Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

Name: Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 23 min
Yield: 4 5-6 nuggets each
Ingredients: 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2/3 lb.)*; 3/4 tsp salt, divided; 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1 cup plain breadcrumbs; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; 2 Tbsp cooking oil

User Reviews

4.8

18 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
23 mins
Servings
4 5-6 nuggets each
Calories
211 kcal
Course
Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine
American

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

Megan Sampson

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These Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets are tender, juicy, easy to make, and perfect with your favorite dipping sauce!

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Ingredients

Servings

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2/3 lb.)* $3.50
3/4 tsp salt, divided $0.05
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.02
1/2 cup buttermilk $0.24
1 cup plain breadcrumbs $0.60
1 tsp garlic powder $0.10
1/2 tsp smoked paprika $0.05
2 Tbsp cooking oil $0.08

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Instructions

On a cutting board, cut the chicken breast into 3/4 inch pieces. You should get approximately 20-24 chicken nuggets depending on the size of your chicken breast.
Sprinkle ¼ tsp of salt evenly over the chicken pieces. Next sprinkle the flour over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.
In a small bowl add the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ½ tsp salt. Mix seasoning into the breadcrumbs. Next add the cooking oil to the breadcrumbs and stir until the oil is evenly coating the breadcrumbs. It should look like damp sand.
In another small bowl add ½ cup buttermilk.
Now line up the chicken, buttermilk, and breadcrumbs. Using tongs or your hands, begin to coat the chicken nugget pieces by first dipping them in the buttermilk, then transfer them to the breadcrumbs and coat them evenly with the breadcrumbs. Set the coated chicken pieces to the side.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Similar to preheating your oven, it’s a good idea to preheat your air fryer so the chicken nuggets can cook evenly and get crispy on the outside. Once preheated, place the chicken nuggets in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Try not to overcrowd the basket. You can cook the chicken nuggets in 2 batches if needed. Air fry for 8 minutes, flipping the nuggets halfway through.
Remove chicken nuggets from the air fryer and let cool for 3-5 minutes, then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

*I’m a chicken breast girl so I’m using a boneless, skinless chicken breast for my nuggets. You can certainly use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, however I haven't tested it with chicken thighs, so the cook time may vary.