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air fryer chicken nuggets on a black plate with fry sauce.
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5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, you are going to fall in love with this easy recipe for homemade Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets! It's addictively delicious and the air fryer cooks the nuggets to tender golden brown perfection in just 20 minutes!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 383kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast boneless and skinless, cut into 1½ inch pieces
  • 2 cups breadcrumbs such as Panko
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 large eggs

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer. Get your air fryer ready by preheating it to 400°F.
  • Prepare the chicken for coating. Pat dry the cut-up chicken pieces with paper towels. This helps to adhere both the egg and breadcrumbs to the nuggets.
  • Season the breadcrumbs. Pour the breadcrumbs onto a shallow plate. Then add the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika and mix together until fully combined.
  • Whisk the eggs. In another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs together with a bit more salt and pepper for additional seasoning.
  • Coat the chicken in the eggs and breadcrumbs. First, dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture followed by the seasoned breadcrumbs. To fully coat the pieces of chicken, you may need to press the chicken into the breadcrumbs. You will want to do each piece separately for the best results.
  • Air Fry. Place the breaded chicken nuggets in the air fryer basket in a single layer and spray them with nonstick cooking. Then put the basket into the air fryer and cook for 7 to 10 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken needs to reach 165°F to ensure that it's cooked. If not all nuggets fit in your air fryer basket, you will need to do this in batches.
  • To serve. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

  1. You can easily substitute the boneless skinless chicken breast with boneless skinless chicken thighs. Just cut the same size pieces.
  2. To ensure the chicken is fully cooked through you will want to use an instant read digital meat thermometer, which should read 165℉ when inserted into the center of the chicken pieces.
  3. For the crispiest chicken nuggets use panko breadcrumbs. Any breadcrumb will work, but panko has an added crunch and nice seasoned finish that only adds to the other spices.
  4. Add your favorite herbs and spices to the breadcrumbs to customize your nuggets. A Cajun spice mix would be a nice touch of heat, curry powder super yummy, or even a simple dash of Italian seasoning for an added herby flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 854mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 417IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 4mg