Air Fryer Chicken Bites

Air Fryer Chicken Bites are your new weeknight go-to! Inspired by Chick-fil-A grilled nuggets, they’re juicy, flavorful, and perfect for dipping in our homemade Chick-fil-A sauce.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 7

Marinating time 30

Total Time 42

Servings servings

Calories 164

Author Kim

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs or tenders cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup pickle juice
⅓ cup buttermilk see notes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon seasoned salt such as Lawry’s seasoned salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoons garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika hot or smoked

Chick-fil-A Sauce (optional for serving)

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons honey BBQ sauce
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Combine pickle juice and buttermilk in a bowl or large ziplock bag. Add in the chicken pieces, cover or seal, and let them soak in the fridge for at least 30 minutes—though the longer, the better (up to a full day!).
In a separate small bowl, stir together the cornstarch, powdered sugar, seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to make your flavorful seasoning mix.
Once the chicken is done marinating, pour off and discard the liquid using a colander (don't rinse). Add the chicken to a bowl, sprinkle on the spice blend, and toss until every bite is coated.
Preheat your air fryer to 425ºF. Lightly coat the basket with cooking spray or add a liner to prevent sticking.
Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in the basket. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer basket. Give the chicken pieces a quick spray of cooking oil, and air fry for 7–9 minutes or until they’re golden and reach 160ºF inside. Serve them up with your favorite dipping sauce!
To make the copycat Chick-fil-A sauce, combine 3/4 cup mayo, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons honey BBQ sauce, 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust to personal preference. Chill in the fridge or use immediately.

Notes

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, mix 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar or lemon juice and ⅓ cup milk. Let ingredients mix in bowl for 5 minutes before adding the pickle juice.

Nutrition