Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets are the perfect kid-friendly dinner recipe. Use your air fryer to cook perfectly crispy nuggets in just 10 minutes.
Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Nuggets are a hit with kids and adults alike, especially when you serve them up with flavorful dipping sauces. Practically any of your favorite dipping sauces will taste incredible with Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets. Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, mustard, Ranch, and Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce are just a few of the excellent options.
Plus, you can have the whole recipe done in about 15 minutes. Prepping the chicken pieces in the crumb mixture takes almost no time at all. Then you can air fry them to crispy perfection in 10 minutes. It’s a foolproof recipe that’s perfect for lunch or a hassle-free dinner.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
If you’re looking for a quick Crispy Chicken Nugget recipe, this one is perfect. The air fryer recipe is much healthier than regular frying, but they turn out just as delicious with a crunchy outside coating and juicy chicken inside. They’re even better than your favorite fast food nuggets.
There is already a recipe up for Classic Homemade Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Tenders. But, air frying is a healthier and easier option that gives you just as scrumptious of a Chicken Recipe.
Can These Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, these are great to make ahead and freeze until needed. Be sure to cool them completely before putting them into an airtight container in the freezer. Keep them for up to 3 months for the freshest taste.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: We are using boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Since there are no bones, they’re easy to slice into nuggets, and the pieces of chicken crisp up nicely on the outside while the inside stays tender and juicy.
- Flour: To prep the chicken for the breadcrumb coating, start by covering them in flour. This will absorb excess moisture and help the rest of the coating stick to the chicken.
- Eggs: Then, you have to coat the nuggets in whisked eggs. The egg wash acts as a glue to secure the breadcrumb coating.
- Bread Crumb Mixture: For the crispy coating, use panko breadcrumbs seasoned with onion and garlic powder.
- Oil Spray: Spray the prepped chicken with vegetable oil spray before frying it. This will give the Air Fried Chicken Nuggets the same crunchy coating that regular frying would.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit as instructed in the recipe. Ensure it’s clean and in good working condition for optimal cooking results.
- Shallow Bowls: You’ll need three shallow bowls for the flour, egg mixture, and breadcrumb mixture. Use wide, shallow bowls to easily coat the chicken pieces without making a mess.
- Whisk: A whisk is essential for mixing the eggs, kosher salt, and black pepper in one of the shallow bowls. Ensure the eggs are well-beaten for proper coating.
How to Make
Time needed: 15 minutes.
- Step One: Preheat the Air Fryer
Set your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) to preheat while you prepare the chicken.
- Step Two: Prepare the Chicken
Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch chunks.
- Step Three: Prepare the Three Bowls
In one shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, kosher salt, and black pepper. In another bowl place the flour. In the third bowl combine panko breadcrumbs, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Step Four: Coat Chicken
Add the chicken to the flour, then into the egg mixture and finally into the breadcrumbs then place them into the air fryer in a single layer.
- Step Five: Coat and Fry
Spray with vegetable oil spray lightly and cook for 5 minutes,
- Step Six: Flip
After five minutes, flip and spray lightly with vegetable oil again. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve
Serve fresh with your family’s favorite dipping sauces!
Nutritional Facts
How to Store
Storing
Any leftover nuggets can be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat them in the air fryer or place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and heat them in the oven.
Freezing
You can also store Air Fry Chicken Nuggets in the freezer. Frozen nuggets can keep well for up to 3 months. You can reheat them in the oven or lay them on a baking sheet to reheat in a 400-degree oven.
Tips & Tricks
- Choose the Right Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast for lean and tender nuggets. Thighs work too if you prefer a richer flavor.
- Preheat for Success: Always preheat your air fryer as per the recipe instructions. It ensures even cooking and crispy results.
- Shake Off Excess Flour: After coating the chicken in flour, give it a little shake to remove any excess. This helps prevent clumps in the egg mixture.
- Even Coating is Key: When dipping the chicken into the egg mixture and breadcrumbs, make sure each piece is evenly coated for uniform crispiness.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Basket: Arrange the coated nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer basket to allow proper air circulation. Overcrowding can lead to uneven cooking.
- Use Oil Sparingly: While a light spray of vegetable oil enhances crispiness, don’t overdo it to avoid a greasy result. A little goes a long way.
- Check for Doneness: Cooking times can vary slightly depending on your air fryer model. Always check the nuggets for doneness; they should be golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve Fresh: For the best experience, serve your air fryer chicken nuggets immediately after cooking. They’re at their crispiest and most delicious when hot.
Frequent Questions
You can as easily cook frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer as fresh chicken. Just add the still-frozen nuggets to your air fryer basket and cook at 380 degrees for 10-14 minutes.
You can enjoy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets with homemade fries. We recommend our Garlic Fries or Sweet Potato Fries as two delicious options. You can also put out some more healthy, kid-friendly sides like carrots and dip or sliced fruit.
Yes, you can use chicken thighs if you prefer. Just make sure to remove the skin and bone, and cut them into 1-inch chunks like you would with chicken breast.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the coated chicken nuggets in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they are golden and crispy.
es, you can use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko breadcrumbs if that’s what you have on hand. Panko breadcrumbs tend to give a slightly crispier texture, but both work for this recipe.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast , boneless and skinless
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- vegetable oil , to spray
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees.
- Cut the chicken into 1 inch chunks.
- Whisk the eggs, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Place the flour into a shallow bowl.
- Mix the breadcrumbs, onion powder and garlic powder together in a shallow bowl.
- Add the chicken to the flour, then into the egg mixture and finally into the breadcrumbs.
- Add chicken pieces to the air fryer basket in a single layer
- Spray with vegetable oil spray lightly.
- Cook for 5 minutes, flip and spray lightly with vegetable oil again.
- Cook for 5 minutes.
Notes
- Click on the “yield” amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- Click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
- To convert measurements to grams, click on the “Metric” option next to “Ingredients” in the recipe card.
Nutrition
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Variations
- Parmesan nuggets: To make Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets with a delicious parmesan coating, just add fresh parmesan cheese to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix the shredded cheese in with the breadcrumbs, and then coat the nuggets in it. The parmesan mixture will crisp up nicely and add an extra layer of amazing flavor to the batch of chicken.
- Seasoning: Another way to add extra flavor to this recipe is with chicken seasoning. You can mix parsley flakes, pepper flakes, chipotle chili powder, and cumin with the breadcrumbs to season chicken pieces.
- Bacon-wrapped nuggets: Instead of adding a breadcrumb coating, you can wrap each chicken bite in a piece of bacon. Then stick a toothpick through to keep the bacon in place. Lay the chicken pieces in the basket. Air fry for 5 minutes, then flip the bacon-wrapped chicken and fry again.
More Homemade Dipping Sauces
