Frozen chicken nuggets are a little bit of a wonder food—they’re always ready when you need them and will make even the pickiest of eaters happy.
While making them in the oven isn’t hard per se, it does require a pan, preheating the oven for 10-15 minutes, cooking for 15 minutes or more, cleaning…
Come in, the AIR FRYER! Not only does cooking them in this compact convection oven make the process faster, but it also renders the nuggets even more deliciously golden and crisp!
Just to clarify, the guidance and recipe below are for frozen chicken nuggets.
To make chicken nuggets from scratch in your air fryer, (which is totally possible and very delicious), follow our homemade air fryer chicken nuggets recipe.
Table of Contents
The Best Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
The best chicken nuggets are those that please kids and adults alike! Here are some of the best/top-rated frozen chicken nugget brands:
- Trader Joe’s
- Perdue
- Earth’s Best
- Tyson
- Whole Foods 365
Picking the right brand of frozen chicken nuggets is key! Try one brand or try them all!
Recipe Video
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer?
Air frying frozen chicken nuggets is about as easy as a delicious air fryer food gets! In less than 15 minutes, the nuggets will be beautifully golden and crisp, ready to be dipped into your favorite sauces!
Step 1: Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF (204ºC).
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating option, set your desired temperature then let it cook for 5 minutes without food.
🚨 Important: Reduce the cooking temperature to 380°F (193°C) if you’re using a 4-quart air fryer or smaller. They are hotter due to the heating element being closer to the food.
Step 2: Prepare the frozen chicken nuggets.
Prepare the frozen nuggets by opening the package so that when the air fryer is preheated, you’re ready to go! No need to thaw!!
Step 3: Air fry frozen chicken nuggets for 8-10 minutes.
When the air fryer is preheated (yay), add the nuggets in a single layer.
For the most evenly-crisped nuggets, air fry for about 4-5 minutes before tossing the nuggets or flipping them individually and continuing to air fry for another 4-5 minutes or until golden and crisp all-around.
💡 Pro Tip: Most chicken nuggets brands are precooked, they already have oil in them, so there’s no need to spray additional oil.
Step 4: Serve and enjoy your air fried frozen chicken nuggets!
When the nuggets are hot and crunchy, remove them from the air fryer and serve with your dipping sauce of choice!
Two of our favorite dipping sauce recipes are below:
Best honey mustard recipe: In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp mayo, 2 tbsp mustard, 2 tbsp honey and ¼ tsp paprika. Whisk until smooth.
Healthy ranch dip: In a small bowl, combine ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp dried dill or 1 tsp chopped fresh dill, and pinch of salt and pepper (to taste). Mix until thoroughly combined.
We hope you use this great air fryer frozen chicken nugget hack to quickly and easily whip up great chicken nuggets in no time, with no mess or stress!!
Recommended Air Frying Time & Temperature
The ideal cooking time and temperature for air frying frozen chicken nuggets will vary depending on the size of your air fryer.
For air fryers that are 6-quart or larger, it’s recommended to preheat to 400°F (204°C) and cook these delicious treats for 8-12 minutes.
If your air fryer is 4 quarts or smaller, reduce the cooking temperature to 380°F (193°C). They tend to be hotter because the heating element is positioned closer to the food.
The same cooking time will apply for all air fryers. However, please note that the longer your cooking time, the more browning you might achieve.
Reheating Your Chicken Nuggets
To reheat your chicken nuggets, preheat the air fryer to 360°F (182°C); then add the nuggets and air fry until re-crisped and hot, about 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can air fry frozen chicken nuggets for a quick and delicious snack.
Cooking times can vary, but generally, it takes about 8-12 minutes to cook frozen chicken nuggets in an air fryer at 380°F to 400°F, flipping halfway through.
To air fry frozen chicken nuggets, simply preheat your air fryer to around 380°F to 400°F, then arrange the nuggets in a single layer and cook for about 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they’re crispy and golden.
Yes, you can air fry frozen chicken nuggets along with fries by adjusting the cooking time and temperature to ensure both items cook evenly and reach their desired level of crispiness.
Air-fried chicken nuggets are generally considered healthier than traditional deep-fried ones, as they require less oil and result in lower overall fat content while still achieving a crispy texture. However, the overall healthiness also depends on the quality of the nuggets and the ingredients used.
This ingredients checklist is interactive; you can use it as your grocery list.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken nuggets 28-30 pieces
- 3 tablespoons honey mustard or your favorite dipping sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Please see note if your air fryer is 4-quart and below.
- Have the frozen chicken nuggets ready.
- Add a single layer of frozen chicken nuggets into the preheated air fryer. Then, air fry frozen chicken nuggets for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden. Flip halfway for even cooking. If you want them extra crispy, cook for another 2-4 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy your air fryer frozen chicken nuggets with your choice of dipping sauce! Ketchup, ready-made barbecue sauce, and honey mustard sauce are all great options.
Recipe Video
Notes
- For compact air fryers like the Ninja Foodi 4-Quart Basket Air Fryer, it is recommended to reduce the cooking temperature by 20°F or 10°C, or decrease the cooking time by 1-2 minutes. Smaller air fryers tend to be hotter because the heating element is closer to the food.
- If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating option, you can set the temperature to 400°F (204°C) and then let it cook for 4-5 minutes without food.
- I used a 6-quart Instant Pot Vortex Plus to test cooking frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer. Cooking time and temperature may vary depending on your air fryer and the amount of nuggets you’re making. For optimal results, begin with the lower end of the suggested cooking time.
Nutrition
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