Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

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Chicken soaked in a fabulous batter, rolled in Panko bread crumbs then air fried (or pan fried) to a crispy golden brown on the outside yet tender, juicy and full of flavor on the inside. These are not just for the kids anymore!

In my next post I will share a delicious Bang Bang Chicken Sauce that goes great with these Chicken Nuggets.

Adapted from: Joanna Cismaru

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In a medium bowl whisk together the flour,

cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.

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Add the egg, buttermilk and Sriracha sauce.

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Whisk until a smooth batter forms.

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Place the chicken chunks into the batter and

let them sit for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

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Place the Panko bread crumbs into a bowl. Add the chicken

chunks, discarding the batter, and coat the chicken completely.

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Place the breaded chicken onto a plate

covered with waxed paper in a single layer.

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Spray the air fryer pan with cooking oil.

Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes at 390º.

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Place the chicken nuggets in a single layer,

without touching, on the bottom of the pan.

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Air fry for 5 minutes, carefully turn them over

and air fry for another 5 minutes or until golden

brown and the internal temperature is at 165-170

degrees, do not overcook or they will be dry.

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

http://www.InDianesKitchen.com

6B237896-9E24-41C6-8954-A41599997668

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” pieces)
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
  • 1 large egg, slightly whisked with a fork
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 – 2 cups Panko bread crumbs

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
  2. Add the egg, buttermilk and Sriracha sauce. Whisk until a smooth batter forms.
  3. Add the chicken chunks coating them completely with the batter. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
  4. Place the Panko bread crumbs into a bowl. Add the chicken chunks, discarding the batter, and toss to completely coat them with the bread crumbs. Place them on a waxed paper covered plate in a single layer.
  5. Spray the air fryer pan with cooking oil. Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes at 390 degrees.
  6. Place the chicken nuggets into the pan in a single layer and without touching each other.
  7. Air fry for 5 minutes, turn over and air fry another 5 minutes or until golden brown and 165-170 degrees. Do not overcook or they will be dry. You will probably need to do these in batches.

http://www.InDianesKitchen.com

31 Comments »

  1. Those look so delicious and love the freshly fried look. I don’t imagine these lasted very long on the plate! I don’t think I’ve ever cooked with Panko before; will have to give it a try.

    • Me either, it was my first time using Panko crumbs and now I have a large box of it. Regular bread crumbs can’t even compare to Panko. I can’t believe this was the first time I ever tried them. Thanks Ab!

  2. I love chicken nuggets (must be the inner child in me 😊) and can’t wait for that Bang Bang sauce! We (well, more my husband) have a few chicken dishes up his sleeves this coming week … but I’m sure we can work these nuggets in somewhere on the menu 👍🏻.

    • Oh heck there are so many ways to prepare chicken I could eat it most days of the week. My husband just told me yesterday he’s ready for the bang bang chicken again (already!)

    • Yes they are wonderful. They work better for a smaller family of two otherwise you have to cook in batches. It’s perfect for my husband and me. Thank you Paul! ❤️

  3. This looks delicious! I’d been wondering how to get the chicken nuggets cooked just right in the air fryer and this will help me get it to perfection! Thanks for sharing.

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