pairing with cauliflower rice for a light, low-carb meal. Serve with this (Low Carb) Easy Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole for a complete meal!
• Mixing into leftover chicken bites stir-fry or wraps

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🧊 How to Store Leftovers

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days
• Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3–4 minutes
• Great for next-day lunchboxes or wraps!

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🍗 Chicken Bites vs. Chicken Nuggets

This air fryer chicken bites recipe gives you rustic, real chunks of chicken — a little chunkier and more flavorful than traditional air fryer chicken nuggets. Think of them as upgraded popcorn chicken — fun to eat, better texture, and fully customizable!

And since we haven’t used any breadcrumbs, just cornstarch, they are gluten-free! I didn’t miss the breading whatsoever!

I would also say, since in the photos and recipe testing I used chicken thighs that were sliced, these aren’t nuggets.

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🔄 Variations

• Add a splash of lemon juice and Italian dressing for a bright, zesty marinade
• Make it spicy with red pepper flakes or chili powder

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🧾 Full Printable Recipe Card

You can find the full printable recipe card with step-by-step photos, nutrition info, and affiliate links for my favorite air fryer tools at the bottom of this post.
Purchasing through these links earns me a small commission at no extra cost to you — thank you for supporting more delicious chicken recipes like this one!

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🍽️ Final Thoughts

These Air Fryer Chicken Bites are the easiest way to serve up big flavor in small bites. Whether you’re dipping them into your favorite sauce, layering them on top of a salad, or tossing them into a grain bowl, you’ll love how versatile and satisfying this simple recipe is.

Make a batch tonight and watch your whole family ask for seconds!

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