Buffalo Ranch Chicken Skewers
Juicy, tender chicken smothered in a buttery buffalo ranch dry rub is made easily in an air fryer for a quick meal or appetizer in just 20 minutes! In this recipe I list instructions for homemade ranch seasoning and the most delicious buffalo dry rub. Of course, you can simplify this by using premade seasonings.
Servings: 6 large skewers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken tenders you can use breast or thighs but I prefer how moist tenders are.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 - 8oz stick butter, salted
- 2 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
Ranch Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 tps salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Buffalo Dry Rub Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon cayenne reduce the quantity for less spice
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp each; salt and pepper
Instructions
Make Seasonings & Prep Chicken
- Before you start, make sure to soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Start by combining your buffalo spice mixture in a small bowl, then your ranch mixture in a separate bowl and set aside.
- Prep your chicken by cutting in 3" pieces. Place them in a bowl or zip top bag and add olive oil, 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning and 1 tablespoon buffalo dry rub, coating well on all sides.
- Pack the chicken onto each skewer, making sure they are tightly packed with no space in between to ensure maximum juiciness.
Make Butter Mixture
- Place 1 stick of butter in a bowl and heat for 15 seconds to soften and slightly melt so it's creamy and spreadable but not melted. Add 1.5 tablespoons buffalo seasoning and 1 tablespoon ranch seasonings, mix well, then add chives. Taste it and adjust by adding more buffalo or ranch if needed to reach your desired spice level.
- Scoop out 1/3 of the sauce into a small bowl and use that for basting the uncooked chicken. Reserve the remaining sauce for basting the cooked chicken so you don't cross contaminate. Be sure to wash the basting brush in between.
Cook & Baste Chicken
- Cook 2-3 skewers at a time in an air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove and flip the skewers and baste with sauce, returning to cook an additional 2 minutes at 400 degrees.
- Flip them back, baste with more sauce and cook another 5-6 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees. Total cook time is about 12-15 minutes. This timing will vary based on your air fryer.
- Once they are finished cooking, hit them with a final pass of the buttery buffalo ranch sauce and sprinkle with some additional chives. I love to dip mine in ranch!
Notes
** You can use premade store bought buffalo dry rub and ranch seasoning instead of making the seasonings from scratch. If the seasonings have high sodium, you may want to substitute the butter for unsalted butter.
Oven Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken skewers on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and cook for 14 minutes, flipping half way through and basting with butter a few times throughout the baking process.
Switch the oven to broil and cook an additional 2 minutes so get the tops golden brown. Remove from the oven and baste it one last time with the butter sauce and sprinkle with leftover chives.
Grill Preparation:
Preheat your grill to medium-high. Place the prepared skewers over direct heat and cook each side for 5-6 minutes each, basting with butter throughout the cooking process.
Remove from the grill and baste it one last time with the butter sauce and sprinkle with leftover chives.