Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Bites

One of my favorite meal prep components to make, these air fryer chicken bites are juicy, delicious and perfect to have on hand to use for so many snacks and meals! They are easy to make, store in the fridge or freezer really well and completely customizable so you can use whatever seasonings you love and have on hand! I always make a full pound at a time, but it's super simple to scale this recipe down (or up!) as needed.

One thing about me: At any given point, I'm probably meal prepping chicken.

Is that as sad as it sounds? Sometimes!

But also completely necessary to make sure I have a chance at eating healthy, high-protein meals and snacks at least a few days each week.

I often fall back to my Weeknight Chicken recipes (yes, even when prepping on a Sunday), but these juicy chicken bites have been my go-to for months now.

They are so easy to make & they don't require me to turn my oven on which is a HUGE win in my book. They are also developed to use chicken breast or tenders, rather than thighs, so great for anyone looking for a high-protein, lower calorie option when it comes to chicken.

How to make chicken bites in the air fryer

1. Toss your cut up chicken with salt and cornstarch until all the chicken is evenly coated. I like to do this first before adding seasoning so I can see the cornstarch better and make sure it's not clumping up!
2. Add seasoning of your choice and toss again.
3. Spread chicken out in a single layer in air fryer basket or tray. Spray with avocado oil just to lightly coat.
4. Air fry at 400 for 8-10 minutes, until slightly crispy and cooked through.
5. Enjoy!

How to season your chicken bites

The best part of this recipe is that you can truly use whatever seasoning you love. Fajita, Italian, lemon pepper, you name it!

For a few quick homemade options that make exactly 1 tablespoon (needed for this recipe), consider:

Cajun: 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon each onion powder, black pepper, dried oregano and dried thyme and cayenne pepper.

Blackened: 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon each, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, dried oregano and dried thyme.

Taco: 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon each ground cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried oregano and red pepper flakes. (Alternatively, you can use my house seasoning for a similar taste!)

NOTE: I add salt separately, so no salt measurements above. A rule of thumb I go by is 1 teaspoon salt per pound of chicken, so scale up or down as needed!

What's the secret to crispy chicken with no breading?

Cornstarch!

I like to use a little cornstarch to help the chicken crisp up as it's cooking.

These obviously are not a replacement for breaded or fried chicken nuggets, but that light coating of cornstarch does crisp up as they are air fried and make this chicken that much more delicious.

How to serve chicken bites

These juicy little chicken bites are perfect to thrown in wraps, salads, pastas and more!

Salads: Add to a simple House Salad, Italian Chopped Salad, Roasted Artichoke & White Bean Salad or Kale Caesar Salad.

Pasta: Use in this One Pan Creamy Gnocchi For One or add to One Pan Baked Tomato and Feta Pasta.

Or eat as-is with a side like 10-minute Sauted Kale, Everyday Roasted Potatoes, Gochujang Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Fried Rice For One.

If you are like me and totally happy to just stand at your counter and dip pieces of chicken in a sauce/dip of some sort, maybe try Jalapeno Ranch, Lemon Tahini, Hot Green Chutney or Smoked Paprika Greek Yogurt Dip.

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