Description
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!
Ingredients
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1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs), cut into chicken chunks
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2 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
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1 tsp garlic powder
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1 tsp onion powder
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½ tsp black pepper
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½ tsp salt
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1 tsp paprika
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Optional: ½ tsp chili powder, lemon pepper, or cajun seasoning
- 2 TBS corn starch
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Non-stick cooking spray
Tip: Swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer richer flavor.
Instructions
On a clean cutting board, slice your chicken into even bite-sized pieces. This ensures uniform cook time and maximum crispiness. When I’m using chicken thighs, I like to slice cross-wise (across the shorter side!), to create chicken slices that almost resemble a flat wing!
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. Let this marinate for however long you want, you can move onto adding the cornstarch right away, or let it sit in the fridge, covered for up to 24 hours.
Preheat your air fryer to 365°F. Lightly coat your air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray.
Just before you add your chicken to the air fryer, toss with the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Move the chicken around so it’s evenly coated. 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.
Air fry for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through. When you’re shaking your chicken to flip it, and halfway through the cooking time, crank up the temperature to 400˚.
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.
Notes
I love making these chicken bites and dipping them into my favorite sauces. I’ve also tossed with a buffalo sauce and air fried again so the sauce “adheres” to the chicken.
