Healthy Air Fryer Boneless Buffalo Wings – a gluten free, easy, and absolutely delicious way to enjoy chicken strips at home without actually frying and all the fat.
Check out the video to see how easy they come together!
This recipe first appeared on Instagram in partnership with Philips Kitchen.
AIR FRYER BONELESS BUFFALO WINGS!!! Can you tell I’m excited!?!?!
Seriously though, this may be one of my favorite recipes to date. If it’s not mine, I’m pretty sure it’s Michaels. He is obsessed. My love for buffalo anything runs deep – buffalo chicken tenders, buffalo Brussel sprouts, twice baked sweet potatoes, chicken salad – the list can go on. Chicken wings were one of my favorite things growing up and I’m so excited to share this easy and healthy way to make them at home with you guys!
This is my second air fryer recipe this month. I talked about it before, but I am truly loving my air fryer. I mean if I can make boneless buffalo wings at home, how can you not love the thing. It makes “frying” foods so easy and you don’t have to use all the oil you normally would. It also gives you the perfect crispiness that sometimes you can’t achieve in the oven, and it’s a lot faster!
These air fryer boneless buffalo wings are lightly breaded in a homemade gluten free flour. Then baked in the air fryer for a crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle boneless buffalo wing. And finally tossed with an easy homemade buffalo sauce. The outcome is the best appetizer, party food, and snack. Perfect for the Super Bowl coming up next week if you ask me!
The ingredients also make them naturally gluten free, dairy free, paleo, and Whole30 approved. Winning!
How to make Air Fryer Boneless Buffalo Wings
You might think a recipe like this is hard, but I’m here to tell you it’s super easy. You know those restaurant style buffalo wings you just love, well you can totally make them at home in the air fryer . The best part is, you only need a handful of ingredients. Here is what you need:
- chicken breast
- almond flour
- tapioca flour
- eggs
- chili powder
- paprika
- cayenne pepper
- garlic powder
- ghee
- hot sauce
- lemon juice
- salt
- oil (optional)
You start out by making the flour mixture – mix together the almond flour, tapioca, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Next you whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. Then you start breading the chicken – take a piece and dip it in the egg wash, followed by the flour mixture, and then place it on a plate. Repeat with all the chicken.
Place the chicken in a single layer in your air fryer, giving a little room between each one for even air flow. I sprayed them with a little avocado oil to get them crispy and brown on the outside, but you don’t need to. Set your air fryer on manual at 375 for 15 minutes. Pause around the midway point and carefully move the chicken around to make sure they are cooking evenly.
You will probably have to cook your chicken in two batches depending on how big your air fryer is.
While the chicken is in the air fryer, you make the buffalo sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat and cook until combined, about 2-3 minutes. Once the all chicken is done, all you need to do is toss it in the buffalo sauce. Make sure you are careful though and the breading doesn’t come off.
That is it though! About 5 minutes of prep and 15-30 minutes of cook time (depending on how many batches), and most of that time is hands off. They are so easy to make!
What can I substitute for almond flour?
I haven’t tried another flour mixture, but I think substituting another nut flour (cashew would probably be best), would be the safest. I wouldn’t suggest coconut flour as the consistency is different and a lot dryer.
If you have a store bought gluten free flour mix, I am pretty sure that work instead of the almond and tapioca, but I haven’t tried it so I’m not positive.
Can I use store bought buffalo sauce?
Absolutely! I honestly love this homemade version, but you could use a store bought variety if you don’t want to make your own. Some of my favorites at Tessemae’s or The New Primal.
Can you can pan fry these?
I haven’t tried, but I think you would be totally fine. You can follow the method for this popcorn chicken. Basically all you need to do is add about 3/4-1 cup of oil to a large skillet and let it get hot. Fry the chicken in batches, making sure not to over crowd them.
Then just toss in the sauce and you are set!
I hope you love these air fryer boneless buffalo wings as much as I do. I grew up eating buffalo chicken with my dad and friends and it holds a special place in my heart. It makes me so happy that I can now make it at home. Bonus points that I made a healthier, gluten free, and dairy free version of it!
And if you read this dad, we are definitely making them when you guys come out in March!!
Make sure to check out the video at the top of the page to see how easy it comes together!
Air Fryer Boneless Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
Air Fryer Boneless Buffalo Wings
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper, to taste
- avocado oil
- serve with: ranch or blue cheese, carrot sticks, celery, hot sauce...
Buffalo Sauce
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together the almond flour, tapioca flour, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper. In another small bowl, add the whisked eggs. Set up an assembly line with cubed chicken, eggs, and flour mixture.
