These Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites are my favorite healthy way to satisfy that Buffalo wing craving. Admittedly, I crave deep fried, butter drenched wings more than I should.
These spicy, buttery, Instant Pot Boneless Wings are the perfect healthy alternative. They cook right in the Instant Pot, so they’re fast and cleanup is easy. They go great with a side of turnip fries, and homemade ranch dressing.
Table of Contents
Take me to the recipe!
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Traditional buffalo wings are deep fried, tossed in butter, then tossed in wing sauce. Even Instant Pot Chicken Wings are typically not the best choice for your healthy eating plan.
Chicken wings are made up almost entirely of fat, and while butter is fine in moderation, the sheer amount used in most wing recipes is not. This healthy recipe hits all your favorite flavors, and is more filling because you’re getting the meat, not just skin.
While this recipe is written for the Instant Pot, you can use any electric pressure cooker! It takes about 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
- Chicken breast: Boneless skinless breasts work great for this recipe. If you prefer dark meat you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Cayenne pepper
- Butter: Unsalted butter, if you have it!
- Black pepper
- Franks Hot Sauce: Be sure and grab the original hot sauce. The buffalo sauce has a ton of extra ingredients in it. The Hot sauce is salt, peppers, and vinegar. This is all you need. You won’t miss the extra stuff, I promise!
Need some ranch?
If you need to make some dip, this ranch seasoning is the best! Take a small container of plain Greek yogurt, and add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp parsley, and 1/2 tsp dill.
Recipe Tips
- If you’re making this recipe with frozen chicken, increase the cook time to 16 minutes and cut into bite-sized pieces after it’s cooked.
- If you’re short on time you can skip broiling and just toss the chicken with the remaining sauce, but I highly recommend broiling.
Instant Pot Instructions
Time needed: 16 minutes.
- Slice & Sauté
Slice your chicken into bite-size strips and turn your pot to Sauté. Melt the butter in the pot. Add chicken, seasonings, and 1/2 cup of hot sauce to your pot with the melted butter.
- Pressure Cook
Close and lock the lid and set your pot to Pressure Cook on high pressure. Set the cooking time for 8 minutes.
- Quick Release
Once the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove the lid. You can remove chicken and drizzle remaining hot sauce on top and eat now, or skip ahead to Step 4.
- Optional: Broil
Transfer the cooked chicken to a baking sheet and drizzle it with the remaining ¼ cup of hot sauce. Broil for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Let cool for about 5 minutes then serve with carrots, celery, or your favorite sides like ranch or blue cheese.
Healthy Eating Plans
- Weight Watchers: Per 4 oz serving: 1 Blue Plan Point: 3 Green Plan Points: 1 Purple Plan Point
- 21 Day Fix/Portion Fix: For the entire recipe: 8 Red Containers, 6 Teaspoons. Per Serving: 1 Red Container, ¾ Teaspoon.
- 2B Mindset: Serve with 50% veggies and 25% FFC for a complete lunch. 75% veggies for a complete dinner.
- Trim Healthy Mama: This is a THM-S recipe with no changes.
Love all things Buffalo? Try these other Healthy Buffalo recipes:
- Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
- Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups
Here are some more healthy Instant Pot recipes:
- Starbucks Red Pepper Egg Bites Recipe
- Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Healthy Crack Chicken
- Homemade Egg Drop Soup
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites | Boneless Wings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast defrosted, cut into strips (I’ve also used frozen chicken breasts, please see below)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¾ cup Franks Red Hot Sauce not buffalo sauce
Instructions
- Slice your chicken into bite-size strips.
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté and melt your butter. Once melted, add your chicken and seasoning. Then, stir in ½ cup of Franks Hot Sauce and stir well.
- Close and lock the lid and set your pot to Pressure Cook on high pressure. Set the cooking time for 8 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot. You can drizzle the remaining hot sauce on it and eat it now, or broil on a baking sheet.
- Optional: Using tongs, remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Brush the chicken with the additional 1/4 cup hot sauce. Brown the chicken and thicken the sauce by placing under the broiler for 3 minutes. Turn the chicken over and repeat on the other side. Let the chicken cool 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Weight Watchers: Per 4 oz serving: 1 Blue Plan Point: 3 Green Plan Points: 1 Purple Plan Point
- 21 Day Fix/Portion Fix: For the entire recipe: 8 Red Containers, 6 Teaspoons. Per Serving: 1 Red Container, ¾ Teaspoon.
