These Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets are a healthier option for a kid-friendly dinner! Easy homemade chicken nuggets, breaded and baked in an air fryer.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
If your plan for the new year is to eat healthier or find ways to make your favorite dishes lighter, I have a recipe just for you. Chicken nuggets baked to perfection in the air fryer are my new favorite way to make them! Fresh chicken breast, cut into nuggets, seasoned, dipped in melted butter, and then in breadcrumbs and baked for 9 minutes in the air fryer without any oil is bound to be a hit with kids and adults!
This healthier Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets option is great to make ahead too! Simply make a double batch and freeze half once completely cooled. Then use as you would with store-bought nuggets. So easy!
I serve these nuggets with Sweet Potato Fries and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese for a kid-friendly dinner.
Ingredients:
- chicken: boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces;
- butter: keeps the nuggets juicy and helps the breading stick to the meat;
- bread crumbs: plain or Italian, use panko if you want the nuggets to be extra crispy;
- seasoning: keep it simple with salt and pepper, but you can also add paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, etc;
- Parmesan: adds great toasted cheese flavor to the chicken.
How to bake chicken nuggets in the air fryer?
Making chicken nuggets at home is very easy.
- Trim any fat from chicken breast. Slice into ½ inch thick slices, then each slice into 2 to 3 nuggets.
- Melt butter in a small bowl and place breadcrumbs in another small bowl. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F for 4 minutes.
- Season chicken pieces, then dip each one in butter and then in breadcrumbs.
- Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Bake for 7 minutes.
Serve with a side of steamed or roasted vegetables and dipping sauce or fruit salad and yogurt.
Expert Tips!
- Try adding various spices to the breading: cayenne pepper for a spicy version, taco or fajita seasoning for a Mexican twist;
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer - allow space between the chicken nuggets so the air can circulate properly;
- Add panko for extra crispy nuggets!
- Keep the nuggets roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Recipe FAQs:
Two chicken breast makes about 42 nuggets which are comparable to the amount you get in a bag in the store.
Absolutely! You can cook the nuggets, then cool them completely and freeze them for up to 3 months. Use a freezer-friendly container or a bag.
Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge, for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply pop the nuggets into the air fryer set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and the timer set to 3 minutes.
The chicken nuggets bake for 8 minutes in the air fryer.
More air fryer recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan optional
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 390° Fahrenheit for 4 minutes.
- Trim any fat from chicken breast, Slice into ½ inch thick slices, then each slice into 2 to 3 nuggets. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
- Place melted butter in a small bowl and breadcrumbs ( with Parmesan, if using ) in another small bowl.
- Dip each piece of chicken in butter, then breadcrumbs.
- Place in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to bake in two batches or more.
- Set timer to 8 minutes.
- When done, check if the internal temperature of chicken nuggets is at least 165° F. Remove nuggets from basket with tongs and set onto a plate to cool.
Notes
- Serve with steamed or roasted vegetables or fruit salad and yogurt.
- This recipe makes about 21 chicken nuggets from one chicken breast. You can double and use two chicken breast and make 42 nuggets, which is comparable to the amount you get in a bag in a grocery store.
- You can use plain breadcrumbs, however I prefer Italian style.
- The amount of calories does not include Parmesan cheese, which is optional.
Holly says
I needed a recipe when I realized the chicken I'd been buying for my kids was full of sugar. So glad I found this recipe, and its so simple and easy my kids could help, and they loved it! We dipped it in homemade honey mustard!
Anna says
That's wonderful! I'm so glad it's helpful and your kids enjoy it! Thank you, Holly!
Dylan says
tasted great
Holly says
I have a question? Once these are cooked. Has anyone tried to freeze them?? How did they do?
LibbyMellies says
Thanks for sharing. They were a big hit, I added dry ranch dressing to a second batch and that was a hit too.
Anna says
That sounds delicious! Thank you, Libby!
Lauren says
These are the absolute best air fryer chicken nuggets I have had! Only change we made was seasoned salt instead of regular salt. My husband is a chicken nugget fanatic and he rated these the best homemade chicken nuggets ever!!! I’m sure it will be our new go to recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Anna says
Just made this recipe. Really good! I added some garlic powder, onion powder and parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs. Paired it with a copycat Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese recipe. Everyone really like it.
Anna says
Fantastic! Thank you for making my recipe, Anna!
