So, Here’s Why I Make Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken All the Time

I still remember the first time I chucked some Chicken into my brand-new (and slightly intimidating) air fryer. I’d watched a video about Buffalo chicken and thought, sure, how hard can it be? There was a moment where I legit worried the neighbours would smell my first attempt (the sauce did explode a bit), but now? Well, my friends joke that coming over means getting a faceful of spicy chicken aroma. It’s worth it. Oh, and there was this one time I tried to toss the wings in the sauce in a too-small bowl and, um, let’s just say my dog was thrilled with the surprise treat on the floor. Anyway, if you love zippy, juicy chicken but have no patience for deep frying, this one’s for you.

Why You’ll Love This Dish (or at Least, Why I Do)

I make this whenever there’s a game on (even if it’s only my husband watching) or when I’m feeling too lazy for real cooking but want to pretend I’ve made something impressive. My family goes a bit nuts for the sauciness—except my youngest, who insists on, and I quote, “just ketchup.” Oh well. On cold evenings, this is my go-to because the kitchen actually stays warm from the air fryer running. If you’re like me and don’t love greasy fingers, blessing—this isn’t messy at all. Most of the time, anyway (unless you forget to line your basket, which I have… several times).

The Stuff You’ll Need (Ingredients, but Less Formal)

500g chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite-size bits—some folks use wings, but I use whatever’s in the freezer (once I used tofu for my veggie friend… surprisingly ok!)
1/2 cup plain flour OR, when I’m out, I use panko—the crunch is wild
2 eggs, beaten – though in a pinch, mayo works (yeah, I know, don’t ask)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or just whack in some minced garlic; it’s fine)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or sweet paprika, if you suffer from ‘I buy the wrong one’ syndrome)
Salt & pepper, to taste (my gran swears by flaky salt, but any does the job)
Cooking spray (or a quick brush of whatever oil you like. I’ve used olive, rapeseed—no ones noticed a difference, honestly)
1/3 cup Buffalo sauce (Frank’s Red Hot is classic, but whatever’s cheapest at the shop)
2 tbsp melted butter (if you skip this, the world won’t end, but it DOES taste better)

Here’s How I Make It (Kinda Step by Step)

Prep the chicken: Cut your chicken into chunks—about the size of a walnut (unless you want them bigger, then do that). Pat dry, unless you spaced and forgot; it’ll still work.
Breading time: In one bowl, drop in your flour (or panko). Add garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper—use your fingers to mix. In another bowl, eggs go in and give them a bash with a fork. Dunk chicken bits in egg, then flour. Don’t stress if you miss a few spots. Sometimes they look patchy. Still yummy.
Into the Air Fryer: Give your air fryer basket a little spray. Chuck in the chicken bits, but don’t overcrowd them (or do, but they won’t get crisp—you’ve been warned). Air fry at 200°C (about 390°F) for 12–15 minutes, shake halfway. This is the part I usually *have* to sample one. Quality control, right?
Buffalo Bath: While that’s going, melt your butter (microwave or old school hob—both work). Stir in your Buffalo sauce. Pour this beauty over your crispy chicken. Toss like you mean it (big bowl helps—tried a plate and it was chaos).
Final Fling: Back in the basket for 3ish more minutes at 200°C to get that sticky, ‘did-you-order-this-in?’ look. Don’t worry if they look saucy—sauce is good.

Peculiar Notes and Personal Discoveries

Worried the breading won’t stick? Actually, I find it works better if you let the chicken sit with the breading for 5 mins before air frying.
If you’re out of butter, a dash of olive oil in the sauce will do the trick. Learned that the hard way during a fridge crisis.
Sometimes the air fryer basket sticks—parchment paper with holes poked in helps, but don’t use wax paper (ask me how I know…)

Things I’ve Tried (and Sometimes Messed Up)

Baked instead of fried? Not bad, just… kinda sad. Lacked the oomph. But, you do you.
No breading: Actually, not terrible if you’re skimping on time or carbs, but not the crunchiest.
Lemon in the sauce: I thought I was onto something. Turns out, nope—not for me.
Vegan version: Tofu worked surprisingly well (see this guide if you wanna get fancy).

Gear I Use (and Sometimes Improvise)

Air fryer (mine’s a Philips, but as my mate Cathy always says, they’re all a muchness—here’s a list of good ones)
Bowls (not too small or you’ll be redecorating with Buffalo sauce)
Mixing spoon or your clean hands (sometimes it’s just faster to use your fingers!)
If you don’t have an air fryer (wait, why are you here?), oven at high temp will do, but you’ll miss the crisp. Sorry. Or borrow one from a neighbor, bribe them with chicken. That works, too.

How To Store Leftovers (If You Even Have Any)

Pop leftovers in a container in the fridge—they’ll hang out happily for up to 3 days. That said, in my house it never lasts more than a day, so bonus points if yours do. Pop them back in the air fryer for 5 minutes to perk up. Or, honestly, eat them cold… I’ve done it.

Serving This Chicken: My Favourite Ways

Sometimes I pile these in wraps with crunchy lettuce and a bit of ranch. My mate puts them on a big salad, though I’d rather just dunk straight into blue cheese. Once we made little sliders for a BBQ and it was chaos—saucy hands everywhere, but so worth it. Truth be told, a side of fries is never a bad idea. Or just eat with your fingers while standing at the counter; no judgment here.

Pro Tips That Came From My Own Mishaps

Don’t rush the ‘shake-the-basket’ step halfway through; I skipped it once and got a batch that was golden on top, raw underneath (live and learn).
If you dump too much flour or panko, shake it off first before the fryer. Otherwise the bottom gunk gets messy and your next batch tastes… odd.
Resist the urge to dump on more sauce—just trust me, things get goopy real fast.

Questions People Actually Ask Me

Can I use frozen chicken? Yes, but thaw it first or the seasoning won’t stick. (Tried skipping that and ended up with bland blobs, sad story!)
What if I don’t have Buffalo sauce? Use any hot sauce, splash in a bit of cayenne if you like things bonkers hot, or try sriracha if you want a twist.
Does it get crispy like deep-fried? Mate, it gets nearly as crispy, just a lot less faff and smell. The air fryer does a smashing job.
How spicy is it? That depends—all in the sauce. Stick to mild if you’re a spice wimp (I won’t tell!), or go nuclear—up to you.

And listen, if you want more air fryer adventures, check out this nugget recipe too. More options, less mess. Cheers for sticking around till the end—and apologies if I rambled, I guess I do get a bit passionate about Buffalo chicken.