These easy air fryer popcorn chicken bites are so deliciously crispy. They use a baked breading method and are not deep-fried. No air fryer? You’ll also find stovetop methods in the post.
Prep Time25 minutesmins
Cook Time6 minutesmins
Total Time31 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fried popcorn chicken, popcorn chicken air fryer, popcorn chicken in the air fryer
Place a piece of parchment or waxed paper on a baking sheet.
Cut chicken into small pieces, about ½-1 inches.
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
In a bowl, sprinkle cubed chicken with ¼ tsp kosher salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, and ¼ cup of flour. Toss to coat.
1 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk and hot sauce.
3/4 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp hot sauce
In another bowl, mix the rest of the flour, salt, pepper, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and panko.
1 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1 cup panko
Working with 5-6 pieces at a time, drop chicken into the buttermilk. If pieces are sticking together, separate them, making sure every side of the chicken is coated in the buttermilk mixture.
Shake off excess buttermilk and drop the pieces of chicken into the flour/panko mixture. Roll pieces in the dry mixture to make sure every side is coated.
Transfer chicken to the lined baking sheet, and repeat until all the chicken has been breaded.
Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature on the baking sheet for 15 minutes. This will help the breading adhere while in the air fryer, giving you the crispiest crust ever!
Preheat air fryer to 400˚F for 2 minutes.
While the air fryer is preheating, liberally spray the tops of the chicken with olive oil spray. Allow it to sit for 1 minute, and then flip the pieces over and spray the other sides.
3 tbsp olive oil spray
Brush olive oil on the basket of the air fryer or line it with a piece of air fryer parchment.
Place pieces of chicken in the basket in a single layer, without allowing them to touch each other. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook it over two batches.
Bake for 6 minutes at 390˚F, shaking the basket at minute 4. Chicken is done when the internal temp of the chicken is 165˚F.
Notes
Try to cut the chicken to somewhat uniform sizes so that it will cook evenly.
If you need gluten-free options, try a gluten-free brand of cornflakes in lieu of panko and flour. They make a great crunchy breading alternative when pulsed in a food processor or blender!
Stovetop Instructions:Heat cooking oil (like avocado) over medium-high heat in a cast-iron skillet. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and cook until golden brown. Carefully flip the chicken to cook the other side. Chicken is ready when internal temp reaches 165˚F.