Jenna says
Have made multiple times.. love, love, LOVE. I have been using a little extra parm and have found imo you can’t possibly use too much lol I also usually flip and cook for 2-3 mins to make sure the bottom is crispy too
Overall - 100000/10 recommend 🤤🤤
Linda says
Do you know if they’re good the next day after cooking them?
Anna says
They sure are! You can reheat them right in the air fryer.
Brenda says
Great air fryer nugget recipe…So quick and easy! My husband is not a fan of chicken but really liked these.
Anna says
I am so glad the nuggets were a hit, Brenda! Thank you for making my recipe!
Beck says
Made this for lunch, absolutely delicious! Simple and easy to bake. My husband devoured 3 so I knew he enjoyed it!
Ken says
Most excellent meal. I will confess to being a bit dubious about the cook time, but they were crispy yet moist 2 thumbs up!!
William says
I made them for tonight's dinner but substituted with seasoned salt, whole wheat panko breadcrumbs and pecorino romano (it was I had on hand). Delicious! This recipe is a keeper!
Jacklin Hill says
Hi! I have had the worst luck making fresh nuggets in the air fryer.
I'm hoping this one works for me. Do you spray the nuggest with oil before air frying? Any other tips would be greatly appreciated!
Anna says
Hi Jacklin! I do not spray them with oil because they are dipped in butter. I hope you will get a chance to try this recipe! Let me know how it goes!
Michael says
Made this for my wife it was unbelievable very easy to make and The Taste was out of this world thank you so much
Anna says
That's wonderful! Thank you so much for making my recipe, Michael!
Pamela Crane says
These were so good and so easy. Kids and grandpa loved them. I am trying to teach my grandson how to cook some things and these are simple enough for him to make. I used chicken thighs and experimented with both bread crumbs and cracker crumbs. We ended up combining the two because both were good. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Jen says
This is so underrated (because there's only a few reviews)!!! I found this recipe because I wanted to make air fryer nuggets with items I already had in the house and WOW. Super Easy. I have an Ninja Air Fryer Oven and I just added 2 more minutes to the 8 minutes. Super easy and great if you're counting calories. I will definitely be making this again! Also, I agree. Use Italian breadcrumbs for sure.
Anna says
Thank you so much, Jen! I am so glad the chicken nuggets were a success!
David Hearst says
Awesome Recipe!! Although I would cook it for 9 or 10 minutes instead of 8.
Lisa P LaGrou says
Can you make these in the oven on the Air Fryer setting? If so, how long would I cook them for? And, is it ok if I don't have a wire basket...and just use a cookie sheet?
Elise says
my dad recently got an oven with an air fryer setting as well.... He tried a few things with it (without a basket) and said they didnt seem to come out right so he bought a basket on Amazon and tried the same recipes I over again and said they came out great. A basket may be worth looking into at least
Lynda Wells says
We are making these right now
Anna says
I hope you love them, Lynda!
Angelica says
This was the most delicious, easy recipe ever! The key is dipping the chicken nuggets in butter! This will be a recipe I share forever!
Vonda says
Can you use pork rinds instead of panko breading I’m low carb Italian flavor pork rinds
Nikki says
Best and easiest air fryer chicken nugget recipe hands down!
Anna says
Yay! Thank you so much, Nikki!
Diana says
This recipe is so good and easy. There is no way to go wrong. They good good with buffalo sauce and canes sauce. The nuggets are everything you want in a chicken nugget. So good! Highly recommend.
Mary says
My husband and I loved these! Added a dash of Cajun seasoning to the bread crumbs. DEFINITELY will make again!
Anna says
Thank you so much, Mary! I am so glad the nuggets were a hit!
Sabrina says
Do I have to use butter?
Anna says
Hi Sabrina! The butter helps the breading stick to the nuggets and baked them nice, crispy and browned. Hope this helps!
calla r stevens says
you can use an egg or egg whites.
Lauren says
Is the whole recipe 364 cals in total or per serving? Either way, so yummy, my friends loved them too. I cannot wait to make them again? Thanks for the awesome recipe Anna!
Neil B says
Thank you much for sharing this recipe! By far the best (and super easy) air fryer chicken recipe I’ve tried. My wife still talks about them. I can’t wait to make them again 🙂
Esmeralda says
Recipe was so good. The chicken nuggets came out so tasty. I tweaked it a little bit by adding garlic powder, and I used Ritz crackers instead of ordinary breadcrumbs. Delicious!!!
Susan says
I love the idea of Ritz. Thanks for sharing that. trying next time.