- Bread the chicken by dipping it in the egg mixture, making sure it is fully coated. Roll in the flour mixture, fully coating and shaking off any excess. Place on a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
- Place chicken in your air fryer basket, evenly spreading out and leaving room in between pieces so the air can easily flow through. If using, spray chicken with a light coating of avocado oil. Close drawer, set air fryer on manual at 375°F for 15 minutes, pausing halfway through to stir them up, making sure they are still evenly spread out after stirring. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you will probably have to cook the chicken in two batches to make sure they are not overcrowded.
- When the chicken is almost done, make the buffalo sauce. Add hot sauce, ghee, lemon juice, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until warmed through and combined, about 3 minutes.
- Once chicken is done, add to a large bowl and pour buffalo sauce over chicken. Carefully mix to coat the chicken. Make sure to mix carefully as you don't want the breading to come off. Serve with ranch or blue cheese, carrots, celery, and more hot sauce!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Amy Hargrove
January 28, 2019 at 9:16 pmLove this recipe! I didn’t follow it exactly because I don’t have an air fryer (so I used avacado oil and a frying pan) and I used some different spices but WOW! I’ve been trying to make crispy chicken forever and it’s always just “okay” never AWESOME! The breading usually kind of falls apart and it’s never as crispy as I want but after seeing this recipe and adding the Tapioca Flour, FINALLY I have amazing crispy chicken! Thanks to this blog! Keep the recipes coming, girl! We love ‘em!
Kelly
January 29, 2019 at 11:57 amYay!!! So happy to hear that Amy! Thanks for trying it and glad you enjoyed!
Mariah
January 28, 2019 at 9:18 pmI made this recipe for dinner tonight and my husband and I really loved it! It’s very simple and easy to make and the flavors and texture are great! Highly recommend this recipe to anyone in the mood for some buffalo goodness 🙂
Kelly
January 29, 2019 at 11:57 amThank you Mariah! Glad y’all liked it and thank you for trying it!
Jackie crow
January 29, 2019 at 6:52 pmI made these for dinner for the last night of my Whole30 and they were SO GOOD! I love buffalo chicken and am always on the hunt for a healthier version. This recipe combined with the air fryer made perfect crispy nuggets. I will definitely be recommending this recipe!
Kelly
January 31, 2019 at 7:49 pmYay!! So happy to hear that Jackie! They are our new favorite, thanks for trying them!
Stephanie
January 30, 2019 at 10:51 pmTried this recipe tonight on day 30 of my January Whole39 and it was AMAZING! We don’t have an air fryer so I baked them at 375 for 25 min, flipping halfway through, and broiled for 2 min/side at the end to crisp them up. Hubby and I both thought they were fantastic! My kids ate them without the sauce and they devoured them. This will definitely be a regular in our meal rotation from now on. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Kelly
January 31, 2019 at 7:53 pmSo glad they worked baking them! Glad y’all enjoyed them and thanks for trying them Stephanie!
Melissa
January 31, 2019 at 8:30 pmI made these buffalo tenders for dinner and OMG! It tastes just like take out but way healthier. My fiancé has not stopped talking about how delicious they were. Definitely making another batch for the Super Bowl! Yum!
Kelly
February 3, 2019 at 8:32 amYAY!! Always love it when the guys approve! So glad you guys liked them and thanks for trying them Melissa!
Terri
February 2, 2019 at 2:48 pmI just printed this recipe, and I will try it tomorrow for the “GAME” I don’t have an air fryer yet.
What one do you recommend? BTW I love your recipes and Cashew! (Mike is not to bad either 🙂 lol
Kelly
February 3, 2019 at 8:39 amHi Terri!! Thank you! This is the air fryer I have and absolutely love it! I would definitely recommend. If you want to make them before you get one, you can try to pan fry them. A few others have tried it using this method and said it works – https://eatthegains.com/paleo-popcorn-chicken-whole30/ – also, if you scroll up on the comments, someone left a comment that they baked them in the oven (with directions) and it worked. Hope that helps!!
Amity
February 3, 2019 at 8:47 amExcited to try this recipe today! I dont have any Tapioca Flour. Do you think I can omit?
Kelly
February 3, 2019 at 12:00 pmYay! I haven’t tried it without – I don’t think it is definitely required, but does help them get nice and crispy. Arrowroot would also work if you have that. Hope you enjoy!
Sigga Ingadottir - Whole30 Certified Coach
February 4, 2019 at 5:31 amI didn’t have tapioca flour and just subbed it with almond flour… they were still delicious!!
Kelly
February 5, 2019 at 2:38 pmGood to know! Thank you!!
Amity
February 4, 2019 at 10:57 amI ended up just using almond flour only. The taste on these were delicious and got lots of compliments, but I think I wish they were a little more crispy (my bad, I used the wrong temp setting plus after eliminating the tapioca flour that probably didn’t help either). Only comment from my DH was he wanted more sauce! I think mixing the ghee with the hot sauce and other spices is key! Thank you for the recipe!
