Name: Easy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound chicken breast; 2 large eggs; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 tablespoon hot sauce; 1 cup Panko; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon Lawry's Garlic Salt

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These Easy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets are tender, juicy and made in just minutes! With a crispy Panko Parmesan crust on the outside, they’re flavor packed and perfect for dinner, and lunch. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces and get ready to wow your family and friends.

chicken nugget dipped in ranch dressing with a fork

Chicken Nuggets In Air Fryer

Making chicken nuggets in the air fryer is a delicious and healthier way to enjoy nuggets that are traditionally fried in oil. You won’t miss out on the flavor. These nuggets have a crispy Parmesan crust with tender juicy chicken inside.

I love how versatile chicken nuggets are. Kids as well as adults love them for lunch or dinner. Set out a variety of dipping sauces so that there’s a little something for everyone.

You might also love my Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe. For daily recipe inspiration follow Picky Palate on Instagram.

ingredients for air fryer chicken nuggets on counter

What You’ll Need

Here’s a list of the ingredients you need to make homemade chicken nuggets in the air fryer. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full instructions.

Chicken Breast– Use thawed fresh chicken breast for the recipe. The chicken gets cut into cubes for the nuggets.
Buttermilk– I used buttermilk for the recipe, but you can also use milk if you’d like.
Eggs– For consistency, use large eggs for my recipes.
Hot Sauce– Use any hot sauce you like, it adds just a little kick. I used Sriracha.
Panko – Panko is a Japanese bread crumb that gives a nice crispy crust. Find it near the bread crumbs at the grocery store.
Parmesan Cheese– Use grated Parmesan Cheese. It gets mixed with the Panko and other seasonings for the crust.
Salt– I use kosher salt which is a coarse salt.
Pepper– For best results use freshly ground black pepper.
Garlic Salt– I prefer the Lawry’s Garlic Salt if you can find it at your grocery store.

chicken breast cut into cubes ready for egg dip and panko coating

How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

Preheat Air Fryer to 400 degrees F.
Remove Chicken Breast From Packaging and transfer to a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil on a counter top.
Cut Chicken. With a sharp chef knife or kitchen scissors cut chicken breast into 1 inch pieces.
Prepare Egg Mixture. In a shallow bowl crack eggs and add buttermilk and hot sauce. Whisk to combine.
Prepare Panko Mixture. In another shallow bowl add Panko, Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Stir to combine.
Dip Chicken. Using a fork, dip chicken all sides of pieces into egg mixture then into Panko mixture. Gently shake off excess coating and transfer to a large clean plate. Continue this method until all chicken is coated.

uncooked chicken nuggets in air fryer basket

chicken nuggets cooked in air fryer golden brown

How Long To Cook Chicken Nuggets In Air Fryer

7. Transfer Chicken To Air Fryer. With a fork or tongs, gently transfer coated chicken pieces into the bottom of air fryer basket. Make sure you place them in a single layer, do not stack chicken on top of each other.

8. Cook Chicken Nuggets. Close air fryer and cook at 400 degrees F. for 10 minutes or until cooked through, flipping chicken halfway.

9. Transfer To Serving Dish. Remove cooked chicken and transfer to a large serving dish. Add your favorite dipping sauces and serve hot.

chicken nuggets in serving dish with dipping sauce.

Recipe Variations

Add Spices. Add other spices to the Panko mixture. A little Cayenne, Italian Seasoning, Cajun. It’s fun to play around with more flavors!
Make Chicken Tenders. Use this same method with chicken tenderloins and make chicken strips.
Dipping Sauces. Have a nice variety of dipping sauces available such as BBQ sauce, Ranch dressing, ketchup, mustard, honey mustard and even Chick Fil A Sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long To Cook Chicken Nuggets In Air Fryer?

Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. and cook the chicken nuggets for 10 minutes or until cooked through, flipping halfway.

How Long To Cook Frozen Chicken Nuggets In Air Fryer?

If the chicken nuggets are fully cooked, preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F. and cook for 12-15 minutes, until golden and hot.

Is It Necessary To Flip Chicken Nuggets When Cooking?

Yes, halfway through cooking the chicken nuggets, open the air fryer and flip each nugget so each side gets nice and golden brown and crispy.

Recipe Tips For Success

Don’t Overcrowd The Air Fryer. Make sure you place your chicken nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don’t over crowd. This will assure you get a nice crispy crust with a juicy tender chicken.
Dipping Sauce Party! Set out a number of dipping sauces for your guests. Some of our favorites are Ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, honey mustard and even Chick Fil A Sauce.

How To Serve

Serve your homemade chicken nuggets for lunch, dinner or appetizer. I like to serve my chicken nuggets with as many dipping sauces as I have in the refrigerator for a chicken nugget party! Chicken nuggets are great for adults as well as children. Everyone loves a good chicken nugget.

Storage Instructions

Store In Refrigerator. Store any leftover chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze Chicken Nuggets. To freeze chicken nuggets, place them in an airtight freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions. To reheat chicken nuggets, preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F. and cook at 400 degrees F. for 10 minutes or until hot and crisp.

Try My Other Air Fryer Recipes