I’ve had an air fryer for quite awhile now, and I’ll be honest. At first, we just ate more French fries and tater tots (they get SO crispy!). Since then, I’ve come to use my air fryer nearly every day for everything from boiled eggs to roasted mushrooms. I’ve had lots of requests for air fryer recipes, too. Today, I’m featuring homemade air fryer chicken nuggets. How long it takes: 22 minutes Equipment you’ll need: air fryer, bowls, tongs Servings: 4 but can be doubled Air fryer chicken nuggets are always a total hit with my kids. The first time my daughter tried them, she was obsessed. She kept saying that they were so tender and juicy. That’s the magic of the air fryer! The air fryer also works great for breaded pork chops and kind of surprisingly, really perfect salmon.
About Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Crispy breading, but not deep fried. These chicken nuggets are breaded in the traditional way. First they get dipped in flour, then egg, and then a seasoned bread crumb mixture. I like to use whole wheat flour and whole wheat panko bread crumbs. Taste-wise, you can’t tell the difference but it makes these nuggets more satisfying and nutritious. Perfectly seasoned. The flour is seasoned with salt and pepper so that the chicken gets seasoned properly on that first layer. The panko gets mixed with Parmesan and dried parsley for more flavor. They cook quickly. You’ll have to cook these in batches (unless you have a large air fryer) because the air fryer works best with a single layer of food. The good news is, they’re done in 7 minutes so you won’t have to wait long for that second batch!
What is an air fryer?
An air fryer is a medium-sized kitchen appliance that circulates air around food (similar to a convection oven). It cooks food quickly and gives food a crispy brown outside. It also requires far less oil than many other cooking methods. Read more about the air fryer here.
How to make these Chicken Nuggets your own
Jazz them up with dipping sauces. Ranch (try this healthy homemade ranch!), bbq sauce (gotcha covered with a homemade bbq sauce, too!), French fry dipping sauce, ketchup, honey, hot honey, whatever you like. Gluten-free or without breading: Use your favorite gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs for breading. You can also make the nuggets without breading. Season the chicken with a little sprinkle of salt and pepper. The cubes cook in the same amount of time without breading, as long as they are cut in roughly the same size. They’re perfect for adding to a salad. Change the seasoning: Add an Italian twist by mixing in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon dried oregano to the breadcrumb mixture. Give them a little heat by adding ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the flour. Don’t care for whole wheat? Substitute all-purpose flour and white (original) panko. Bake them in your oven. Try my healthy chicken nuggets with parmesan. Rather have chicken strips? Try air fryer chicken tenders, basically the same process but a different size. Looking for a vegetarian choice? Try making falafel or Buffalo cauliflower bites in your air fryer.
