Crispy Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken Bites
- Cook Time: 18-22 minutes
What you need
These crispy air fryer hot honey chicken bites are sweet, spicy, and properly crunchy — perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or sharing plate. Juicy chicken pieces get a light seasoned coating, air-fry until golden, then get tossed in a sticky homemade hot honey glaze.
For the Chicken:
- 500g boneless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 120ml buttermilk (or milk mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 80g plain flour
- 60g cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Oil spray, for cooking
For the Hot Honey Sauce:
- 4 tbsp honey
- 1–2 tbsp hot sauce, to taste
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
- Pinch of salt
To Serve:
- Spring onions, thinly sliced
- Sesame seeds
- Extra hot honey, for drizzling
Recipe Steps
- Pat the chicken dry and cut into even bite-size pieces so they cook at the same speed.
- In a bowl, mix the buttermilk with half the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the chicken, toss well, and marinate for 15–20 minutes (or cover and chill for up to overnight).
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder and the remaining spices.
- Lift the chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then toss in the flour mixture until evenly coated. Press gently so the coating sticks.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C. Arrange the chicken in a single layer (cook in batches if needed) and spray generously with oil.
- Air-fry for 14–18 minutes, shaking or turning halfway and spraying again, until deep golden and cooked through (75 °C / 165 °F in the centre).
- While the chicken cooks, warm the honey, hot sauce, butter, chilli flakes, vinegar and a pinch of salt in a small pan until smooth and glossy.
- Toss the hot crispy chicken in the sauce (or drizzle it over). Finish with spring onions and sesame seeds, and serve straight away while the coating is still crisp.
Tips & Variations
- Extra crispy: Double-dredge the chicken — flour, a quick dip back in buttermilk, then flour again.
- Milder heat: Use less hot sauce and a little more honey so the glaze stays sticky-sweet.
- Oven option: Bake on a wire rack at 220 °C fan for 18–22 minutes, flipping once, until golden and cooked through.
- Make ahead: Coat the chicken and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before air frying. The sauce keeps in the fridge for 2 days; warm gently before tossing.
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