These homemade Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets are a delicious, healthy way to enjoy fast food at home without the guilt – you can freeze them, too!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken breasts – boneless skinless chicken thighs would also work.
- Buttermilk – substitute for one cup of regular milk and one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
- Breadcrumbs – use panko, cornflakes or rice cereal for the best crunch.
- Parmesan cheese – try using asiago or pecorino romano or leave the cheese out altogether.
- Garlic powder – onion powder would be the best substitute here.
- Paprika – chili powder will provide a similar flavour.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
How to make chicken nuggets in the air fryer
- Soak the chicken in buttermilk.
- Bread the chicken.
- Add the chicken to the air fryer.
- Cook for 4 minutes per side.
- Serve with your favourite dipping sauces and enjoy!
The secret to extra crispy chicken nuggets
Nobody likes a soggy chicken nugget. They can be really hard to make at home, but the Air Fryer really does do the best job of crisping them up so that you get restaurant-quality chicken nuggets at home.
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There really are two main ways to ensure a crispy coating:
- Use panko breadcrumbs (they have larger, crunchier flakes).
- Make sure to cook chicken nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer.
If you don't have panko breadcrumbs, you can also use cornflakes or rice cereal to get that crunch. You'll also want to do two batches of chicken depending on the size of your air fryer as you really do want to ensure that single layer for the crispiest nuggets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken nuggets are ready in a flash in the air fryer – you just need to cook them for 4 minutes per side (8 minutes total). Make sure you cook them in a single layer so they cook evenly.
Yes! You can reheat cooked chicken nuggets in the air fryer, you’ll just have to add to the cooking time. Instead of 4 minutes per side, I’d suggest popping them in for 6-7 minutes per side.
I like to keep it simple and serve some veggies and dip on the side, but you can also serve with some frozen fries or tater tots, which can also be made in the air fryer!
Storing and reheating
You can store these chicken nuggets in the fridge for up to 5 days. In a pinch, you can reheat for a couple of minutes in the microwave but the coating will get soggy. I also enjoy them cold as leftovers.
If you are looking to revive the crispy coating, then you'll want to reheat in the oven at 375° Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, or you can pop them back in the air fryer for 5 minutes. Hopefully you'll like them so much though that there won't even be any leftovers! 😉
Freezing chicken nuggets
You can also freeze the cooked chicken nuggets for later. Just store them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and they will last for up to 3 months. You can reheat them from frozen as you would any other chicken nuggets.
Add them to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them in the oven for about 20 minutes at 375° Fahrenheit, flipping halfway through the cooking time. You can also try reheating them in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes.
More easy air fryer recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs {Bone-In or Boneless}
- The Crispiest Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Healthy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
- The Easiest Air Fryer Tater Tots
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- I own and love the Philips Digital Airfryer XXL (this is the biggest size so you can cook your chicken all at once, it's the best size for families)
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets {Super Easy}
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- Cooking spray
To serve
- Carrots and celery
- Dips of your choice (I used honey mustard, ranch and chipotle mayo)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, soak chicken in buttermilk for 5 min. Preheat Airfryer for 8 minutes on 400 F.
- Mix breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder and salt and pepper together in another large bowl. Drain buttermilk from chicken pieces, then add chicken to breadcrumb mixture then toss well to coat.
- Add chicken to Airfryer once it's done preheating, adding nuggets in a single layer and spraying with cooking spray. Cook for 4 min, then flip and cook another 4 min. You may need to do the chicken in two batches.
- Serve with carrots and celery and your fave dipping sauces. Enjoy!
Jon Weaver says
Made these tonight for my wife and myself, they are amazing. Very similar to Chick-fil-A nuggets. So tender, I’m guessing because of the buttermilk. Marinaded for more like 10-15 minutes as I was getting everything else together. Thanks for sharing this!
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed!!! 🙂
Amy Hahne says
This tasted soooo good! And was easy too. A perfect recipe! Thanks.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Amy 🙂