- 2B Mindset: Serve with 50% veggies and 25% FFC for a complete lunch. 75% veggies for a complete dinner.
- Trim Healthy Mama: This is a THM-S recipe with no changes.
- If you’re making this recipe with frozen chicken, increase the cook time to 16 minutes and cut into pieces after it’s cooked.
- If you’re short on time you can skip broiling and just toss the chicken with the remaining sauce, but I highly recommend broiling.
can you make it in the crockpot and would i have to alter any of the ingredients
Hi there! I haven’t made this in the crockpot, but I would try it for sure! I can’t think of any ingredients you would have to alter :)
Awesome!! How long would I cook it in the crockpot??
Brooke, I can’t give you an estimate on this because I haven’t done it. I’m sorry!
Do you use leftover sauce from the instant pot on the chicken, or do you use new 1/4 cup of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce? Also, when younsay “thicken the sauce” in the last step, do you mean it will thicken when broiled?
Hi there!! In the ingredient list is an extra 1/4C if sauce at the end, that’s what you use. And yes, the sauce will thicken under the broiler!
Did u cook the fozen chicken on saute for 16 mins or pressure cook for 16 mins?
When the chicken was frozen and I made it, I pressure cooked for 16 minutes.
After the frozen, then cubing, you say to follow the rest of the steps, it says to add the sauce and then pressure cook for 7 minutes… is this in addition to the 16 minutes? Or do you add the franks and all ingredients and pressure cook for 16 minutes and then cube and baste and put in oven??
That was my question too.
I’ve just clarified the directions. After cooking for 16 minutes, head directly to Step #4.
I’m still super confused about the steps here. If I’m using frozen chicken I’m supposed to add all the ingredients except for the butter, which means the hot sauce the pepper and the cayenne pepper and then pressure cook for 16 minutes? And then pressure cook it again for 7 to 8 minutes? I’m confused
If your chicken is completely frozen and you’re using breasts, cook for 16 minutes. Skip adding the butter.
If your chicken is partially frozen cook for 8 minutes.
If your chicken is raw cook for 7 minutes.
For Weight Watchers…what exactly counts as points?
For the Freestyle program the butter in this recipe is what has points. Is that what you are asking?
Can this be refrigerated? And my chicken is fresh should I just alter the time to 12?
Yes, it can be. If your chicken is fresh, I’d add 1/2C of water and leave the cook time the same–it’ll just take less time to come to pressure :)
What would be the oven directions if I don’t have an Instant Pot?
Very tasty!! I didn’t make enough! 🙃 I will have to double it next time!
I’m wondering if you have an IP that crisps can you empty the sauce and put the crisper function on and proceed that way instead of putting in the oven?
Yes!!
Perfect for the football game and no guilt!
Delicious!! Thanks Becca!
I bought frank buffalo wing sauce, now I see it specifically says not buffalo sauce. Does it matter?
If you’re not on a diet, it doesn’t matter. If you’re on a diet, just know that the WW and Fix counts are calculated with the original Franks, not the buffalo :)
This chicken was amazing! I am normally very picky about my chicken but it turned out perfectly with this recipe and it reheated beautifully. My boyfriend also loved it and agreed this would be a repeat dinner!
Yay! I’m glad you like them!
Doesn’t the instant pot need water (liquid) to pressurize correctly? Or does the hot sauce provide a sufficient amount?
The hot sauce provided a sufficient amount of liquid for this recipe :)
I was looking for a buffalo chicken recipe using boneless breasts but did not want shredded chicken, because my son doesn’t really like that style of chicken. This fit the bill perfectly. We ate it on rolls, and it was a big hit! No leftovers! And it was easy to make! Yay! Thanks!
Yay!! You could always chop the chicken in a “regular” recipe, and make it that way for him as well. Changing the method you cut up the chicken shouldn’t change the recipe outcome at all. I’m glad you guys liked these!
My husband now asks for these. We’ve been doing a gut protocol diet and they’re AMAZING.
Yay! I’m so glad he likes them!