How To Make Frozen Chicken Nuggets In Airfryer Appliances
Ditch the deep fryer, baking sheet and fast food nuggets in favor of making your own at home in the air fryer. We are about to teach you how to make frozen chicken nuggets in airfyer appliances that are just as good, if not better than the restaurant versions.
Are you tired of the same old boring frozen chicken nuggets? If your traditional baked soggy chicken nugget method leaves your taste buds underwhelmed you are going to love these quick tips and tricks for restaurant-style nuggets made in an air fryer.
We’ve put together a huge and extremely detailed tutorial about how how to make frozen chicken nuggets in airfryer appliances!
Crisp, tasty and delicious, this method of preparing air fryer chicken nuggets is a guaranteed game changer and will become your favorite way to prepare your favorite brand of chicken nuggets in your air fryer!
Let’s face it, not all of us have time to make fresh chicken nuggets (or chicken tenders) from scratch every day after school or work for an easy meal or perfect snack.
Nuggets take a long time to prepare and the clean up is tedious. It would be nice if we could just heat up some frozen chicken nuggets and eat them in a hurry.
It may not be possible to completely replicate the flavor of fresh fried chicken nuggets, but with these quick tips you can easily make restaurant-quality frozen nuggets at home for a quick dinner in your air fryer.
Why use an Air Fryer to air fry chicken nuggets?
An air fryer is designed to cook food using hot circulating super heated air instead of extra oil. This means that the appliance uses little or no oil, making it a healthier option than traditional frying methods without sacrificing much flavor and texture. Gone are the days of using a deep fat fryer and loads of paper towel to soak up excess oil!
As a result of this genius cooking method air fryer frozen chicken nuggets come out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside making them a guilt free snack or meal to feed your family.
The air fryer also cooks food evenly and quickly (often reducing cooking time,) so you can have restaurant-quality chicken nuggets in minutes without all of the fuss.
Perfect for after school snacks, fast lunches or quick dinners, an air fryer is an easy way to prepare frozen nuggets that will leave you feeling satisfied.
Pair your air fryer frozen chicken nuggets with french fries and your favorite dipping sauce or favorite dips for a great snack or meal that you wont feel guilty feeding to your family.
What type of store-bought frozen chicken nuggets are the best?
There are a variety of different brands of nuggets on the market that are delicious and turn out wonderfully in an air fryer. Always read ingredient labels before purchasing!
Here are some of the favorite brand of chicken nuggets we found:
- Tyson Chicken Nuggets
- Pilgrim’s Chicken Nuggets
- Archer Farms Frozen Chicken Nuggets
- Perdue White Meat Chicken Nuggets
- Bell & Evans Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets
- Tyson Fun Dino Nuggets
- Fast Fixing Jumbo Popcorn Chicken
- Applegate Naturals Chicken Nuggets
- Schneiders Oh Natural Chicken Nuggets
- Jane’s Pub Style Chicken Nuggets
- Maple Leaf Chicken Breast Nuggets
You’ll also be happy to know that there are also a variety of meat free nugget options for anyone looking to reduce or remove meat from their diet.
Some of the best store bought vegetarian nuggets include:
- Yummy Dino Buddies Meatless Plant Based Nuggets
- MorningStar Farms Meatless Chicken Nuggets
- Meatless Farm Vegan Chicken Nuggets
- Gardein Plant-Based Chick’n Nuggets
- BOCA Chick’n Frozen Veggie Nuggets
Which air fryer do you recommend?
Air fryers come in a variety of different sizes, different shapes, star ratings and price points. (Click here to check out the wide variety of Air Fryers available via Amazon)
So, a good starting point when picking an air fryer is figuring out how many people you are planning to cook for regularly because this would influence the size of the basket of your air fryer.
The number of servings you will consistently be preparing will be a great gauging point for the size of air fryer you should purchase.
A standard-size air fryer roughly has a capacity of 3.6 quarts. But, you can also purchase an air fryer as big as 15.5 quarts if you need to serve up a larger crowd.
Here is a list of some well-reviewed and popular air fryers (with their Amazon star rating):
Please note that these are affiliate links which means we may make a small commission at no extra cost to you should you make a purchase through one of our product recommendations.
how to make frozen chicken nuggets in airfryer
- Ninja Foodi Air Fryer with 2 convenient air fryer basket areas – Best Overall Rating – ★★★★★
- Oster Digital Air Fryer Oven with RapidCrisp – Best for Families – ★★★★½
- Dash Compact Air Fryer – Most Affordable – ★★★★
- COSORI Air Fryer Oven Combo Best Electric Air Fryer for the Money – ★★★★
How To Make Frozen Chicken Nuggets In Airfryer Appliances
Using your air fryer to prepare the best chicken nuggets and chicken strips is quick and simple.
For the best air fryer nuggets, we’ve found that following these simple steps works best with results similar to fast food and restaurant chicken nuggets.
These simple steps will help you achieve the best results when preparing frozen nuggets in your air fryer.
Always make sure that your raw chicken nuggets reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees before consuming. When in doubt use a meat thermometer.
How To Make Frozen Chicken Nuggets In Airfryer Appliances
Ditch the greasy store bought chicken nuggets in favor of making delicious crispy chicken nuggets in your air fryer at home. Here are some helpful tips about how to make frozen chicken nuggets in airfryer appliances.
