Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Fried Chicken Bites

If you’re a fan of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and love the crunch of crispy fried chicken, prepare yourself for the deliciousness that is easy, cheesy, spicy Hot Cheeto chicken bites. After just one bite, you’ll understand why they have a cult following.

Flamin’ Hot Cheetos might seem like a gimmicky ingredient, but it’s actually sort of ingenious. You’ll be surprised and delighted by the cheesy, spicy flavor and crisp-tender texture they bring to the fried chicken. And thanks to a smart pantry staple, this recipe doesn’t require that messy three-step breading process. Here’s how to make Flamin’ Hot Cheetos fried chicken bites at home.

Admittedly, these fried chicken bites are a bit of irreverent fun! You don’t need Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to make tasty fried chicken bites, but I guarantee it will delight your taste buds.

You’ll start with a single 9-ounce bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, which get pulsed into a fine powder in the food processor. As they cook, the Cheetos lose a bit of their kick, so you’ll want to add a pinch of cayenne and some salt to the powdered Cheetos to keep them flamin’ (sorry, I had to say it).

Here’s the best part: You’ll coat the chicken bites in mayo before tossing them in the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos powder. The mayo keeps the chicken juicy and helps the coating stick. While the recipe calls for a few zip-top bags to keep cleanup minimal, feel free to use small bowls instead.

You’ll notice these chicken bites are pan-fried, rather than deep-fried. Pan-frying is easier and uses less oil, and because you’ll be able to control the temperature of the oil more easily, you don’t risk burning the Flamin’ Cheeto coating.