Kelly
February 5, 2019 at 2:42 pmGlad you guys liked them! The tapioca definitely adds to help make them crispy, but good to know it works without. I always say more sauce, I can add that in the recipe notes! Thanks Amity!
Courtney
February 3, 2019 at 10:33 pmSuper Bowl Sunday. A new air fryer. Coming off whole 30…. all perfect for making these Boneless Buffalo Wings! Kelly has the best recipes and this one is awesome! Air fryer gives it the crunch you need to feel “fried” and the buffalo sauce is the perfect addition! YUM!
Kelly
February 5, 2019 at 2:36 pmYay for a new air fryer! Thank you so much for trying them Courtney and so glad you liked them!!
Sigga Ingadottir - Whole30 Certified Coach
February 4, 2019 at 5:30 amI loved this recipe! It’s super easy to make and perfect while meal prepping – using the airfryer to free up the pan!
So delicious and approved by the whole family 🙂
Kelly
February 5, 2019 at 2:38 pmYay! So glad the whole family like them! Thanks for trying them Sigga!
Shauna
February 4, 2019 at 6:35 amThis recipe was perfect for the Super Bowl! I recently got an air fryer and this was the first recipe I tried – I didn’t even realize until reading through the comments that I left out the tapioca flour 🤦🏻♀️ But they were still DELICIOUS! I used The New Primal’s mustard BBQ instead of buffalo (since we had Buffalo chicken Dip on yesterday’s menu too) and they were so GOOD! Recipe couldn’t have been easier to follow (if you read the whole thing lol) and the leftovers are going to be perfect for salads this week!
Kelly
February 5, 2019 at 2:39 pmLOL! That happens to me a lot haha! I love that you used that BBQ sauce, it sounds amazing!! Thanks for trying them Shauna!
Cathrine
February 4, 2019 at 10:47 amGreat recipe! I don’t have an air fryer so I just cooked mine in the oven but they turned out great! I have tried so many almond flour breading recipes but none of them ever turned as good as using regular flour until I used this one. This is now my go to recipe for boneless wings! 🙌🏽
Kelly
February 5, 2019 at 2:40 pmLove that you made them in the oven! Thank you for trying them!!
Catrina
February 4, 2019 at 5:08 pmThese were amazing! I pan fried them because I don’t have an air fryer, but they turned out awesome! My hubby was very impressed and it totally met our craving for boneless buffalo wings. Can’t wait to mags then again!!
Kelly
February 5, 2019 at 2:41 pmWoot woot! I love it when the guys approve too! Glad you liked them Catrina and thanks for trying them!
Kathryn Clardy
February 5, 2019 at 9:55 pmOh my goodness these were so yummy! I made these wings for my super bowl party and my crew loved the flavors! They were quite surprised that they were consuming something made from all whole ingredients. I did have a little bit of “stickage” of the breading but I did forget to flip them as I decided to double the recipe and cooked 3 separate batches, keeping my hands covered in raw chicken. Would definitely prep them all ahead of time but wouldn’t change a thing about the recipe! They even inspired me to “rebake” the dish and turn them into something else. Will definitely make again!
Kelly
February 8, 2019 at 10:04 amSo glad to hear that everyone loved them Kathryn!! They are definitely great to reuse in salads and what not too. Thank you for trying them!
Olivia Jordan
February 25, 2019 at 1:39 amI am allergic to almonds what would be a good substitute for the flour ? I am so excited to try these
Kelly
February 27, 2019 at 8:41 pmCan you have cashews? Cashew flour would be a great sub (you can just grind up cashews yourself to make flour too)! Let me know how they go!
Dyanne Elliott
February 28, 2019 at 6:31 pmThese were seriously so delicious and easy to make. I left some plain for my toddler and she loved them too. This recipe will be on regular rotation.
Kelly
March 4, 2019 at 11:15 amSo happy to hear that Dyanne! Thanks for giving them a try!
Cheryl
May 8, 2019 at 12:49 pmI got everything to make these tomorrow night & I seriously can’t wait! I am using them for Buffalo Chicken Salad that my husband & I love so much.
Based on the reviews, I’m SUPER excited to have this as my 2nd recipe in my new air fryer. I won’t lie, this recipe actually pushed me to get one.
Kelly
May 15, 2019 at 12:23 pmAw yay! That makes me so happy to hear Cheryl! I hope you enjoyed and adding them to a salad sounds amazing!! Thank you!
Elizabeth Bradley
May 22, 2019 at 5:46 pmThis is my favorite ETG recipe and I make it entirely too often.
Kelly
May 29, 2019 at 10:54 amHaha, I love that! It’s been too long since I’ve made them and that’s got to change. Thanks Elizabeth!