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Air fryer chicken nuggets are kid friendly and super easy. This meal goes from air fryer to table in under 15 minutes. You can’t get takeout in that amount of time!

A large plate of chicken nuggets with a small bowl of ketchup next to them.
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My kids love chicken nuggets and I was determined to find an easy way to make them at home. They can be picky so when they deemed this recipe a hit, I knew I had a winner. The secret to the crispy outside is the breadcrumbs.

Your kids might also like Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Meatloaf, Air Fryer Grilled Cheese, or Air Fryer Hot Dogs.

Ingredients:

  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • Italian Seasoning
  • salt and pepper
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Butter (melted)
Ingredients needed to make air fryer chicken nuggets: chicken breasts, Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and butter.

How to make air fryer chicken nuggets:

First, preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F. Now, some air fryers do not have an option to preheat. If yours does not, just set the air fryer to 390 degrees F and run for 5 minutes.

Second, trim the chicken and make sure the fat is cut off. Dice it into pieces that are about 1 inch.

Next, get a small bowl and combine the Italian seasoning, pepper, salt, breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese.

Once that breadcrumb mixture is combined, melt the butter in a separate bowl. I like to use shallow bowls for both the breadcrumb mixture and the butter. It makes it easier to dip and coat each piece of chicken.

Finally, dip the diced chicken in the butter and then dip in the panko parmesan breadcrumbs.

A bowl of chicken, a bowl of whisked eggs with the chicken dipped in it and then a bowl with the bread crumbs, cheese and seasoning mixture together with the chicken coated in it as well.  Then a plate of the coated chicken nuggets ready to go into the air fryer.

Now, it is time for the chicken to go in the air fryer. Make sure the chicken is in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to cook the chicken in multiple batches. This will vary with the amount of chicken nuggets you are cooking.

The chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. This normally takes about 10-12 minutes.

Serve and enjoy.

Close up of air fried chicken nuggets on a white plate with a bowl of ketchup.

Serving ideas:

You can also take these in school lunches. How to keep Chicken Nuggets warm in School Lunches.

What side dishes go with this?

We keep the side dish options just as quick and easy as the main dish.

Close up of the air fried chicken nuggets on a white plate with ketchup in the back ground.
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Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

5 from 32 votes
Air fryer chicken nuggets are kid friendly and super easy to make from scratch. This meal goes from air fryer to table in under 15 minutes.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine American
Course Main Course
Calories 259

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F. If your air fryer does not have a preheat option, then set the air fryer to 390 degrees F and run for 5 minutes.
  • Cut the fat off the chicken and dice it into 1 inch pieces.
  • In a small bowl, combine the Italian seasoning, pepper, salt, breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese. Melt the butter in a separate bowl.
  • Then dip each piece of chicken in the butter and then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.
  • Put the coated chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. You may have to cook in multiple batches depending on how many chicken nuggets you are cooking.
  • Cook for 10-12 minutes until the nuggets are crispy and the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
  • Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Refrigerate the leftovers in an air tight container for up to 5-7 days.  To reheat, place them in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes to warm and crisp them back up.  Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 259kcal, Carbohydrates 14g, Protein 11g, Fat 18g, Saturated Fat 10g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 66mg, Sodium 530mg, Potassium 194mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 1g, Vitamin A 512IU, Vitamin C 1mg, Calcium 70mg, Iron 1mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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