Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets get so crispy and golden brown. A healthier option than the traditional fried nuggets. Made by breading chicken breast pieces with Panko and Parmesan cheese. An easy air fryer recipe that is perfect for the whole family - adult and kids alike! Serve the nuggets with an easy homemade honey mustard sauce that is way better than store-bought.
Looking for other air fryer recipes to try? These crispy air fryer chicken wings are so simple and air fryer bacon makes breakfast easy!
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How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Chicken Nuggets are super fast to prep and cook to crispy perfection! Instead of breadcrumbs, you can also try breading chicken in almond flour like with these healthier (almond flour) air fryer chicken tenders.
Chicken Nugget Ingredients:
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts - you'll cut them into bite-sized pieces
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- Parmesan Cheese - finely shredded
- Salt and Pepper
- Melted Butter - you can use salted or unsalted butter
- Cooking Spray
How to Make Homemade Honey Mustard Sauce
Making homemade honey mustard sauce is so simple and it tastes WAY better than store-bought. And you can adjust the ratios. Like it sweeter? Add a little more honey. More tang? A little more vinegar. Like a kick? Increase the cayenne pepper!
All you do is mix up the mayo, honey, Dijon Mustard, vinegar, and cayenne.
Honey Mustard Ingredients:
- Mayonnaise - light or full fat works
- Honey
- Dijon Mustard
- White Vinegar
- Ground Cayenne Pepper - you can easily adjust the amount to fit your taste preferences. The cayenne helps balance the sweetness from the honey.
Frequently Asked Questions
An air fryer is essentially a compact countertop convection oven. A fan circulates the hot air at a quick speed which creates a crispy layer on foods without needing to fry in oil.
These nuggets take about 8 minutes in the air fryer. The cook time will vary slightly based on how big the pieces are. Cook them until they are 165 degrees F, crispy, and golden.
Absolutely! I recommend baking in a 425˚F preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Until fully cooked and golden brown.
Leftovers, Storage, and Reheating
Nuggets are at their best and crispiest right after making.
Leftovers and Storage: Leftover chicken nuggets can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. Leftover honey mustard sauce can be stored in a separate airtight container in the fridge for one week.
Reheating: To help crisp up the leftover nuggets again, I recommend reheating in the air fryer or the oven.
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PrintRecipe
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets with Honey Mustard Sauce
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets get so crispy and golden brown. A healthier option made by breading chicken breast pieces with Panko and Parmesan cheese. An easy air fryer recipe that is perfect for the whole family - adult and kids alike! Serve the nuggets with an easy homemade honey mustard sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Air Fryer, Appetizer
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Chicken Nuggets
- 1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan Cheese
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ cup Butter, melted. Salted or Unsalted
- Cooking Spray
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- 3 tablespoons Mayo
- 3 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
Chicken Nuggets
- Prepare Breading. Add melted butter to a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, mix the Panko, parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Bread Nuggets. Dip the chicken pieces in the melted butter then dredge in the Panko breading. Place on a plate and continue with all chicken pieces.
- Air Fry. Spray basket of air fryer with cooking spray. Add breaded chicken pieces to the air fryer in a single layer (cooking in batches, if needed). Air fry at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes, gently flip pieces halfway through. Cooking time will vary slightly depending on size of chicken nuggets. They are done when they are cooked through (165 degrees F), golden brown, and crispy.
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
- Mix Sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the dipping sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust, if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ of the nuggets + 2 tbs of the sauce
- Calories: 517
- Sugar: 14.8 g
- Sodium: 933.8 mg
- Fat: 26.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.1 g
- Protein: 33.2 g
- Cholesterol: 124.8 mg
Katie says
These were a hit with the whole family! Loved the honey mustard sauce