Delicious, golden, crunchy with a corn flakes crust these Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets are sure to become a family favorite! They are healthy and so easy to make!
Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Not only my kids, even my husband gets excited when chicken nuggets are on the menu. Because homemade chicken nuggets taste so good than the premade ones. They are not deep fried and you know what exactly goes into them so they are healthier than most premade ones!
What makes this Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets recipe different from other recipes out there is; the crust is a spiced cornflakes mix. They get nice and crunchy in the air fryer and kids and even adults can't get enough of them!
Air fryer and chicken is the perfect combination and whenever the craving hits for chicken nuggets you are just 30 minutes away from making this delicious bites. In this recipe, I eliminated the need for marinating the chicken so it can be made quickly.
They are great as a light dinner, snack, appetizer or just as munchies any time of the day!
Why I love this Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets:
- Crunchy with a cornflakes crust
- Delicious and full of flavor
- Easy and quick to make
- Great for make ahead
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED
- Chicken Breast
- Flour
- Eggs
- Corn flakes
- Paprika
- Salt + Pepper
- Lemon juice
- Oil
Step by step photos/process
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
It's so easy to make chicken nuggets in the Air fryer when the cravings hit or when you want to make a quick dinner.
- Cube the chicken breast into nugget sized pieces, about 2 inches big. Mix the chicken with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
- To make the cornflakes coating, crush the cornflakes in a bowl. Add in the flour, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Lay out the chicken, flour, beaten eggs and cornflakes mix.
- Dip the chicken in the flour, then in the eggs, then in the cornflakes. Make sure to coat the whole chicken cube by pressing it in the cornflakes.
- Place it on the air fryer basket. Spray oil on the chicken liberally.
- Cook at 350 degree Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Turn them over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crunchy.
- Cover to keep it warm. Cook the chicken in batches. Serve with ketchup and a vegetable side dish.
Important Tips
- Cut the chicken breast into equal size cubes so that it all cooks evenly.
- You can let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to 1 or 2 hours to increase the flavor. I don't normally set aside the chicken to marinate but I do prepare the chicken first before getting my other ingredients ready. This gives enough time for the chicken to develop flavor.
- Crush the cornflakes finely if you want a fine coating. I like to keep it coarse.
- Don't over crowd the air fryer basket. Place the chicken in a single layer and fry in batches.
- Since we are not deep frying, to get the crunchy and golden texture spray the chicken liberally with oil covering all the chicken.
- Keep the fried chicken nuggets covered to keep it warm. Once you finish cooking all the batches, you can place all the chicken nuggets in the air fryer and warm it.
Cooking Chicken Nuggets In The Oven
If you don't have an Air Fryer you can cook this cornflakes crusted chicken nuggets in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
- Place the chicken nuggets in a parchment lined sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
Freezing and Storage
You can make these nuggets ahead of time for meal prepping or for a quick grab dinner. After you coat the chicken nuggets place them in a parchment lined sheet and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer them to a zip lock bag and freeze for 3 months.
If you don't want to freeze the, you can keep them covered in the fridge for 3 days. When you are ready to cook, transfer them straight to the air fryer basket.
If you have any leftover cooked chicken nuggets, cover them with a plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat them in the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes to make them crispy.
How To Cook Frozen Chicken Nuggets In The Air Fryer
You can easily cook chicken nuggets from frozen in the Air Fryer. No need to thaw.
- Preheat the Air fryer for 3 minutes.
- Place the frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer basket.
- Air Fry at 350 degree Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Turn the nuggets over and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden.
What To Serve Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets With
You can serve cooked chicken nuggets with your favorite dip. Here are some dip ideas:
- Ketchup
- Marinara Sauce
- Mayonnaise and hot sauce
- Greek yogurt
- Ranch dressing
You can serve the chicken nuggets with a side of salad or your favorite Air fryer roasted vegetables. See the recipes below.
More Air Fryer Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Crispy and Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
- Air Fryer Carrots
- Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
- Best Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Perfect Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast cubed
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- oil
For the corn flakes mix
- 2.5 cups corn flakes
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cube the chicken breast into nugget sized pieces, about 2 inches big. Mix the chicken with salt, pepper and lemon juice. You can leave it for 30 minutes to 1 to 2 hours for flavors to develop more although it's not necessary.
- To make the cornflakes coating, crush the cornflakes in a bowl. Add in the flour, paprika, salt and pepper. You can crush the cornflakes finely for a fine crumb. I like to keep it a bit coarse.
- Lay out the chicken, flour, beaten eggs and cornflakes mix.
- Dip the chicken in the flour, then in the eggs, then in the cornflakes. Makes sure to coat the whole chicken cube by pressing in the cornflakes.
- Place the chicken on the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray oil on the chicken liberally covering all the surface.
- Cook at 350 degree Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Turn them over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crunchy.
- Cover to keep it warm. Cook the chicken in batches. Serve with ketchup and a vegetable side dish.
Notes
- Freezing- After coating the chicken, place them in a parchment lined sheet and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer to a zip lock bag and freeze for 3 months.
- Cooking from frozen- Cook in a preheated Air Fryer as per the instructions above.
- Make Ahead- Keep the coated chicken nuggets covered in a container in the fridge for 3 days.
- Storage- Keep leftovers in the fridge covered for 3 days. Reheat in the Air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes until warm and crispy.
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