Best Brand Of Frozen Chicken Nuggets For Air Fryer
Theres so many different brands with different sizes and thicknesses of the chicken nuggets. Do a test batch first for a small handful. After cooking your first few nuggets, youll know more of how long and temp is best for your brand. Also, the more you cook, the longer it will take to get crispy. So you should be flexible and check to make sure the nuggets are cooked though. Organic brands of frozen chicken nuggets are perfect for cooking in the fryer too. You can eat more chicken nuggets and eat consciously with organic brands!
How To Make Homemade Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Cooking chicken nuggets in the air fryer is my favorite because they cook so fast and always come out crispy! Here’s step by step instructions.
The full recipe is in the recipe card below.
How To Make These Your Own
Ranch , bbq sauce , ketchup, honey
Kidding, kind of. Theyre really great the way they are, you guys! But here are a few ideas:
- Rather have chicken strips? Try air fryer chicken tenders, basically the same process but a different size.
- To make gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs for breading.
- Add an Italian twist: Mix in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano to the breadcrumb mixture.
- Give them a little heat by adding 1/4 teaspoon cayenne to the flour.
- If you cant get down with whole wheat, use purpose flour and white Panko.
- Looking for a vegetarian choice? Try making falafel or Buffalo cauliflower bites in your air fryer.
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Meal Prep These Homemade Airfryer Chicken Nuggets
This healthier homemade air fryer chicken nuggets can easily become a make ahead freezer meal.
- After air frying them, let them cool and freezer flat on a sheet pan.
- Then use as you would with store-bought nuggets by reheating them in your air fryer or oven for a couple of minutes.
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Should You Freeze Nuggets Before Or After Cooking

Ah, the age-old question! There really isnt a wrong answer on this one, as it comes down to preference. As per usual, I have a pretty strong preference hah! If Im making chicken nuggets to cook in an air fryer , I always freeze them before cooking.
I find that the breading will remain much crispier if its only cooked once and it will also adhere better to the chicken. So bread those nuggets, freeze them and then get ready for DIY dunk-able deliciousness any day of the week.
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Can Chicken Nuggets Be Healthy
Yes! Thanks to air fryer technology we can enjoy healthy chicken nuggets with crips outsides and juicy insides. Here is the air fryer I use: Power Air Fryer XL
These nuggets are also healthier than store bought or fast-food because you control the ingredients. No weird chemicals or mystery meats are involved in this recipe. And because we use almond flour this recipe is gluten free.
Here are some healthy homemade recipes for chicken nuggets dips: Dairy Free Ranch, Peach Barbecue Sauce& Homemade Ketchup.
If you like this recipe you will love this AIR FRYER CHICKEN BREAST RECIPE. . .perfect for an easy dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients Needed For Homemade Chicken Nuggets Air Fryer
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Preheat The Air Fryer
Preheating the air fryer is just as important as preheating an oven. Actually, it may be more important since the cooking time is often drastically lower in an air fryer. Don’t skip this step!
To preheat your air fryer simply set the temperature to 375°F and the time somewhere between ten and fifteen minutes, or however long you think it will take you to get all your chicken battered.
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How To Make Crispy Chicken Nuggets In The Oven
- Preheat oven: First, preheat the oven to 400F
- Prepare the nuggets: Follow the same steps as you would if you were air-frying
- Line the nuggets on a greased sheet pan. Or you may add a wire metal rack on a sheet pan, spray with some cooking spray to prevent nuggets from sticking, transfer the nuggets to the wire rack. Spray the top of the nuggets with more cooking spray.
- Next, Bake: Place them in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until they are crispy or temp reached 165 F.
- Finally, serve with your favorite dip.
How To Reheat Chicken Breasts In An Air Fryer
I recommend setting the chicken breasts out at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to warm up slightly, then cook in a 350F air fryer for about 5 to 10 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through.
This will reheat the Parmesan and panko bread crumb chicken breasts and also crisp them up slightly, although theyll never be as crispy as when you first prepared them.
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Frozen Chicken Nuggets + Ranch Dipping Sauce
Frozen chicken nuggets taste even better if you make a quick ranch dipping sauce to dip in. Making your own ranch dipping sauce is so quick that you can make it, have a sit down, all before the air fryer beeps after its 8 minutes!
I make ranch dipping sauce for my frozen chicken nuggets by mixing:
Just 3 simple ingredients that most families will have in and wont need to go grocery shopping to source the ingredients.
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Crispy On The Outside And Juicy On The Inside These Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets Are So Delicious And Easy To Make
Using the air fryer is a great way to make chicken nuggets because it saves a ton of fat and calories by avoiding deep frying. Our favorite nuggets are from Chick-fil-A, so I wanted to make Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets as close to the CFA recipe as possible! Serve them with delicious homemade Chick-fil-A Sauce on the side!
Why go to the fast-food restaurant for your chicken nugget craving? They cost more and are much less flavorful as well as healthier since they are cooked in the air fryer. If you love Chick-fil-A, these air fryer Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets is one of the most delicious recipes you can make. Just marinate them, bread them, and toss them in your air fryer tray and they are done in less than 10 minutes.
This copycat recipe is not only healthier but actually tastes better than the fast-food nuggets. They are made with real chicken breast marinated in a special milk and pickle juice mixture for intense flavor.
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More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes:
Cooks who love their air fryers are always looking for new recipes to try. If youre one of those cooks, youll be happy to know that there are plenty of chicken recipes that you can cook in your air fryer. In this blog post, well share some of our favorite chicken recipes that can be cooked in an air fryer. So, if youre looking for some new ideas, keep reading!
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Why Make Chicken Nuggets In The Air Fryer

