These crispy, golden Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets deliver restaurant-quality taste in just 30 minutes of marination and 15 minutes of cooking time. Perfect for busy weeknights, these homemade nuggets pack an impressive 43g of protein while keeping the fat content remarkably low at just 7g per serving.
Made with simple ingredients and your trusty air fryer, they offer a healthier spin on everyone’s favorite comfort food without sacrificing that irresistible crunch.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: 2 pounds, cut into 1½ inch bite-sized cubes
- Marinade Mix: ½ cup pickle juice and ½ cup milk for tenderness
- Egg: 1 large, helps create perfect coating
- Flour Mix: 1 cup all-purpose flour combined with powdered sugar for sweetness
- Seasonings: Blend of paprika, chili powder, black pepper, and salt for flavor
- Baking Powder: ½ teaspoon for extra crispiness
- Optional Heat: 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper for spicy variation
Instructions
- Marination: Combine chicken pieces with pickle juice, let rest for 30 minutes for maximum tenderness
- Breading Prep: Mix flour, sugar, and all seasonings in a ziplock bag; prepare egg-milk mixture in separate bowl
- Air Fryer Setup: Heat to 360°F, prepare basket with non-stick spray
- Coating Process: Dip chicken in egg mixture, then transfer to seasoned flour bag and shake well
- First Cook: Arrange in single layer, spray tops, cook at 360°F for 6 minutes
- Final Crisping: Flip pieces, spray again, increase to 400°F for 2 minutes until golden
- Batch Cooking: Repeat process with remaining pieces for best results
Air Fryer Tips for Perfect Results
Want super crispy nuggets? Here’s what works best: Spray both the basket and the nuggets well with oil – this helps create that golden-brown coating we all love.
Keep those nuggets in a single layer with space between them. If they touch, they won’t get as crispy. Different air fryers heat differently, so check your nuggets at 5 minutes on the first round. They’re done when golden brown and reach 165°F inside.
Easy Variations
Love playing with flavors? Try these simple swaps:
- Skip the pickle brine and use buttermilk instead
- Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the breading
- Make them extra crunchy by using panko breadcrumbs for half the flour
- For ranch-flavored nuggets, mix some ranch seasoning into the breading Want them spicier? Double the cayenne pepper!
Dipping Sauce Ideas
These nuggets are great on their own but even better with dips! Try them with:
- Classic honey mustard
- Ranch dressing
- BBQ sauce
- Sweet chili sauce
- Ketchup Make a quick honey mustard by mixing equal parts honey and Dijon mustard!
Storage Tips
Got leftovers? Let the nuggets cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes until hot and crispy again.
They’ll taste almost as good as fresh! You can also freeze them for up to 2 months – just add an extra minute or two when reheating from frozen.
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 – ½ inch cubes
- 1/2 cup pickle juice
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 large egg
Breading
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper optional, for spicy chicken nuggets
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1.5 inch pieces and place in a bowl or ziplock bag with the pickle juice and marinate for 30 minutes.
- Add flour, powdered sugar, paprika, black pepper, chili powder, salt, and baking powder to a ziplock bag.
- Add milk, and egg to a separate bowl and mix together. Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees.
- Remove chicken from pickle marinade and add to the bowl with the egg mixture. Spoon out the pieces (letting any excess egg mixture to drip off) and place them in the ziplock bag with the dry seasonings. Seal and shake bag to evenly coat all of the chicken.
- Spray the bottom of the fry basket with nonstick cooking spray and place half of the chicken pieces into a single layer in the bottom of the basket, spacing them out so they don’t stick together. Generously spray the top of each piece of chicken with cooking spray.
- Air Fry at 360 for 6 minutes. Open air fryer, flip chicken pieces to the other side, and spray tops again with cooking spray. Increase air fryer temperature to 400 degrees and cook for 2 more minutes, or until crisp and cooked through.