Ingredients
- Your favorite brand of frozen chicken nuggets (Tyson, Perdue, Pilgrim's, Archer's Farms, Perdue, Bell & Evans, Fast Fixings etc)
- Cooking Spray, high temp (Avocado Oil or Pam High Heat)
- Dipping sauce for dunking
Instructions
1. Preheat your air fryer appliance to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or to the temperature specified by the brand of chicken nuggets you are using.
2. Place frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the basket, as this will prevent them from cooking evenly and prevent the chicken nuggets from becoming crispy.
3. Cook your chicken pieces for approximately 8 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Cook times do vary based on the strength of different air fryers and the size of your chicken pieces so be sure to check the instructions of your your chicken nuggets for their exact cooking time before making them for the first time.
4. Serve your chicken nuggets hot with your favorite dipping sauces on the side.
5. Enjoy!
Notes
1. If you find that your chicken nugget coating sticks to your basket you can give it a small spray of cooking spray (only a little bit) to prevent your nuggets from sticking. Always opt for a cooking spray with a high burn point like avocado oil, vegetable oil spray or Pam High Heat. This is the best way to prevent smoking and burner.
2. If your frozen chicken nuggets aren't crispy enough after 8 minutes continue cooking in 1 minute intervals until they crisp up to your liking.
3. Place all uneaten and leftover chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last in the fridge for up to two days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Make Frozen Chicken Nuggets in Airfryer Appliances?
Air fryers are a great way to cook frozen chicken nuggets that you buy in the frozen food isle of your favorite grocery store. Air fryers use a cooking technology that circulates hot air around the food as it cooks. This cooking method results in chicken nuggets that are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside without any of the added fat from oil.
How long do you cook frozen chicken nuggets in an air fryer?
Cook time does vary a little but generally a preheated air fryer takes anywhere between 8 and 11 minutes to correctly and thoroughly cook frozen chicken nuggets.
It may take more or less time to cook your frozen chicken nuggets depending on the type of air fryer you own and the size of your chicken pieces.
In most cases, an air fryer cooks food faster than a conventional oven. So, it is important to always make sure to follow the packages full instructions and keep an eye not to over or under cook your nuggets.
Can you cook chicken nuggets and fries together in an airfryer?
Yes! You can cook your nuggets and fries together in an airfryer if your air fryer has a large enough air fryer tray or two separate air fryer baskets. Preheat your air fryer to the temperature specified on the package of your fries.
Place the frozen fries in a single layer on one half of the air fryer tray or basket and then place the frozen chicken nuggets on the other side of the air fryer tray.
Cook for recommended time or until both are golden brown, crispy and cooked through. Do not overcrowd your air fryer tray or stack layers of food to prevent uneven cooking and your food from getting crispy.
Batch cooking might be necessary if you are trying to prepare larger quantities.
How do you make crispy chicken nuggets in an air fryer?
Getting frozen chicken nuggets crispy in an air fryer requires that you cook your chicken nuggets in a single layer in a hot preheated air fryer.
Doubling up your frozen nuggets or overcrowding your air fryer will prevent your food from getting crispy and cooking all the way through.
What are your favorite dipping sauces for air fryer frozen chicken nuggets?
The perfect dipping sauce is a personal choice and thankfully there are a ton of good dipping sauce options available.
Some of our favorite sauces include:
- Ranch dressing
- BBQ sauce
- Honey mustard
- Marinara sauce
- Blue cheese dressing
- Ketchup
- Sweet and Sour
- Hot Mustard
Can homemade chicken nuggets be cooked in an air fryer?
Absolutely. If you are planning on making a scratch recipe using your own skinless chicken breasts to make homemade chicken nuggets then you need to plan to spray your breaded chicken nuggets with cooking spray before placing them in your air fyer.
Spraying breaded chicken pieces with a little cooking spray allows the air fryer to create a crispy golden brown crust on the outside of your chicken nuggets without having to use a lot of oil and fat.
If you are looking for a fast recipe to make at home we suggest trying this copycat chick-fil chicken nugget recipe from Dinner, Then Dessert the next time you plan to make your own nuggets.
What other food can you prepare in an air fryer?
The options are truly endless and there are literally thousands of easy recipes you can make in an air fryer.
Air fryer recipes are truly endless and can include anything from appetizers to even desserts. For example, you can make air fryer pizza rolls, air fryer frozen chicken wings, air fryer corn dogs, onion rings and so much more.
Air fryers are a great kitchen appliance that can help you make your food healthier and lower calorie!
Perfect for folks trying to reduce their fat intake or with other dietary restrictions an air fryer allows you to cook fried food without any extra oil.
Final Words
Now you know how to make frozen chicken nuggets in airfryer appliances with these quick tips, tricks and recipes we shared above.
These restaurant quality nuggets from the comfort of your home will have your family and friends asking for more.
With a little preparation, you can easily cook up a batch of crispy, juicy chicken nuggets that everyone will love.
Whether you are a beginner or an expert at using air fryers, we know that these tips and tricks are a good reason to cook up a batch of chicken nuggets in your air fryer.
What’s your favorite dipping sauce for dunking chicken nuggets?
Even More Quick and Easy Recipes:
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