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Emily Fabulous » Recipes » Easy Dinner Recipes

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

Published: Mar 11, 2020 · Modified: Mar 6, 2023 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments

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air fryer chicken nuggets recipe pin.
air fryer chicken nuggets recipe pin2.

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets are so easy to make, not to mention healthy, and everyone will love them. This a quick and easy recipe that cooks in 8 minutes in your air fryer! This will easily become a dinner favorite and it's kid-friendly!

air fried chicken nuggets with breadcrumb and parmesan coating
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Jump to:
  • Why Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets Are The Best:
  • Ingredients Needed to Make These Nuggets
  • How to Make Air Fried Chicken Nuggets
  • The Air Fryer I Use
  • Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
  • Did you Make These Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets?

Everyone loves Chicken Nuggets, right? Now you can make Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets any day of the week! This recipe is super easy and you don't need a ton of ingredients.

Why Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets Are The Best:

  • First, they taste delicious!
  • Air-fried nuggets are healthier than oil-fried nuggets
  • Kid-friendly (or do they bring out the kid in us?)
  • You can dip them in whatever you want
  • It only takes 8 minutes to cook them
  • They freeze really well
  • Make a great dinner, snack, or appetizer
  • They are inexpensive to make
  • No additives like the frozen bags at the grocery store

There are many other reasons but you get the point. We always have frozen chicken breast in our freezer, and this is an easy go-to recipe for when you don't know what to make. As I mentioned, these nuggets freeze really well in a sealed bag or container so you can make a large batch and have dinner in the freezer for a night when you have no time.

Ingredients Needed to Make These Nuggets

  • 16-20 oz chicken breasts, cut into nugget size
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil
  • Italian bread crumbs 
  • panko breadcrumbs
  • parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • oil spray for air frying

How to Make Air Fried Chicken Nuggets

  1. Dry the chicken with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Place the breadcrumbs, panko, and cheese in a bowl and stir to combine. Place olive oil in another bowl.
  3. Coat each chicken piece with olive oil first and then roll in breadcrumb mixture.
  4. Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 400°. Spray the basket with non-stick spray and place chicken pieces in the air fryer basket. Spray the chicken pieces as well and cook for 4 minutes. Flip the chicken, spray again, and cook for 4 more minutes on the other side.

The Air Fryer I Use

There are so many different types of air fryers out there now, and each one is slightly different. There are countertop air fryers, air fryer ovens, and air fryer attachments to name a few. They even make full-size ovens that act as air fryers now!!

I use a COSORI Air Fryer (shown below) and I love it! The only downside is it takes up some counter space so make sure you have room for it. If you want a smaller option, check out the COSORI Small Air Fryer.

air fried chicken nuggets with breadcrumb and parmesan coating
Click on the image above to PIN for later!
air fryer chicken nuggets

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

A fast and healthy meal that everyone in the family will love!
5 from 23 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Recipe Saved!
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 413kcal
Author: Emily
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Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • 2 small/medium bowls
  • tongs
  • non-stick spray

Ingredients

  • 16-20 ounces chicken breasts, cut into nugget size (about 4 breast)
  • salt and pepper to season chicken
  • ⅓ cup italian bread crumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Dry the chicken with a paper towel and season it with salt and pepper. Cut the chicken into cubes/nugget pieces, similar in size.
  • Place the breadcrumbs, panko, and parmesan cheese in a bowl and stir to combine. Place the olive oil in another bowl.
  • Coat each chicken piece with olive oil first and then roll it in the breadcrumb mixture.
  • Preheat the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 400°F. Spray the basket with non-stick spray and carefully place the chicken pieces in the basket. Add as many that will fit with room around each one to have the hot air circulate around them. Spray the top of the chicken pieces with non-stick spray and cook for 4 minutes. Flip the chicken, spray again, and cook for 4 more minutes on the other side.
  • Allow the chicken nuggets to cool slightly before serving with your favorite dip. Enjoy!

Notes

  • The internal temperature of the chicken should be at least 165°F.
  • Always read the instruction manual that came with your Air Fryer and follow all safety guidelines.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.3g | Protein: 37.2g | Fat: 23.6g | Saturated Fat: 5.8g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 917mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.7g | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 2mg

Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

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Comments

  1. Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says

    July 04, 2021 at 4:24 pm

    5 stars
    This surely is way healthier than any fast-food nuggets. I'm craving right now!:))

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 05, 2021 at 12:51 am

      Definitely healthier! Get to that craving soon 😀!

      Reply
  2. Giangi Townsend says

    July 04, 2021 at 2:01 pm

    5 stars
    I have been looking to invest in an Air Fryer and your wonderful recipe just gave the nudge I needed . Your recipe looks amazing

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 05, 2021 at 12:50 am

      Thanks, Giangi! You will never regret buying an air fryer, I promise.

      Reply
  3. Anaiah says

    July 04, 2021 at 4:09 am

    5 stars
    I love making things in my air fryer and these homemade chicken nuggets did not disappoint! It was perfectly seasoned and the kids loved them.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 05, 2021 at 12:50 am

      I’m so glad you and you kids loved these nuggets. It’s always good to have an easy and fun recipe on hand for the kids.

      Reply
  4. Addie says

    July 04, 2021 at 2:49 am

    5 stars
    These totally brought me back to my childhood! So crispy and delicious!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 05, 2021 at 12:49 am

      They do the same for me but I always make a few extra for myself when I make these for my son…why not?? 😁

      Reply
  5. Sue says

    July 03, 2021 at 7:03 pm

    5 stars
    I love that these have such an easy coating to make, and not like the packaged kind with all the mystery ingredients. These were a hit with the big kid in my house, and I can't wait to make them again when my granddaughter comes to visit.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 05, 2021 at 12:46 am

      Your granddaughter will love these and you can make them ahead of time and freeze if needed.

      Reply
  6. Gregory Halpen says

    July 03, 2021 at 7:00 pm

    5 stars
    I am so regretting giving my air fryer away! I was trying to save space but no...I need one! These look so good!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 05, 2021 at 12:45 am

      Noooo! I hope you get a space saver air fryer because they really are the best. There are so many to choose from nowadays 🙂.

      Reply
  7. Julia says

    July 03, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    5 stars
    These sound like such a quick and easy meal to make at the end of a busy day. Love the flavours in the breadcrumb coating.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 05, 2021 at 12:45 am

      That’s exactly what it is!!

      Reply
  8. Melinda says

    July 03, 2021 at 2:40 pm

    5 stars
    Chicken nuggets are a family favorite and I love the addition of Parmesan cheese in your recipe!! My kids are going to be asking for a double batch of these. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 05, 2021 at 12:44 am

      Cheese makes everything better, for kids and adults 😆

      Reply
5 from 23 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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Hi, I'm Emily! I'm excited to share my passions, experiments, and fun with you. I love to cook, bake, create recipes, mix cocktails and try new things!

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