Ditch the deep-fryer and whip up poultry perfection in just 30 minutes with the best recipe for Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets. Plus, I’m sharing all the tips you need for freezing and reheating them for quick-fix meals that everyone will love.
As a mom of four little ones, chicken nuggets are a food group in our house… and not just a food group, but the food group of choice! My love of air fryer recipes runs deep, so it was about time I shared my ultimate guide for crispy air fryer chicken nuggets, which includes anything and everything you need to know about freezing these beauties for a homemade, hot and crispy meal or snack in seconds.
With just a few simple steps and pantry-friendly ingredients, you can skip the store-bought varieties and enjoy homemade chicken nuggets that are fresher and healthier. The best part? The air fryer gives them that perfectly crispy outside and tender inside, making them a huge hit with kids and adults alike.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are perfect for cutting into bite-sized pieces.
- All-purpose flour: The first step in our breading lineup; it helps create a layer for the egg and breadcrumbs to stick to.
- Eggs: Help bind the breadcrumbs to our homemade chicken nuggets for a crispy coating.
- Panko breadcrumbs: I use Panko for maximum crunch—these light, airy breadcrumbs make each chicken bite extra crispy.
- Cooking spray: A light mist on the nuggets before air frying gives them a golden-brown finish. A spritz of olive oil works well, too.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Making crispy chicken nuggets in the air fryer is easier than you’d think! Just follow these simple steps for healthy nuggets that rival any takeout, with a fraction of the oil.
- Start by dicing each chicken breast into 1-inch cubes.
- Next, bread the chicken pieces. The fastest and easiest way to coat the chicken is by tossing the pieces into a sealable plastic bag with the flour. Seal the bag and give it a good shake until every nugget is evenly coated.
- Shake off any extra flour from each nugget, dip it into the eggs, then coat it in breadcrumbs, making sure it’s covered on all sides.
- Place the breaded chicken nuggets on a baking sheet and repeat with the rest.
- Cook. Place a batch of nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they aren’t touching. Spray them with cooking spray and air-fry until cooked through, flipping halfway. Repeat until you’ve cooked all the chicken poppers in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets Temperature
The most important part of making chicken nuggets in an air fryer is choosing the right temperature. We want a juicy interior and a shatteringly crispy exterior. The solution? Air fry chicken nuggets at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
The size of the nuggets will dictate the exact cook time, but aiming for 1-inch nuggets keeps things easy. They cook quickly, are perfectly bite-sized for kids, and freeze like a breeze!
All that’s left to do is decide on dipping sauces! Will you keep it classic with spicy homemade ketchup? Will you bust out the root beer barbecue sauce? Or will you go big with the ultimate buttermilk ranch dressing?
How to Make Ahead and Freeze
You can easily double this recipe and freeze half for later! If I’m making chicken nuggets to cook in an air fryer (or even to bake or deep-fry), I always freeze them before cooking. I’ve found that the breading stays much crispier when it’s cooked just once, and it adheres better to the chicken, too.
After breading the nuggets, flash-freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet for at least 3 hours, then store them in a freezer bag. These air fryer chicken nuggets can be frozen for up to 3 months.
So bread those nuggets, freeze them and then get ready for DIY dunk-able deliciousness any day of the week!
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Nuggets In an Air Fryer
I’ve included tips in the recipe below for the best way to freeze chicken nuggets (ie. so they stay as individual nuggets and not one giant clump!). Once you’re ready to cook your nuggets from the frozen stage, you’ll want to drop your air fryer temperature down to 360°F. The slightly lower temperature allows the interior to cook without the outside burning.
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Dice the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.
- Add the flour and salt to a sealable plastic bag. Whisk together the eggs in a shallow pan. Add the breadcrumbs to a second shallow pan. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the chicken nuggets to the bag with the flour. Seal the bag shut then shake it until the nuggets are well-coated. Shake off the excess flour from each nugget then dip it in the eggs and then into the breadcrumbs, coating it on all sides. Place the coated chicken nugget on the baking sheet and repeat the breading process with the remaining nuggets.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Coat the basket with cooking spray.
- Arrange a portion of the chicken nuggets in a single layer in the basket so that they aren't touching. Coat the chicken nuggets with cooking spray, then air-fry them until crispy and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them once halfway through.
- Remove the chicken nuggets from the air fryer then repeat the air-frying process with the remaining nuggets.
To freeze the chicken nuggets:
- After breading the nuggets, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and cover them securely with plastic wrap. Freeze the nuggets until frozen solid, a minimum of 3 hours. Transfer the frozen nuggets to a sealable plastic bag for easy access.
To air-fry frozen chicken nuggets:
- Preheat the air-fryer to 360°F. Coat the basket with cooking spray. Arrange a portion of the chicken nuggets in a single layer in the basket so that they aren't touching. Coat the chicken nuggets with cooking spray, then air-fry them until crispy and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping them once halfway through.
Nutrition
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Can these be baked in the oven?
Absolutely, Ena! To bake the chicken nuggets, preheat the oven to 450°F, line a baking sheet with foil and grease it with cooking spray. Bake the chicken pieces for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping them once halfway through, until they are golden brown and fully cooked.
My grandkids loved these as an after-school snack and asked for them again tomorrow! My husband really enjoyed them too!
I’m thrilled to read this, Cindy!