air fryer essentials: spicy buffalo chicken bites
(1 rating)
Came up with this recipe last night for a client’s Superbowl party. They have a bit of tang, and a bit of heat. I am making these in the air fryer; however, you could do them in the oven. If you have a convection option, the times should be about the same. If you do not, then increase the times by about 10 percent. So, you ready… Let’s get into the kitchen.
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(1 rating)
yield
1 - 2
prep time
1 Hr
cook time
45 Min
method
Air Fryer
Ingredients For air fryer essentials: spicy buffalo chicken bites
- PLAN/PURCHASE
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1 lgchicken breast, boneless, skinless
- THE BRINE
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3/4 cdill pickle juice
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1 Tbspapple-cider vinegar
- THE WET INGREDIENTS
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2 Tbspwhole milk
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2 Tbsphot sauce, i prefer frank’s
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1 lgfarm fresh egg
- THE DRY INGREDIENTS
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1/2 cbreadcrumbs, plain variety (not panko)
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1 tspsalt, kosher variety, fine grain
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1/2 tspdehydrated onions, finely ground
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1/4 tsppaprika, sweet or hot, your choice
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1/4 tspwhite pepper, freshly ground
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1/4 tspgarlic powder
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1 - 2 pinchcayenne pepper
- THE FINISHING SAUCE
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2 Tbspsweet butter, unsalted, melted
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2 Tbsphot sauce, i prefer frank’s
- OPTIONAL ITEMS
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dill pickle slices, for serving
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your choice of beer… lots of beer
How To Make air fryer essentials: spicy buffalo chicken bites
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1PREP/PREPARE
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2Pickle Juice Many folks think that Chick-fil-A pioneered the use of pickle juice as a brine for their chicken, but they are not even close. I have cookbooks that are over 100 years old that talk about that specific brining technique. With that said, not all pickle juices are created equal. I am using a fermented pickle brine that has a spicy kick; however, use what you have on hand The pickle brine will create a subtle tang to the chicken bites that is complimented by the hot sauce and spices.
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3Breadcrumbs Do not use panko breadcrumbs. The ones I am using are finely ground dried sourdough bread. Store bought or homemade… up to you. If you are using pre-seasoned breadcrumbs, then you might want to leave out the salt. Most pre-seasoned breadcrumbs contain a lot of sodium.
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4Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
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5Cut up the chicken breast into bite-size pieces, about 1 – 1.5 inches (2.5 – 3.8cm) thick. Do not try to be perfect; just eyeball it.
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6Add the Brine Ingredients to a bowl and add the chicken.
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7Cover and place in the fridge for an hour, but no longer than 90 minutes.
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8Add the Wet Ingredients to a bowl, large enough to hold the chicken, and whisk to combine.
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9Remove the chicken from the fridge and add the chicken to the Wet Ingredients. Let soak for about 15 minutes.
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10Add the Dry Ingredients to a large bowl, or Ziplock bag, then remove the chicken from the Wet Ingredients, shake off the excess and thoroughly coat. Leave them in the coating for about 5 minutes.
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11Meanwhile, preheat your air fryer to 375f (190c), about 2 – 3 minutes.
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12Add the breaded chicken to the basket of your air fryer and cook for 10 minutes.
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13After five minutes give the basket a shake.
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14I used my smaller air fryer, so I cooked these in two batches.
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15These chicken bites should not stick; however, if you are worried about sticking, just brush a bit of oil on the basket mesh before adding the chicken.
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16While the chicken is cooking make the Finishing Sauce by melting the butter and combining it with the hot sauce. I usually just take one of the bowls I have already used and clean it out.
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17After ten minutes, increase the heat to 400f (205c), and cook an additional 4 minutes, or until the chicken bites are cooked through, and golden brown.
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18Shake the basket two or three times while they are cooking.
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19Remove from the air fryer and toss in the finishing sauce.
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20PLATE/PRESENT
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21Serve while nice and hot with some pickles on the side and a few beers. Enjoy.
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22Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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