Healthy Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Nuggets {Low Calorie, GF}

Healthy Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Nuggets are baked not fried. Just as delicious as regular chicken nuggets but without the calories and with tasty buffalo sauce flavor! Low Calorie + Gluten Free

Chicken nuggets are a childhood favorite! This healthy version of chicken nuggets has a kick with buffalo sauce and the seasonings. They're a bit spicy!

I love buffalo flavor foods which is why I have so many buffalo inspired recipes on my website like buffalo chicken casserole, buffalo chicken dip, crockpot buffalo chicken and more!

This tasty buffalo nugget recipe is made in an air fryer which gets the nuggets super crispy without the oil or the calories!

They're seasoned with garlic powder, paprika and chili powder and dipped in a touch hot sauce before breading.

Why I Love This Healthy Buffalo Chicken Nugget Recipe

• Lower Calorie - Only 213 calories per serving. That is much less than chicken nuggets bought in the freezer section of your local store! There are 4 servings in the recipe which is 1/4th of the recipe.
• Higher Protein - This healthy buffalo chicken nugget version has 27 grams of protein (woohoo!) so they will be more filling. Compared to store bought chicken nuggets that have much less protein this makes a huge difference. Adequate protein keeps you fuller longer so if you're buying store bought nuggets they will likely not be as filling due to less protein in them.
• Lower Fat - Store bought chicken nuggets have a lot more fat which drives up the calories and less protein. This version only has 4 grams of total fat per serving.
• Easy - While I know it's easy to bake frozen chicken nuggets from the freezer, this one only takes 15 minutes to make and it's worth it because they're so much better for you!
• Simple Ingredients - The ingredients are basic and can be found easily.

Ingredients For Healthy Chicken Nuggets

Here's what you need to make this healthy buffalo chicken nugget recipe! For the full measurements, scroll to the bottom of the post to the recipe card.

• Boneless Chicken Breast (I get my organic, pasture-raised chicken from ButcherBox)
• Garlic Powder
• Chili Powder
• Paprika
• Panko Breadcrumbs or Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
• Buffalo Sauce
• Cooking Spray

For specific ingredient substitutions and questions, see the substitution section below.

How To Make Buffalo Chicken Nuggets In The Air Fryer

This is the air fryer I used for this low calorie chicken nugget recipe. It is smaller but works well for two people. If you have a larger family, a larger air fryer like this one would be better.

The type of air fryer you use for this recipe will also depend on space as the larger ones do take up a bit of space in your kitchen.

Here's the steps to make low calorie buffalo chicken nuggets.

Step One - Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch bite size pieces.

Step Two - Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl with the seasonings and mix to combine.

Step Three - Dip each piece of chicken into the hot sauce covering it then dip it immediately into the breadcrumb bowl.

Step Four - Place in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook in batches if needed.

Step Five - Spray the top of the chicken pieces lightly with cooking spray. Air Fry chicken nuggets at 400 F for 4 minutes then flip, spray the other side and cook for another 4 minutes.

Step Six - Remove the nuggets from the air fryer basket and serve!

Can You Make Chicken Nuggets In The Oven If You Don't Have An Air Fryer

Yes, you can make chicken nuggets in an oven or toaster oven if you don't have an air fryer. Bake at 400 F for 4 minutes and flip and bake for another 4 minutes. The same as the recipe!

What To Serve With Buffalo Chicken Nuggets

Chicken nuggets can be served as an appetizer or as a meal. Here are options for serving buffalo chicken nuggets!

• Chopped Veggies like celery and carrots with healthy ranch dressing or light blue cheese dressing
• Large Mixed Green Salad from bagged lettuce, kale or on top of Healthy Olive Garden Salad
• Roasted broccoli or roasted cauliflower with air fryer sweet potatoes
• Healthy Tomato Soup, Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup or Butternut Sweet Potato Soup

Substitutions For Healthy Buffalo Chicken Nugget Recipe

Here are the swaps and substitutions I recommend for this recipe. Remember when you do swap ingredients that the nutritional values will change from what you see in the recipe card.

• Chicken Breast - Chicken thighs, turkey breast, lean pork or tofu would be alternatives to use instead.
• Breadcrumbs - These are the gluten free breadcrumbs I used. You can also use regular Panko breadcrumbs or you can blend oats to make a flour and use it instead.
• Hot Sauce - I used Frank's red hot sauce. Here is another brand I frequently use too.
• Cooking Spray - Don't omit the cooking spray as it does give the nuggets its golden crust and helps the breadcrumbs stay. Regular PAM works or you can use avocado oil spray.
• Paleo - For a Paleo version of this recipe, use my almond flour buffalo chicken tenders recipe. The only difference is you will use chicken breast and chop it into 1-inch pieces as done in this recipe.
• Gluten Free - To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free breadcrumbs. Here are the gluten free breadcrumbs I used.

More Healthy Buffalo Chicken Recipes To Try

• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Casserole
• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
• Healthy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken
• Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash
• Buffalo Chickpea Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf
• Almond Flour Buffalo Chicken Tenders

About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.