Buffalo Chicken Bites
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These Buffalo Chicken Bites are a Sonic copycat recipe that’s easy to make with 5 ingredients and perfect for game day! You can pan fry the chicken dip bites on the stove, or cook them in an air fryer. They’re crunchy on the outside, with creamy, saucy, chicken on the inside, creating a delicious combination of flavors and textures!
Table of contents
When I first saw that Sonic had come out with Buffalo Chicken Dip Bites, I knew that I had to try them! After all, I am known as the “Queen of Buffalo Sauce”. From my cookbook Buffalo Style filled with dozens of recipes with buffalo sauce, to over 70 recipes with buffalo sauce on the blog, my love of this spicy sauce runs deep!
After trying the buffalo chicken dip bites at the Sonic, I knew that I could make my own copycat recipe at home that was even better. And that I did! These buffalo chicken bites are filled with saucy chicken and plenty of cheese. I used potsticker wrappers as the outside shell, so you only need 5 ingredients to make this recipe and about 15 minutes of prep time.
You can assemble the chicken dip bites ahead of time, then cook them right before serving. They’re super easy to cook in the air fryer for a healthier option, or for a more traditional option, you can pan fry them on the stove. Both versions will give you a crunchy exterior that I know you’ll love!
Ingredients
- Cooked, shredded chicken – you can purchase a rotisserie chicken and pull the chicken breast meat from it, or use one of these recipes for Crock Pot buffalo chicken, or Instant Pot buffalo chicken to cook your own shredded buffalo chicken at home.
- Buffalo sauce – I like Frank’s RedHot buffalo wing hot sauce, but feel free to use your favorite brand.
- Cheddar cheese – you’ll need two cups of shredded cheddar cheese. I recommend grating it at home yourself, as it melts better than the pre-shredded cheeses from the grocery store. An 8 ounce block of cheddar cheese will give you just over 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- Egg – combined with water, we’ll use the egg wash to seal the chicken bites closed. If air frying the bites, I also brush the egg wash on the outside of the chicken bites so they brown nicely on the outside.
- Gyoza or potsticker wrappers – these are available in the refrigerated produce section of most major grocery stores, near the tofu. Round gyoza wrappers are best for this recipe, but if you can only find square wonton wrappers, you can use those instead and simply fold them in half to make a triangle shape, instead of a half round shape.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Make the filling. In a mixing bowl, toss shredded, cooked chicken with buffalo sauce and grated cheddar cheese.
- Assemble the chicken bites. In a small bowl, combine a whisked egg and water. Place a gyoza wrapper on a cutting board, use your finger or a pastry brush to brush the egg wash around the edge of the wrapper. Place a tablespoon of the cheesy buffalo chicken mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the filling and press the edges with a fork to seal it closed. Repeat until you have prepared 24 chicken dip bites.
- Air fry the chicken bites. Preheat an air fryer to 400°F. Brush all sides of the bites with egg wash. Place the prepared buffalo chicken dip bites in an air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 5 minutes. I was able to fit 9 in my 5.8 quart air fryer, so you will have to cook them in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- OR pan fry the chicken bites. If you’d prefer to pan fry the buffalo chicken bites, fill a large skillet with 1/2 inch of oil. The amount of oil will vary depending on what size skillet you use. Heat the oil on the stovetop over medium-high heat. To test if the oil is hot, place one drop of water in the skillet. If the water immediately sizzles, the oil is hot and ready for the chicken bites. Add as many chicken bites as you can fit in the skillet, without them touching. Cook for 1 minute, flip and cook for an additional minute on the other side, or until they’re golden brown. Use tongs to remove the buffalo chicken bites from the skillet and place them on a wire rack to cool. Repeat until all of the bites are cooked.
Serve the buffalo chicken bites with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing for dipping. Or if you really love spice, serve them with more buffalo sauce on the side.
Which cooking method to choose
Cooking the buffalo chicken bites in the air fryer will give you a crispy texture on the outside, but an overall lighter bite that’s not greasy at all. Cooking the chicken bites in the oil on the stove will give you a slightly crunchier exterior, but since they’re cooked in oil, they will be a little greasier than the air fryer version.
They’re both delicious, so you can’t go wrong with either, but I do not recommend that you bake these in the oven. I tested baking them on a wire rack over a baking sheet in the oven and unfortunately the texture of the outside was not crispy and the bites fell apart.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover cooked buffalo chicken bites in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. These are delicious reheated in a 400°F air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
You can also store prepared, uncooked chicken dip bites in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready, you can cook them in the air fryer, or pan fry them in oil on the stove.
More buffalo chicken recipes
If you love buffalo sauce as much as I do, try these other popular recipes!
Buffalo Chicken Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
- ⅓ cup buffalo sauce
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 egg, + 1 tablespoon water
- 24 potsticker wrappers, or gyoza wrappers
- ranch or blue cheese dressing, optional – for serving with the bites
Instructions
- Combine the chicken, buffalo sauce, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl.
- Place a wonton wrapper on a clean work surface, like a cutting board.
- Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl. Brush the edges of the wonton wrapper with the egg wash. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the buffalo chicken mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over and use a fork to press the edges together.
- Repeat 23 times with the remaining wonton wrappers.
- To air fry: preheat an air fryer to 400°F. Brush all sides of the bites with egg wash. Place the prepared buffalo chicken dip bites in an air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes. I was able to fit 9 in my 5.8 quart air fryer, so you will have to cook them in 2-3 batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- To pan fry: pour ½ inch oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. The amount of oil will vary depending on what size skillet you use. Heat the oil on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add as many chicken bites as you can fit in the skillet, without them touching. Cook for 1 minute, flip and cook for an additional minute on the other side. Use tongs to remove the buffalo chicken bites from the skillet and place them on a wire rack to cool. Repeat until all of the bites are cooked.
- Optional: serve the buffalo chicken bites with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping.
Notes
- When shopping for gyoza or potsticker wrappers, you’ll find them in the refrigerated produce section of most major grocery stores, near the tofu. Round gyoza wrappers are best for this recipe, but if you can only find square wonton wrappers, you can use those instead and simply fold them in half to make a triangle shape, instead of a half round shape.
- Store leftover cooked buffalo chicken bites in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. These are delicious reheated in a 400°F air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
- You can also store prepared, uncooked chicken dip bites in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready, you can cook them in the air fryer, or pan fry them in oil on the stove.
Nutrition Facts
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