Crispy on the outside with a pop of fiery buffalo chicken on the inside, these air fryer buffalo chicken wontons are the perfect game day appetizer! Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce for an irresistible party snack.
My favorite loves buffalo anything - cauliflower bites, chicken wings, etc. - and we could gladly eat them every day! But, most recipes involve deep-frying, which can increase the fat content. As a Registered Dietitian, I'm always looking for ways to serve the flavors we love while supporting our nutritional goals!
These crispy wontons are cooked in the air fryer instead of the deep fryer, which makes a huge difference! Plus, they're filled with a high-protein, low-fat mixture of shredded chicken and Greek yogurt to keep you full longer. They're everything you're craving all in one: crispy, creamy, spicy, and better for you!
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Ingredients
- Shredded chicken: This is a great way to use leftover rotisserie chicken, or you can cook the chicken specifically for this dish.
- Greek yogurt: Other recipes call for sour cream or cream cheese, but Greek yogurt is has more protein and tastes the same!
- Frank's Red Hot Sauce: It's not buffalo anything without this iconic buffalo wing sauce!
- Dry Ranch seasoning: Look for a low-sodium packet, if possible.
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese: This will melt wonderfully in the air fryer. Feel free to use another melting cheese, like mozzarella or cheddar cheese. Pepper Jack would add a nice extra kick of heat!
- Green onion: For a pop of freshness.
- Wonton wrappers: These are easy to find at the grocery store.
- Avocado oil cooking spray: Spray this over the air fryer buffalo chicken bites before cooking to crisp up the shell.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Wonton Cups
Prepare the filling: In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, plain Greek yogurt, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, dry ranch seasoning, and monterey jack cheese.
Fill the wrappers: Separate the wonton wrappers and place a few of them on a plate. Place about 1 tablespoon of the buffalo chicken mixture in the center of the wonton.
Seal edges: Dip your finger in water and moisten the edges of the wrapper. Fold half of the wrapper over the wonton filling, forming a triangle, and gently press the edges together to seal them.
Complete folding: Fold each side of the long edge of the triangle over the filling and meet in the middle. Press them together. It will look similar to an envelope. Repeat with the wontons until you run out of fillings.
Prepare for baking: Arrange the wontons in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray with the avocado oil.
Bake: Air fry at 380 F degrees and cook the wontons for 7-10 minutes until crispy and golden. Flip halfway through the cooking.
Serve: Garnish with the sliced green onions. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!
Hint: If you don't seal the edges well, the creamy filling will ooze out in the air fryer. Add a bit of water, press firmly, and you should be good to go.
Substitutions
- Gluten-free: There are gluten-free wonton wrappers in stores now, which are an easy swap!
- Dairy-free: Try using a neutral-tasting non-dairy yogurt for creaminess without the lactose.
Variations
Use different proteins: This recipe would work great with leftover shredded turkey from Thanksgiving or even browned ground turkey.
Serve with your favorite sauce: Just like buffalo chicken wings, these wontons are all about dipping! Serve these air fryer wontons with extra buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, bleu cheese dressing, sweet chili sauce, etc. Look for lower-fat and lower-sugar options, if preferred.
Bake them: If you have a convection oven, you can make a larger batch in the oven! Arrange your wontons on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spray like normal. Bake until golden brown and crispy, and enjoy.
Nutrition
Traditional buffalo chicken wings or restaurant wonton cups are usually deep-fried, which can add extra fat. This homemade version is still packed with protein thanks to the chicken and yogurt, and they're air fried for lots of crunch!
Consuming snacks high in protein can keep you full for longer and keep your blood sugar from spiking. Plus, you'll get extra energy to carry you through the day. Win-win!
Storage
Spicy buffalo chicken bites are best served hot while they're still crispy. If you have extras, store them in an airtight container in the fridge, then pop them back into the air fryer at 380F to heat them back up.
Top tip
To keep the wontons crispy after air frying, place them on a wire rack. This will prevent them from becoming soggy on the bottom as they sit on a plate.
FAQ
Absolutely! This is my favorite way to cook wontons because you don't have to fuss with deep frying, and they come out golden brown and crispy every time. The trick is to spritz or brush them with oil before cooking, which helps the wrapper crisp up just right. It's easy!
Yes, but you want to make sure the wrappers stay dry. If they get wet, they'll become soggy and won't crisp up in the air fryer.
That really depends on the ingredients inside and your macros! If you buy prefilled wontons from a restaurant or the freezer section at your grocery store, they're generally going to be deep-fried to give you that crispy crunch. Plus, the filling is usually made with cream cheese or sour cream for a creamy texture and extra flavor.
These components add extra fat, which may or may not fit your health goals. However, if you make them yourself, you can control the quality of the ingredients and also cook them in the air fryer. They're a much healthier alternative and still totally delicious.
Related
Looking for other healthy recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these air fryer buffalo chicken wontons:
Healthier Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wontons
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning
- ½ cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- ¼ cup green onion sliced
- 24-30 wonton wrappers
- Water
- Avocado oil cooking spray
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, plain Greek yogurt, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, dry ranch seasoning, monterey jack cheese.
- Separate the wontons and place a few of them on a plate. Place about 1 tablespoon of the mixture in the middle of the wonton.
- Dip your finger in water and moisten the edges of the wrapper.
- Fold half of the wrapper over the filling, forming a triangle and gently press the edges together to seal them.
- Fold each side of the long edge of the triangle over the filling and meet in the middle. Pres them together. It will look similar to an envelope. Repeat with the wontons until you run out of fillings.
- Place in the air fryer in a single layer and spray with the avocado oil.
- Air fry at 380F degrees and cook the wontons for 7-10 minutes until crispy and golden. Flip halfway through the cooking.
- Garnish with the sliced green onions. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!
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