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This recipe for air fryer buffalo chicken strips is a healthier alternative to your typical fried buffalo chicken strips. It is made with minimal oil but you still get all the flavor and the perfect crunchy chicken strip! These air fried buffalo chicken strips are made with Panko crumbs but I have also included a paleo version so you can make your chicken strips even healthier as well as low carb!
Chicken strips are a family friendly household staple and buffalo chicken strips in the air fryer is the perfect way to make them a little tastier and healthier! Your air fryer is a great tool to heat up packaged frozen chicken strips but when you don't have those available, these homemade air fryer buffalo chicken strips will do the trick!
Ingredients
I prepared these buffalo strips two ways. One with panko crumbs which gives the chicken strips a great crispy crunch and another made with almond flour and egg which still tastes amazing but makes the recipe lower in carbs as well as paleo friendly. To make your chicken strips you will need:
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Strips in the Air Fryer
I like to follow a dry-wet-dry method when cooking breaded chicken in the air fryer. I have found these helps keep the "breading" on my chicken tenders and gives me the best texture for my air fryer buffalo chicken strips.
Step 1: Set almond flour on a plate, beat an egg into a bowl and then add panko crumbs (or more almond flour if you are doing a low carb or paleo version) to another plate.
Step 2: Working in an assembly line, dip your chicken tender first into the almond flour, then the egg, then then roll into the panko crumbs until your chicken tender is coated.
Step 3: When the chicken tenders are coated, add them in a single layer to your air fryer. Spray with a little cooking spray and air fry at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink, flipping halfway though.
Step 4: Remove chicken tenders from the air fryer and add to a bowl. Top with the buffalo sauce and gently toss to coat each chicken tender with sauce. Serve with celery sticks and ranch!
Recipe Notes and Variations
Other Air Fryer Recipes You Will Love:
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Description
These air fryer buffalo chicken strips are quick, easy, delicious and a healthy way to enjoy chicken strips without frying! A paleo and low carb version is also included.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast strips
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¾ cup Panko crumbs - (skip for low carb or paleo option)
- ½ cup almond flour (I use Bob's Red Mill) (Use 1 cup for paleo/low carb option)
- ½ cup buffalo sauce (I use Primal Kitchen Foods, use code BEAUTY10 for a discount on your order!)
- salt and pepper to taste
- ranch for dipping (I love Primal Kitchen Foods Vegan Ranch
Instructions
- Place beaten egg, almond flour and panko crumbs in 3 separate plates/bowls
- Dip chicken strips into the almond flour, then the egg wash, and roll in panko until well coated.
- Place in air fryer and spray the top of the chicken with a little cooking spray
- Air fry at 375 for 7-8 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink
- Remove chicken from air fryer and place in a mixing bowl. Add buffalo sauce to bowl.
- Toss chicken gently in buffalo sauce until well coated
- Serve with celery, carrots and ranch
Notes
Nutrition facts listed for version with Panko.
Nutrition facts for Paleo/Whole30 version are: Calories: 232, Fat: 10.4, Carb: 3.3, Protein: 30.5
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz chicken or ¼th of recipe
- Calories: 273
- Fat: 10.6
- Carbohydrates: 11.9
- Fiber: 1.4
- Protein: 31.6
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Alissa says
This is so good! I have made it twice this month. My teenagers love boneless buffalo tenders at restaurants and they love these. I didn't change anything, which is rare for me!
Jen says
So glad you guys liked them!!! 🙂
Magali says
Do you have nutritional info on these ?
Jen says
I don't, sorry! But you can put the ingredients into myfitnesspal to calculate!
elaine says
a recipe i have for cooking chicken uses parchment paper with holes poked through it and found it works great
Julie Boyden says
These turned out just like the recipe says, however, I did use regular flour since I didn’t have almond flour. Also, we only had chicken breast so I cut them in nugget size. Since some air dryers are different, I cooked mine on 370 for 7 mins then turned them and cooked for 5 more mins. Much more and I’m afraid they would’ve burned. My teenagers loved them. We doubled the recipe and made a batch of buffalo and then kept some plain and chopped them up and made “street tacos” and drizzled a little Polynesian sauce on them. They loved those even more than the buffalo. My son immediately said to make sure I save this recipe so we can make them again this weekend. He actually said they were just as good as Chick-fil-A, especially since he didn’t have to go anywhere to get them. LOL.
Susan Dubose says
My favorite thing is when I make something that others love and I let them know it's whole 30. These are a staple in my house. amazing flout mix. When I am not on a strict whole 30 I make this into a buffalo chicken wrap in cashew flour tortillas.
Jen says
I love putting these in wraps too!!
Carl says
How do you keep the breading from falling off when you flip them?
Jen Lopez says
I use tongs and make sure the breading is sprayed with the oil spray and haven't had any issues. And I make sure the first flip happens after the chicken has had enough time to cook and really adhere together. You can use an air fryer liner also if you're struggling with the breading sticking to the bottom of the air fryer basket itself.
KTW says
I noticed this is an older post, but thought my response might be helpful to you and others. I did not spray the chicken with oil, however, I used an air fryer liner (parchment-type paper with holes), only almond flour and quite by accident discovered that if the prepared chicken tenders are put in the refrigerator for 20+ minutes before cooking, the breading adheres much better. I could not fit all the chicken strips in the air fryer basket, so I refrigerated some of them and cooked them after dinner.
Dave says
I would not spray the Air Fryer with cooking spray, as it can cause damage to the coating. Spray the meat before putting into the air fryer.
Jen says
I've always sprayed the air fryer itself and it's been fine for the couple years I've had it! Thanks for the tip though!