Crispy Chicken Bites Recipe

Battered chicken bites with crispy, pan-fried outsides make great finger food for anyone: don’t assume they’re just for the kids!

These tasty Paleo treats are coated in egg and tapioca starch to make a delicate coating without any breadcrumbs or flour, and then quickly pan-fried in coconut oil to get that addictively delicious crunch.

Coconut oil is a very healthy fat to use here because it’s stable at high temperatures (unlike the frying oils used for your average chicken nugget, which are very high in easily-oxidized PUFA).

Of course, nothing breaded and fried is a great choice for an everyday staple meal regardless of what it’s fried in, but for a special treat, coconut oil is definitely a healthier choice.

If you like, you can easily add some hot sauce to the coating, but this is completely optional.

You could also replace it with your favorite BBQ sauce, or just heat up the hot sauce and use it as a dipping sauce instead, or leave it out completely and enjoy the chicken bites without any extra heat. However you make them, they’re bound to be a hit with kids and adults alike.

Crispy Chicken Bites Recipe

SERVES: 4 PREP: 20 min COOK: 15 min

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken breast, cut into chunks
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup tapioca starch
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ⅓ cup hot sauce (optional)
• 2 tbsp. ghee (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In a bowl, combine the eggs and the tapioca starch and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Place the chicken pieces in the batter and stir until well-coated.
3. Warm coconut oil in a skillet and place over medium-high heat.
4. Carefully place the chicken pieces into the hot skillet, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
5. If you want the chicken bites to be spicy, heat the hot sauce and ghee in a small saucepan over low heat until well combined. Then add in the chicken and toss until everything is covered.
6. Place the chicken bites in the oven on broil for 3 to 4 minutes per side to make them extra crunchy.

📖 Recipe

Crispy Chicken Bites

Finger food with a crispy outside and your choice of spicy or BBQ sauce options.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 391 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb. chicken breast cut into chunks
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup tapioca starch
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ⅓ cup hot sauce optional
• 2 tbsp. ghee optional
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, combine the eggs and the tapioca starch and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2 eggs, ½ cup tapioca starch, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Place the chicken pieces in the batter and stir until well-coated.
  1 lb. chicken breast
• Warm coconut oil in a skillet and place over medium-high heat.
  ¼ cup coconut oil
• Carefully place the chicken pieces into the hot skillet, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
• If you want the chicken bites to be spicy, heat the hot sauce and ghee in a small saucepan over low heat until well combined. Then add in the chicken and toss until everything is covered.
  ⅓ cup hot sauce, 2 tbsp. ghee
• Place the chicken bites in the oven on broil for 3 to 4 minutes per side to make them extra crunchy.

Nutrition

Calories: 391kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 27gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 173mgSodium: 692mgPotassium: 482mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 185IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

Keyword chicken, crisp

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