Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets Recipe

4.72 from 7 votes

Made with real chicken breasts and a few simple ingredients, these breaded chicken nuggets cook in the Air Fryer in just 25 minutes. Quick, crispy, and the perfect kid-friendly meal!

Prep Time10

Cook Time14

Total Time24

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 432kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil or non-stick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour divided
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground paprika
1 cup breadcrumbs *
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2x2-inch pieces**

Instructions

Using a pastry brush, brush oil onto the basket of the Air Fryer to prevent sticking.
2 tablespoons olive oil
In a shallow bowl, whisk together ½ cup of flour, plus all of the milk and seasonings. Fill a second bowl with the other ½ cup flour; and a third bowl with the breadcrumbs.
1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground paprika, 1 cup breadcrumbs
Working with one nugget at a time, start by coating it in the flour.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Next, dip the flour-coated chicken nugget in the batter. Let any excess drip off.
Finally, dip the battered chicken nugget in the breadcrumbs. Gently press to adhere.
Place each nugget into the oiled basket, without stacking. Repeat coating for each piece, until all are covered and in basket.
Select chicken, make sure the temperature is 380°F. Cook on each side for 7 minutes (14 minutes total). If you prefer extra crispy, you can cook an additional minute on each side.

Video

Notes

*You can use real breadcrumbs, Panko, Italian breadcrumbs, etc.

**I prefer to make nuggets with boneless chicken breasts, but thighs work too.

Tips:

Cut all chicken pieces to a uniform nugget size so they cook evenly.
You can add hot sauce or chili powder to the milk and seasonings mixture if you want a spicier chicken nugget.
Or mix in Parmesan for a cheesy flavor.
If in a hurry, and you aren’t concerned with how “pretty” the nuggets look, you can pour the flour over the chicken pieces in a larger bowl and toss until they are covered. It saves a step, but I wanted to make sure all of my pieces were evenly covered.
Lightly spray or brush the nuggets with oil before air frying to help achieve golden, crispy edges.
Properly cooked chicken should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Reheat leftovers in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 350°F to restore crispiness.

Make Your Own Breadcrumbs: Depending on the size of the bread, you can make your own bread crumbs from about four slices of bread. Place bread in the basket, and set time for about 5-7 minutes at 350°F, flipping over halfway. The air fryer makes the bread very crisp! Place the crisp bread into the food processor and pulse into fine crumbs form.

Make-Ahead: Bread the chicken pieces and freeze them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a bag and cook straight from the freezer for busy nights. Add a few extra minutes to the final cook time.

Storage: Store air fryer chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition