Crispy air fryer chicken nuggets are so easy to make with simple ingredients and your trusty air fryer. Make a flavorful breading, dredge and bread chunks of chicken, and air fry to golden brown perfection. They turn out moist and juicy on the inside every single time!
You can serve these easy air fried chicken nuggets as a snack or appetizer with a dipping sauce or as a meal with air-fried sides like french fries or onion rings! Plus, they’re freezer-friendly, so you can make a double batch and save half for a quick dinner later. For more air fryer recipes, try my air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer chicken wings, and air fryer chicken breast.
Ingredients
Chicken — cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch chunks.
Panko breadcrumbs — panko breadcrumbs give the nuggets the best crunch.
Parmesan cheese — parmesan cheese adds a salty, nutty element to the breading mixture and helps the breadcrumbs hold together.
Seasoning — a simple combination of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder adds plenty of flavor to the air fryer chicken nuggets, but I have ideas in the Variations section for other flavorings you can try.
Oil — olive oil helps to flavor the breading and also encourages the chicken nuggets to turn a lovely golden brown in the air fryer.
Flour — dredging the chicken in all-purpose flour first locks in moisture and helps the egg hold onto the chicken so the breading sticks to each piece.
Eggs — eggs help the breading stick to the chicken for the perfect crust.
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
1. Pat the chicken pieces very dry with paper towels.
2. In a shallow bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
3. Stir in the olive oil. Then, use your fingers to massage it into the breadcrumbs to coat it evenly. Set aside. Add the flour to a second shallow bowl and set aside for now.
4. To a third shallow bowl, add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
5. Work in batches of 5 to 6 pieces of chicken at a time and dredge the chicken in the flour.
6. Then, coat the floured chicken pieces with the beaten egg.
7. Lastly, coat the pieces in the breadcrumb mixture. Set the breaded chicken aside on a plate and repeat until all of the chicken is breaded.
8. Place half of the chicken in a single layer in the basket of an air fryer, leaving about ¼-inch of space in between each piece. Air fry chicken nuggets at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Serve and enjoy.
Can I Freeze The Chicken Nuggets?
Yes! You can freeze air fryer chicken nuggets before cooking, making super convenient meal prep and an easy dinner when you need it.
To freeze uncooked nuggets: Place the breaded chicken on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and freeze until solid, about 1 hour. (This will ensure they don’t stick together in a large mass in the freezer.) Then, transfer the frozen nuggets to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Can I Air Fry Frozen Chicken Nuggets?
Yes, you can cook chicken nuggets from frozen in the air fryer, adding an extra 3 to 4 minutes of cook time. Plus, there’s no need to thaw them out first! Unlike deep frying chicken nuggets, air frying allows you to cook the chicken directly from the freezer, so I love this recipe for convenient weeknight dinners!
Variations
- Use other herbs and spices: You can add herbs to the breading, such as dried or freshly chopped thyme, parsley, and oregano. You can also add seasonings like onion powder or paprika.
- Toss in a sauce after cooking: Like I do in my air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe, you can toss these air-fried crispy chicken nuggets in buffalo sauce or any sauce you like before serving.
- Marinate the chicken before breading it: For even more flavor, feel free to marinate the chicken chunks for a few hours or even overnight before dredging and breading. Drain off the marinade and pat the chicken lightly so it’s not very wet when it goes into the flour.
- Use regular breadcrumbs: While panko breadcrumbs yield crunchier air-fried nuggets, you can use regular bread crumbs in a pinch.
- Use chicken thighs: You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. The cooking time may be a little different, so be sure to check that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
How To Serve
I love serving air fryer chicken nuggets with a dipping sauce like barbecue sauce, honey mustard, ranch, aioli, sriracha mayonnaise, or ketchup alongside air fryer sides like:
How To Store and Reheat Leftovers
Once completely cool, transfer the cooked air fryer chicken nuggets to an airtight container and refrigerate for 4 to 5 days. To freeze the cooked nuggets, let them cool completely before flash-freezing them until solid on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Store in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To reheat the nuggets, air fry them at 350°F until heated through, 4 to 7 minutes. I don’t recommend microwaving them, as they will lose their crunchy texture.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Cut the chicken into equal-sized pieces. Cutting all the chicken into 1-inch chunks will ensure the nuggets all cook at the same speed.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is cooked when its internal temperature reaches 165°F, so I test a few pieces in each batch to make sure they are properly cooked.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. Leave about ¼ inch between each nugget so there’s plenty of hot airflow around the chicken for even cooking and browning. Do not let the chicken overlap. I was able to cook all the chicken in two batches in my 6-quart air fryer. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to work in more batches.
Frequently Asked Questions
You do not need to flip the nuggets. Leaving them undisturbed helps them brown properly. Because the pieces are small, the air can circulate well around the entirety of the nugget, eliminating the need for flipping. It also saves a lot of time, as flipping several individual nuggets is time-consuming!
Yes, follow the recipe as written from step 5.
Yes. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Place the chicken nuggets on the wire rack. Bake at 400°F for 8 minutes, flip the nuggets, and bake for another 4 to 6 minutes. Use convection if your oven has it for even cooking.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this air fryer chicken nuggets recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets Recipe
Equipment
- Air fryer with 6-quart basket
- Paper towels
- 3 shallow bowls
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2½ cups panko breadcrumbs (150g)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (60g)
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Pat the chicken pieces very dry with paper towels.
- In a shallow bowl, stir together the panko, cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir in the olive oil, then use your fingers to massage it into the breadcrumbs so that it coats it evenly.
- In a second shallow bowl, add the flour. In a third shallow bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth.
- Working with 5 to 6 pieces of chicken at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the panko. Set aside on a plate. Repeat until all of the chicken is breaded.
- Place half of the chicken in the basket of an air fryer, leaving about ¼-inch of space in between each piece. Air fry at 400°F for 8 – 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165°F. Serve your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Cut the chicken into equal-sized pieces. Cutting all the chicken into 1-inch chunks will ensure the nuggets all cook at the same speed.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is cooked when its internal temperature reaches 165°F, so I test a few pieces in each batch to make sure they are properly cooked.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. Leave about ¼ inch between each nugget so there’s plenty of hot airflow around the chicken for even cooking and browning. Do not let the chicken overlap. I was able to cook all the chicken in two batches in my 6-quart air fryer. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to work in more batches.
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