The best meal prep recipe you didn’t know you needed. These Healthy Chicken Bites are packed with flavor, naturally low carb, and come together fast. They make a perfect appetizer, high-protein snack, or the base of an easy weeknight dinner.
“The perfect amount of heat for the perfect chicken bites. We all loved them so much that I will make this weekend to bring them to my neighborhood potluck. Thank you.” - Giangi Townsend
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 30 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 5
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 267 kcals and 39 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Chicken breasts, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and tabasco sauce.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, and keto-friendly.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: They’re fast, high-protein, and packed with just enough heat to keep every bite exciting without overpowering the chicken.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
These bite-sized chicken pieces come out juicy on the inside with just enough kick to keep things interesting. Whether you need a quick snack, easy dinner protein, or something to prep ahead for the week, these spicy chicken bites work beautifully with your favorite dipping sauce or tucked into meals (just like these teriyaki steak bites!).
Seasoned with cayenne and Tabasco, they’re easy to dial up or down depending on who’s eating: mild for kids, spicy for adults. I love how flexible they are (similar to keto deviled eggs): make a batch for dinner, stash the leftovers for lunches, or reheat them in the air fryer for a fast, protein-packed meal anytime.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: Made with minimal ingredients and ready in just 30 minutes.
Meal prep: Tender chicken in a spicy seasoning, these chicken breast bites are the best meal prep recipe for throw-together lunches.
Versatile: Use them as a quick protein for weeknight dinners or easy snacks. You can also adjust the spice level to meet your preferences.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: You’ll need to cut the chicken into small pieces, so boneless and skinless breasts are necessary. This is so that they cook quickly, just like these crispy gluten-free Thai chicken bites.
- Cayenne pepper: Adjust this based on your personal spice preference and know that it's completely optional.
- Tabasco: Use this classic or your favorite hot sauce. The more you add, the spicier the chicken bites will be.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Thai: Add in 1-2 tbs of Thai chili sauce to the bag when tossing for a sweet and spicy flavor. This is my personal favorite!
Savory: Mix in a bit of homemade gluten-free teriyaki sauce to coat them in a sticky, blended sauce.
Sweet and spicy: Coat the chicken pieces in a mix of your favorite hot sauce (or buffalo sauce) and a drizzle of honey.
How To Make Healthy Chicken Bites
Step 1: Take the time to cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2: Season the chicken by placing everything into a pasta baggie and tossing.
Step 3: Heat a pan over medium heat.
Step 4: Cook the chicken in the pan for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Stir often.
Expert Tips
Make sure to chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Chopping frozen chicken actually makes this easier, but it will make cooking times longer.
That seasoning also works on something like oven-baked bacon-wrappedsteak bites or beef strip loin, too.
I like my spicy chicken bites slightly drier, so I drain the juices from cooking about halfway through.
Store the gluten-free chicken bites once cooled in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, air fryer, or in a skillet with some oil over low to medium heat.
How To Enjoy Them
You can use this spicy chicken bites recipe as an appetizer or snack all on their own (just like dehydrated chicken) and pair them with your favorite dipping sauce. We like any of the following:
- Peanut butter Thai sauce
- Homemade ranch
- Homemade BBQ sauce
Or, you can use the spicy chicken bites as a meal prep recipe for the base of something like dairy-free chicken pasta, or on top of a soba noodle bowl or fattoush salad.
In the summer, the chicken bites are a great compliment to a creamy cucumber onion salad, too, for warm, lazy nights.
Honestly, I use them most just to snack on to help boost my daily protein intake. Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp it up!
Healthy Chicken Bites FAQs
Chicken bites are completely white inside. If you’re unsure, use a meat thermometer and make sure that the bites are above 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Chicken bites can be kid-friendly so long as they're milder in flavor. For kids, either season the chicken breasts lightly or cook them in a sauce that they already love, like honey garlic.
You keep chicken bites juicy by making sure not to overcook them. Overcooked chicken bites dry out.
More Dairy and Gluten-free Chicken Recipes
If you tried this Healthy Chicken Bites Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Healthy Chicken Bites 9Gluten-Free)
Video
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless & skinless
- 2 tbs garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ⅛-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ to 1 teaspoon tabasco
- 2 tbs oil for cooking
Instructions
- Chop each chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large plastic baggie. Toss in the spices and Tabasco sauce.
- Toss the chicken in the bag to coat.
- Heat a pan over just over medium heat with the cooking oil (we use avocado).
- Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently until cooked through and slightly golden brown.
Notes
- These spicy chicken bites are not extra spicy, they’re just flavored nicely. If you want a big spice kick opt for the full ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon tabasco.
- If you’re cooking in a cast-iron pan, you’ll need about 2 tbs of cooking oil. However, if cooking in a nonstick pan you’ll only need 1.
- I like my chicken bites slightly drier so I drain the juices from cooking about halfway through.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Molly says
I used chicken thighs instead of breasts and this turned out just delicious. Not too spicy, but very flavorful. No leftovers! Will be adding this to our meal rotation!
Barb says
These were a hit at dinner! Got the spiciness I like, just the right kick, and they cooked up perfectly! Quick and easy!
fitasamamabear says
Yay! Always nice when it's super simple.
chhavi says
I have recently started eating high-protein meals, and this recipe has been a godsent! Thankyou so much...I air fried it and it came out great!
Jane says
These spicy chicken bites were fantastic! I drained the juices halfway through cooking as suggested, and they came out perfectly. I added a teaspoon of Tabasco and I really enjoyed the heat. I'll try this recipe for meal prep next time.
Jill says
My husband and his friends came over for a beer night so I made this as an appetizer and man, they loved it so much that I cooked another plate for them with added spice for the second plate so added more Cayenne and Tabasco as suggested. Thanks!
fitasamamabear says
oh my god that's too awesome!
Inah VA says
Yum!
Rose says
These spicy chicken bites are perfect! I topped them over a salad and made a chicken salad bowl. So good!
fitasamamabear says
I use them on salad too, so yummy!
Madison says
This cooked perfectly and the flavor was perfectly spicy!
fitasamamabear says
Wahoo!
Addison says
These chicken bites were great for meal prep! I loved them and this recipe was so quick and easy.
fitasamamabear says
Glad it worked for you!
Claire says
These were delicious!
I forgot to get the salmon out of the freezer to cook for dinner tonight and just had some chicken chunks (that I had planned to make into homemade nuggets for the kids dinner and the freezer)
So I forgot about making some for the freezer and used the spare chicken to make hubby and I dinner.
I didn’t have any hot sauce 😳 so I used Thai chilli like you suggested and the chicken was delicious!!!
We had it with some Asian greens and sticky rice and it was delicious.
Hubby didn’t even know I had planned crispy salmon and rice 🤪
Thank you.
fitasamamabear says
The thai chili ones are my personal favorite too, they're just so yummy! Glad everyone liked them! Ps. I forget to thaw things EVERY time haha
Giangi Townsend says
The perfect amount of heat for the perfect chicken bites. We all loved them so much that I will make this weekend to bring them to my neighborhood potluck. Thank you.
fitasamamabear says
Yay! Glad everyone enjoyed them.