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Buffalo Chicken Thighs

By The Modern Nonna

on Aug 07, 2025, Updated Sep 16, 2025

4.80 from 5 votes

High-protein, bold flavor, and ready in 20 minutes – these Buffalo Chicken Thighs check all the boxes ✅! They’re juicy, spicy and coated in a buffalo sauce that’s as addictive as that reality tv show you swore you’d never watch 😭. Whether you use an air fryer or oven, you’ve got options, babe. You can throw them together in minutes, or make them ahead for maximum flavor absorption. It’s totally up to you. The best part? They pack 22 grams of protein 🤯. Plus, they’re naturally gluten-free and keto friendly. Serve them with my mom’s crunchy Red Cabbage Slaw for a high-protein, low-carb feast. Your taste buds will thank you 😋.

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Why You’ll Love Buffalo Chicken Thighs

Juicy, tender, and nearly impossible to dry out, these Buffalo Chicken Thighs go hard! Essentially, they’re like tiny flavor bombs, bursting with tangy, spicy magic ✨. When cooked in the air fryer, they crisp up beautifully on the outside while remaining juicy on the inside for texture and flavor that’s anything but bland. Additionally, they’re 100% versatile and customizable. Add honey 🍯 for a sweet + savory combo, chili flakes for extra heat, or swap butter and yogurt for your favorite dairy-free brands. They’re so simple, quick and easy to make, you’ll be screaming “Takeout who?!” when the buffalo sauce cravings hit!

Ingredients

Chicken thighs: For this recipe, you’ll need 8 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Thigh meat is tender, juicy, and cooks more quickly without drying when compared to other cuts of chicken.

Buffalo sauce: There’s absolutely nothing wrong with using bottled buffalo sauce to save yourself some time. However, you could also opt to make it from scratch with just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry (see below).

Yogurt: A bit of plain yogurt tenderizes the meat, makes it juicy, and gives the sauce a velvety texture.

Pepper: Totally optional, but gives the chicken a hint of extra spice.

How to Make Homemade Buffalo Sauce

Making homemade buffalo sauce 🦬 is so simple, you’ll never reach for the store-bought kind again. All you need is four pantry staples and 5 extra minutes. Here’s how:

In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons of melted butter, 1/4 cup of hot sauce, a pinch of garlic powder, and a splash of vinegar untli glossy and smooth. That’s it 🤯! Lastly, drizzle all this spicy, tangy, buttery goodness on your chicken and enjoy!

Variations and Substitutions for Buffalo Chicken Thighs

1. Stir 1–2 tablespoons of honey 🍯 into your buffalo sauce for a sweet and spicy glaze.
2. Swap chicken thighs for chicken wings or drumsticks. (Still, the cooking time should be about the same.)
3. Additionally, you could cut chicken breast into cubes for buffalo chicken bites. However, you’ll need to reduce the cooking time to 10-12 minutes so they don’t dry out.
4. For a keto-friendly version, opt for a sugar-free buffalo sauce.
5. You can use Greek 🇬🇷 yogurt or low-fat yogurt if you don’t have plain yogurt on hand.

Best Served With

• Celery and carrot sticks 🥕 with Homemade Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese.
• Crispy Parmesan Potatoes or Air Fryer Potato Skins 🥔.
• Fresh chopped Red Cabbage Slaw or Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad).
• An ice cold beer for the cook 🍻. Cheers!

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Common Questions

Buffalo Chicken Thighs

4.80 from 5 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Makes: 8 thighs

Author: The Modern Nonna

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Video

Equipment

Measuring Cups + Spoons

Mixing Bowls

Air Fryer

Meat Thermometer

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 8 chicken thighs, small, skinless boneless
• ▢ ⅓ cup organic buffalo sauce
• ▢ ¼ cup plain yogurt, 0-2%
• ▢ pepper, optional

Instructions 

• Add chicken thighs, buffalo sauce, and plain yogurt to a bowl. Mix well.
• Note: Allow your mixture to sit for an hour or up to overnight, but you can make it right away, too.
• Air fry at 390F for 15 minutes or until 165F internally. Use a meat thermometer to check at the 10 minute mark, as cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken thighs.
• Oven method: Preheat oven to 425F and bake for 25 minutes, or until your thighs reach an internal temp of 165F.

Notes

• Sweet + Spicy Glaze: Stir 1–2 tablespoons of honey into your buffalo sauce for a sweet and spicy glaze.
• Protein Swaps: Swap chicken thighs for chicken wings or drumsticks, using whatever you have available on hand. (The cooking time should be about the same.) 
• Buffalo Bites: Additionally, you could cut chicken breast into cubes for buffalo chicken bites. Simply reduce the cooking time to 10-12 minutes so they don’t dry out. 
• Keto Friendly: For a keto-friendly version, opt for a sugar-free buffalo sauce or make your own (see the How To above).
• Yogurt options: You can use Greek yogurt, low-fat yogurt, or dairy-free instead of plain.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 thigh, Calories: 139kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.4g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 411mg, Potassium: 289mg, Sugar: 0.4g, Vitamin A: 35IU, Vitamin C: 0.04mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

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