Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets- Easy and healthy!
I love chicken nuggets, and having air fryer frozen chicken nuggets was a game changer as now I could eat as much as I wanted without feeling guilty about it being deep fried.
How often have you not eaten your favorite chicken nuggets, thinking- Am I overeating?
‘A minute of the lips, forever on the hips’— right?
It doesn’t have to be that way anymore with this air fryer frozen chicken nuggets recipe. Cooking these nuggets in the air fryer is easy and healthier than deep frying nuggets.
They are done in just a few minutes and ready to be served as a kid’s party appetizer or an evening snack.
Table of Contents
Tips to make the best air fryer frozen chicken nuggets
1. Make sure to lay out the chicken nuggets evenly; no chicken nuggets should overlap on the other. This will help cook the chicken nuggets evenly and give them a nice, even browning on both sides.
2. You can spray your chicken nuggets with oil (NO AEROSOL OIL SPRAY), but I never did. You don’t need to; make sure to line the air fryer basket with a parchment liner, as cooking chicken nuggets can make a mess in the air fryer basket.
3. You might have to cook both sides of the nuggets, so flip them halfway through their cooking time.
4. Do not overcook them because if you do, the outside sure gets crispier, but the inside will be slightly dry, and you do not want that.
How to cook frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer?
Cooking frozen chicken nuggets is easy. You do not need to thaw the chicken nuggets before you put them in the air fryer. Just take them out of the freezer and follow the steps given below.
1. Place the chicken nuggets on the air fryer and spread them out evenly. You can use a perforated parchment liner— I was out of them, so I didn’t use any, but I generally use them.
2. Cook them at 190°C for 4 minutes. Take the air fryer basket out, flip the nuggets, and cook for another 4 minutes at the same 190°C temperature.
3. Your chicken nuggets are ready!
Best frozen Chicken Nuggets brands
I think most of the chicken nuggets taste similar and taste good overall. Which one you prefer is totally up to your taste.
But some of the most popular chicken nuggets brands that are worth mentioning are Tyson’s chicken nuggets, Applegate’s gluten-free chicken nuggets, Bell and Evans Chicken nuggets, or the all-time classic Trader Joe’s and Wholefood’s breaded chicken nuggets.
These are the best and most readily available chicken nuggets and work fine. They taste delicious, and you can make all of them using the same air fryer frozen chicken nuggets recipe.
Dipping Ideas
I have to admit I love to dip my chicken nuggets in ketchup. It just tastes so freaking good. Other dips out there taste great, too, but somehow, nothing beats ketchup and chicken nuggets.
Some other dips that go well with chicken nuggets are ranch sauce, sweet chili garlic sauce, hot sauce, chili garlic sauce, and chipotle sauce.
There are way too many dipping sauces that go well with chicken nuggets. You can even try this homemade cheesy, garlicky white sauce, which tastes fantastic.
You can even serve these chicken nuggets with french fries, as this is a popular combination, and no one can deny either.
This is one of the most popular combos on the kid’s menu at any restaurant, as it can impress anyone.
Can you make Frozen Veggie Nuggets using this recipe?
Yes, you definitely can!
I have made veggie or cheese potato shots using the instructions for chicken nuggets, and they come out perfect every time.
Veggie nuggets are delicious, and if you get time, try some from Gardein or Whole Foods, as they make plant-based chicken nuggets. Dr. Praeger brand has different options in veggie nuggets.
How to store leftover Chicken Nuggets?
You can always put the leftover chicken nuggets in the refrigerator. They would stay good for 3-4 days, but after that, you should put them in a ziplock bag inside a freezer.
This way, the chicken nuggets will stay good for a few months. I usually do not store them in the freezer for over 1-2 months.
Three months should be the longest to store chicken nuggets in the freezer. Anything longer than that should go directly into the bin.
Reheating chicken nuggets in Air Fryer
If you want to reheat leftover chicken nuggets, then you can do so. Just pop these chicken nuggets in the air fryer at 200°C for 3-4 minutes, and you will have some well cooked chicken nuggets.
How long to put frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer?
You do not need to cook frozen chicken nuggets for longer than 8 minutes. I think you can try, but you would not be pleased with the results.
The nuggets go dry in the center when cooked for longer, so just be aware of that and run a few trail tests with a few pieces of nuggets to see what works best in your air fryer.
I have used a Philips air fryer for this recipe, and it takes about 7-8 minutes to cook chicken nuggets at 190°C.
Ensure you check on your nuggets after the 7-minute mark, as they are almost cooked at that timeline and need a few more minutes to get the even browning.
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Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Equipment
- 1 Philips Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 Bag Frozen Chicken Nuggets
- Dip (of your choice)
Instructions
- Lay out the frozen chicken nuggets inside the air fryer. Make sure you do not crowd the air fryer basket.
- Now set the air fryer temperature to 190°C and cook the chicken nuggets for 4 minutes. Flip the nuggets and cook them at the same 190°C for another 4 minutes.
- You chicken nuggets are ready! Serve them with your favourite dip or fries!
