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Overhead view of air fryer chicken nuggets on a plate by some ketchup.
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5 from 3 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

You don’t even be able to tell that these chicken nuggets weren’t deep fried! A healthier option for your family, these homemade air-fried chicken nuggets are a kid-friendly meal that the whole family will love. Air fried to golden perfection, these nuggets are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 479kcal
Author: Justin Coit

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ¼ cup flour
  • ½ cup melted butter or 1 large egg
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup parmesan grated
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • olive oil spray

Garnish:

  • ketchup, bbq sauce, ranch dressing, or your favorite dipping sauce.

Instructions

  • Trim any excess fat from the chicken breast and cut the chicken into nugget-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Set out 3 shallow bowls. In the first bowl put the flour, in the second bowl put the melted butter or beaten egg.
  • In the third bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, dried parsley, and parmesan cheese.
  • One at a time dip each piece of chicken in the flour first, then the butter or egg, and finally the breadcrumb mixture.
  • Once all nuggets are ready to cook, give them a light spray with olive oil and place them on a single layer in the air fryer. Cook for 7 minutes at 400F and then flip the nuggets. Cook for another 1 to 3 minutes at 400F until they are golden.
  • Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Video

Notes

  • Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket. The hot air needs to reach all the sides of the nuggets, so they crisp up. 
  • Press the breadcrumbs onto the nuggets to help them adhere well. Doing so helps give the chicken a more even coating.
  • The key to cooking chicken nuggets in the air fryer perfectly is to ensure all the chicken nuggets are as uniformly as possible. You want them all to cook for the same amount of time.
  • After dipping the chicken nuggets, shake off any excess egg so the nuggets don’t taste eggy.

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1040mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 919IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 2mg