Air fryer chicken nuggets are one of the quickest, delicious and simplest dinner recipes you can make. This recipe is family friendly and I am sure will be a hit with the kids too. It only requires a few ingredients to make which you likely already have at home too. Just cook up a batch and serve with a side of chips or macaroni cheese and peas. Or if you’re feeling more adventurous, how about making it into a salad featuring the chicken nuggets?
This whole recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish, with only 8 minutes of cooking time. I find the chicken nuggets come out crispy on the outside and gorgeously tender on the inside every single time. Not only this, but they are much better for you than store bought chicken nuggets. Safe to say I make this recipe a lot!
As well as eating these for dinner, you can safely cook and eat these chicken nuggets cold the next day. I often take them on picnics – similar to how I remember as a child. Great for the summer months! You could also whip up a batch quickly for a picky party platter too. Who remembers those? These will certainly be a hit with all the picky eaters.
For my specific chicken nugget recipe, I used Paxo branded gluten free breadcrumbs. You can find these in most major supermarkets in the free from aisle. Whilst my recipe uses eggs to bind, you can also check this recipe for an egg-free version.
Recipe Tips:
- Do not overload the air fryer – make sure to only layer the chicken nuggets in a single layer to prevent them from being under cooked
- Do use oil – whilst the recipe will work without, the oil gives them a nice crispy coating like they have been deep fried
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken – this will help prevent any chewyness
- Do turn the chicken nuggets half way – this helps to ensure an even cook as well as a lush texture overall
- Make sure the pieces are in suitable chunks – If they are too small you will run out of breadcrumbs and if they are too big they may not cook through
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Shallow Dish
- Pastry Brush For oil
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 3 Medium Eggs
- 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 150 grams Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
- 4 Medium Chicken Breasts
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/8 tsp Ground Pepper
- 4 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into chunks (around 1-1.5" pieces), removing any excess fat and set aside
- Add the smoked paprika, breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder and pepper into a shallow dish and mix together so the spices are evenly distributed throughout the breadcrumbs then set aside
- Whisk together the eggs in a mixing bowl
- Take one piece of chicken at a time, dip into the egg binder then immediately place into the breadcrumb mix and coat fully
- Repeat this until all chicken pieces are fully coated in breadcrumbs
- Place the chicken nuggets in the air fryer drawer on a single layer, making sure there are no overlapping pieces (you may need to do several batches)
- Brush or spray the olive oil over the nuggets so they are evenly coated
- Cook in the air fryer for 4 minutes at 200°C
- Remove the air fryer drawer and use tongs to flip the chicken nuggets over
- Spray or brush more oil on the nuggets if required
- Cook for a further 4 minutes at 200°C until golden and crispy
- Once baked, remove from the air fryer, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Calories do not include dipping sauces or any extras
