Skip the bar food and make your own crispy hot wings instead! Marinating boneless chicken breast pieces in a mix of buttermilk and hot sauce infuses the meat with flavor, and the panko and almond flour breading creates a delicious crisp crust in the air fryer. The wings get a splash of hot sauce to finish. Be sure to read labels when choosing one, the sodium in some brands can be pretty high.
Snack on these wings alongside a salad to up the veggie and fiber content and make it a complete meal.
Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes + 8 hours to marinate
Air-Fryer Boneless Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk, divided
- 1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp hot sauce, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, divided
- 3/4 tsp salt, divided
- 3/4 cup (68g) whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup (56g) almond flour
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup (61g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp avocado oil mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp chives (or green onions), finely chopped
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 2 large carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 4 celery stalks, cut into sticks
Directions
Cut the chicken into 1 1/2-by-3-inch (3.8 cm) strips. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup hot sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp salt and stir to combine. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (191°C) and coat the basket with cooking spray. Combine the breadcrumbs and almond flour on a large plate. Remove a piece of chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place on a clean plate and repeat with remaining chicken, working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding. Lightly mist the coated chicken with cooking spray.
In batches, transfer the breaded chicken to the air fryer basket and cook for about 15 minutes, turning once halfway through, or until cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in a low oven while cooking remaining batches. Discard the marinade.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk, yogurt, mayonnaise, chives, vinegar, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Toss the cooked chicken with the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp hot sauce. Serve with the vegetables and ranch dressing.
Serves: 6 | Serving Size: About 4 oz. chicken, 3/4 – 1 cup vegetables and about 2 tbsp dressing
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 311; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 91mg; Sodium: 697mg; Carbohydrate: 19g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 32g
Nutrition Bonus: Calcium: 11%; Iron: 7%; Potassium: 655mg; Vitamin A: 271%; Vitamin C: 1%
Originally published August 2025; Updated March 2026
