Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken

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Buffalo chicken doesn’t need a deep fryer, or a sink full of dishes to be good. These sheet pan buffalo chicken roast until the edges get a little crisp, then they’re tossed with buttery hot sauce and baked again for a few minutes. That final trip to the oven helps the sauce stick to the chicken instead of collecting at the bottom of the pan.

Put out some ranch or blue cheese dressing and serve them as a game-day snack, or add fries and a salad for dinner. They’re spicy, messy in the best way, and hard to stop eating once the pan hits the table.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons dried chives
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Buffalo Sauce

• 6 tablespoons salted butter
• ½ cup Frank’s RedHot or another cayenne pepper hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, optional for smoky heat

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven and pan: Heat the oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Season the chicken: Mix the paprika, parsley, chives, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Add the chicken to a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the seasoning over it, and toss until evenly coated.
3. Coat the pieces: Combine the flour and cornstarch, then sprinkle the mixture over the chicken. Toss until each piece has a thin, even coating with no visible pockets of dry flour.
4. Add the oil: Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken and toss again. The coating should look lightly moistened rather than oily or pasty.
5. Arrange and bake: Spread the chicken across the prepared pan in a single layer, leaving space between the pieces. Bake for 15–18 minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and nearly cooked through.
6. Make the buffalo sauce: While the chicken bakes, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the hot sauce, vinegar, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and optional chipotle chili powder. Warm for 1–2 minutes, stirring until smooth. Do not allow the sauce to boil.
7. Coat with sauce: Pour the warm buffalo sauce over the baked chicken. Toss directly on the pan until every piece is thoroughly coated.
8. Finish baking: Return the pan to the oven for 4–5 minutes. The chicken is ready when the sauce has formed a light glaze and the thickest piece reaches 165°F internally.
9. Serve: Toss the chicken once more in the sauce remaining on the pan and serve immediately while hot.

Tips for Better Buffalo Chicken Bites

• Keep the pieces even: Cut the chicken into similar 1-inch cubes so the smaller pieces don’t dry out while the larger ones finish cooking.
• Give the chicken some room: Spread it out well on the pan. If the pieces are touching, they’ll release moisture and steam instead of getting crisp around the edges.
• Coat in the right order: Add the flour and cornstarch before the oil. The dry coating needs to cling to the chicken first; otherwise, it can turn lumpy.
• Watch chicken breasts closely: Thighs are a little more forgiving, while breast meat can dry out quickly. Start checking the chicken at the 15-minute mark.
• Don’t boil the buffalo sauce: Gentle heat keeps the butter and hot sauce smooth. Boiling can cause the sauce to separate and become greasy.
• Adjust the heat at the end: Leave out the chipotle powder for a milder batch, or add an extra spoonful of hot sauce after baking for more heat.

Storing Leftovers

Let the buffalo chicken cool, then place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it within two hours. It will keep for 3–4 days. According to FoodSafety.gov, cooked leftovers should be reheated to 165°F before serving.

Reheating

Reheat the chicken in a 375°F oven for 8–10 minutes or in an air fryer at 350°F for 4–6 minutes. Either method brings back some of the crispness. A microwave works when you’re in a hurry, but the coating will be softer. Toss the hot chicken with a little extra buffalo sauce if it looks dry.

Freezing

These chicken bites can be frozen for up to 2 months, although the coating won’t be quite as crisp once thawed. Store them in a freezer-safe container, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat in the oven or air fryer.

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