I prefer to cook chicken nuggets in an air fryer because it doesnt require any oil, which is a bonus for many reasons.
It creates a healthier snack and I still get a crispy coated chicken nugget. The cleanup is much faster! I dont have to worry about hot oil, scrubbing a deep fryer, or oil splatters! Air fryers are super easy to use and easy to clean! Plus, I have little kids. Its nice not to worry about a vat of hot oil if I have to turn my back for a second.
If you havent bought an air fryer yet, because you’re just not sure which one to buy we reviewed a bunch of them and found some favorites. Check out our list of the 7 best air fryers in 2021.
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How To Make Frozen Chicken Nuggets In The Air Fryer
Arrange the chicken nuggets in the air fryer basket in a single layer. There should be some small spaces between each nugget for airflow. If you need to make two batches, rather do so instead of overcrowding the air fryer.
Air fry the chicken nuggets at 400 °F for 8 minutes.
Flip the chicken nuggets and air fry for a further 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy.
Remove the chicken nuggets and allow them to cool for 2-3 minutes before serving as they will be very hot!
Hint: Cooking times for frozen chicken nuggets will vary depending on the thickness and brand of the chicken nuggets used. You can easily test for doneness with one chicken nugget once the nuggets are golden brown and crispy and they should be done.
Ingredients In Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken
There are only a handful of common fridge and pantry ingredients needed to make breaded chicken breasts in an air fryer:
- All-purpose flour
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Lemon wedges, optional for garnshing
Tip: Scroll down to the recipe card section for a more complete ingredients list, including amounts and directions.
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The Best Homemade Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
The air fryer is your best friend when it comes to making breaded food and baked food actually taste like fried food, and these Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets are no exception.
Contrary to what some might believe, the air fryer isn’t actually frying at all — it’s more roasting than anything. The air fryer is essentially a countertop-sized convection oven. Convection ovens are known for evenly cooking food, and in combination with that basket of perforated holes, you can’t get better all-around airflow from any other cooking device. That is what makes the air fryer ideal for mimicking the crunchy texture of food fried in hot oil.
These chicken nuggets are a far healthier way to enjoy one of your childhood favorites, and thanks to our foolproof method for both prepping the nuggets, along with an irresistibly delicious, Southern-style dredge, and the perfect temp and time combo, you won’t find a more delicious Air Fryer Chicken Nugget Recipe on the internet. Guaranteed.
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Combine the sauce ingredients and whisk through until smooth. Taste to see if you like more heat, more kick from mustard or more honey. You can use some hot mustard in place of hot sauce or add a little ketchup for color. Toss potato wedges with rosemary, seasonings and olive oil. Use your hands to coat everything evenly. This sauce will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
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How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
These air fryer chicken nuggets are fast, easy, and can be made ahead of time! They taste delicious and I cant believe that they are made to taste this good without being fried in oil!
- Whisk and combine: In a small bowl whisk together the flour, salt and pepper. In a separate small bowl whisk the oil and minced garlic. In another small bowl combine the Panko, parmesan, parsley, and paprika.
- Dip and coat: Place the tenders in the flour mixture, then the oil, and lastly the panko. Make sure to evenly coat each one.
- Place in air fryer: Spray the air fryer basket with oil and place the tenders inside.
- Cook and flip: Cook the at 400 degrees for 7 minutes, then flip and cook another 7-10 minutes until crispy.
Ingredients Needed To Make Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
This recipe consists of a few ingredients, making it the perfect quick and delicious meal. This recipe uses one chicken breast, for more chicken nuggets be sure to adjust the cooking time and measurements for breading and seasonings. Start by collecting the following items:
- 1 large chicken breast cut into 1 inch squares .
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 2 tbsp buttermilk or cream
- 1 tsp of salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs
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Storage And Re Heating
Make it ahead of time
Leftover nuggets can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
From the refrigerator Simple microwave them for couple of minutes to quickly re heat . However, to revive the crispy coating, re heat them in the air fryer for 5 minutes or bake at 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.
More Easy Dinner Recipes

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Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Homemade chicken nuggets are really so easy to make and require just a small amount of oil, making them so much healthier than the frozen, deep fried chicken nuggets you can pick up at the store.
With the help of a few simple spices, the breading is flavorful and gets nice and crispy without deep frying, thanks to the air fryer! The chicken nuggets only need 10 minutes to cook, and they come out golden brown and perfectly tender.
Even better, you can make these chicken nuggets ahead of time then store in the fridge or freezer! When you’re ready to serve, simply reheat in the air fryer. This is a great kid friendly option!
What I love about chicken nuggets is that the serving options are seriously endless! Toss the chicken nuggets with buffalo sauce to make your very own boneless buffalo wings, wrap inside of tortilla shell with your favorite fresh toppings, serve over a bed of mashed potatoes and gravy or macaroni and cheese, add to a salad, or simply serve as an appetizer with your favorite sauces for dipping!
How To Make Fresh Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
The air fryer makes things easy-peasy, yall. Here are the step-by-step instructions that youll need to follow:
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How To Make Air Fried Chicken Nuggets
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
Chicken Nuggets In Air Fryer Rule
Are you looking for a chicken nugget recipe that leaves you with crispy and delicious chicken nuggets? Using an air fryer to get a crispy outside of a chicken nugget with a juicy inside is the ticket!
We love using the air fryer because it leaves you with crispy food that tastes like its fried in a ton of oil, but in reality, youve only used a fraction of the amount of oil that you usually use! Its amazing.
These amazing chicken nuggets are so delicious served next to our air fryer sweet potato fries or baked potato wedges and your choice of sauce.
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