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!
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 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 to season chicken
- olive oil
- Italian bread crumbs
- panko breadcrumbs
- parmesan cheese, finely grated
- oil spray for air frying
How to Make Air Fried Chicken Nuggets
- Dry the chicken with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the breadcrumbs, panko, and cheese in a bowl and stir to combine. Place olive oil in another bowl.
- Coat each chicken piece with olive oil first and then roll in breadcrumb mixture.
- 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 Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Equipment
- 2 small/medium bowls
- tongs
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
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Did you Make These Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets?
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Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
This surely is way healthier than any fast-food nuggets. I'm craving right now!:))
Emily says
Definitely healthier! Get to that craving soon 😀!
Giangi Townsend says
I have been looking to invest in an Air Fryer and your wonderful recipe just gave the nudge I needed . Your recipe looks amazing
Emily says
Thanks, Giangi! You will never regret buying an air fryer, I promise.
Anaiah says
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.
Emily says
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.
Addie says
These totally brought me back to my childhood! So crispy and delicious!
Emily says
They do the same for me but I always make a few extra for myself when I make these for my son…why not?? 😁
Sue says
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.
Emily says
Your granddaughter will love these and you can make them ahead of time and freeze if needed.
Gregory Halpen says
I am so regretting giving my air fryer away! I was trying to save space but no...I need one! These look so good!
Emily says
Noooo! I hope you get a space saver air fryer because they really are the best. There are so many to choose from nowadays 🙂.
Julia says
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.
Emily says
That’s exactly what it is!!
Melinda says
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!
Emily says
Cheese makes everything better, for kids and adults 😆