Elise says
Crushed up pretzels (smash with rolling pin or processor)are great for air fryer nuggets as well. I like to use the Snyder's honey mustard pretzels ---so good!!
Diana says
You can also soak the nuggets in pickle juice for 30 minutes.
teresa simmons says
Interesting I love pickle juice
Karen says
I made these for my husband and grandson. They were a hit. I substituted gluten free bread crumbs, since I am gluten intolerant and they came out crispy and delicious.
Anna says
Thank you so much, Karen! I am so glad the nuggets were a hit!
Manuela Pearson says
... can these chicken nuggets be frozen and for how long? If frozen how long should one bake them if they are already baked through?
Anna says
Hi Manuela! If you want to freeze already cooked nuggets, cool them completely and place on a sheet pan to freeze. Then place in a ziploc bag. That way they won't stick together. They should be good in the freezer for up to 1 month. Do not thaw, but place them in Air Fryer and bake for 8 to 9 minutes or for 19 to 20 minutes in the oven. Check one to make sure they are heated through. I hope this helps!
Sharon says
This turned out nicely. One hiccup though: my chicken was very cold when I put it in the melted butter, which then solidified it. I had to fight with using the defrost on the microwave to re-melt the butter so it wasn't big chunks attached to the chicken. Next time I will let the chicken sit out on the counter to warm up some.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Sharon! I've done that too in the past. It's always better to take it out from the fridge and let it warm up a bit. I am so glad you tried my recipe and it was a success! Thank you!
Melissa Bidwell says
After reading your comment about the butter getting cold from the chicken I started thinking, why couldn’t we just melt the butter in a small pot on the stove and keep it on a low heat so that it stays melted. Instead of having to keep reheating it in the microwave. Just a thought.
Gwen says
I buy a lot of microwave frozen foods, chicken nuggets, fries, popcorn chicken, my air fryer has the pot with the turner that goes around inside the pot to keep the stuff moving, how long should I cook the chicken nuggets, fries?
Judy Grimes says
I just got a air fryer for christmas. Can I use self rising flour to cook homademade chicken tenders in air fryer? I am new at the air fryer cook.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Judy! I did not test this recipe with self-rising flour so I am not sure how it will affect the nuggets.
Karen says
It would be helpful if you included the carbohydrate count we are diabetic and have to count carbs, I am getting an air fryer for Christmas and cannot wait to use it
Judy Bower says
I have question. I'm new to this airfryer thing. Do I need to spray the nuggets with oil before cooking? I made the mistake of not spraying oil on my wings before cooking and they didn't brown at all.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Judy! Thank you for the question. Since you are dipping each chicken nugget in butter while breading, there is no need for oil spray. I hope this helps! Let me know if you give these a try!
Linda Hawkins says
I’m getting an air fryer for Mother’s Day. Please post more receipts. I ate a burrito that was cooked by an Airfyrer and it convinced me. No more rolling them in parchment paper and the ends still be tuff. I had used my microwave. Goodbye Microwave hello Air Fryer!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Hi Linda! I would be happy to share more Air Fryer recipes! Thank you for the request!
Katie Leslove says
I should have an air fryer. Thanks for sharing, love this recipe.
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
You are welcome, Katie!
Rebecca T. says
Just curious, why would you set the timer for 4 minutes when you heat it up and then bake them for 8? why not set the timer for 8 to begin with? But going to try this. They look amazing. My favorite food in the air fryer is a baked potato
Shannon says
Kind of like preheating an oven (so it’s up to temperature to cook consistently)
Maggie Unzueta says
I never knew you could make them in an air fryer. This is brilliant! My son might just love me more. LOL.
Cathy @ Lemon Tree Dwelling says
I NEED AN AIR FRYER!!!
Catalina says
My kid loves chicken nuggets! And this recipe is exactly what I was looking for!
Amanda says
I need to pick up an air fryer because those look seriously crispy!!
Valerie | Valerie's Kitchen says
I don't have an air fryer but I'm so interested now! These look so good!
Demeter says
Homemade is so much better! I need to check out these air fryers!
Jen says
We go through a ton of nuggets in our house. This is perfect for us!
ken says
i just bought a air fryer 2 days ago we started with a bag of potato wedges and then chicken nuggets. we thn tried bonless cut in half yummy the air fryer works great you all have go go out and buy a air fryer ot saves on your gas bill i love my air fryer thank you all.
Louise says
I am so excited for this recipe! Just got the air fryer for Christmas! Perfect timing! 😀