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    Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

    Frozen Chicken Nuggets Air Fryer

    Oct 31, 2022 by Matt · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

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    frozen chicken nugget in air fryer pinterest pin

    Frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer is the best way these days to cook this delicious snack. The nuggets come out juicy inside and crispy on the outside. This is a MUCH BETTER way than using the microwave.

    frozen chicken nuggetin air cooked up crispy and juicy with barbecue sauce.
    I happen to like my chicken nuggets with barbecue sauce. You can use bottled sauce or make your own. Mustard sauce is also good.

    My family is crazy about chicken nuggets. The air fryer is by far the best way to cook up this fantastic snack. A nice dipping sauce and maybe a side of Frozen French Fries and now you have got a complete meal. Chicken nuggets are probably the most kid friendly air fryer recipe.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Cook Chicken Nuggets in Air Fryer
    • How Long to Cook Chicken Nuggets in Air Fryer
    • What to Serve with Chicken Nuggets
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Reheat Chicken Nuggets in Air Fryer
    • Sides for Chicken Nuggets
    • Frozen Chicken Nuggets Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    Bell and Evans chicken nuggets are the best. Made from chicken breast and are much healthier than most brands. They taste much better to me. I have always bought this brand. These are my favorite chicken nuggets.

    frozen chicken nuggets inredients used
    I happen to love these chicken nuggets. They are all natural and they are not pre-cooked. I feel they end up tasting a whole lot better and they are really juicy and delicious.
    • Chicken Nuggets ( I used Bell and Evans Chicken Nuggets)
    • Barbecue Sauce
    • French Fries (Optional)
    • Garlic Powder (I always give them a sprinkle)

    Jump to recipe card for quantities.

    Let’s talk about how to cook frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer. Chicken nuggets come in a bunch of different shapes and sizes but chicken nuggets also come precooked in most brands.

    Chicken nuggets also come in uncooked versions.

    I have included cooking times for both pre-cooked and uncooked chicken nuggets in the air fryer. Bell and Evans are not precooking their chicken nuggets. The cooking process steps are the same. The cooking time changes.

    How to Cook Chicken Nuggets in Air Fryer

    Place your chicken nuggets into the air fryer basket. The key here is to spread chicken pieces out in a single layer. This makes for optimal air circulation and getting the nuggets nice and crispy.

    chicken nuggets frozen in air fryer
    Chicken Nuggets frozen in the air fryer

    How Long to Cook Chicken Nuggets in Air Fryer

    The cooking time of chicken nuggets in the air fryer depends on the size. Increase or decrease cooking time accordingly. Tests are conducted on cooking times. These are a guidline as cooking times may vary.

    Uncooked nuggets. 20-22 minutes of cooking time.

    Pre-cooked chicken nuggets set the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 10-12 minutes of cooking time.

    If you are using the uncooked chicken nuggets I find it is always a good idea to use a meat thermometer. Air fryer chicken nuggets should be cooked to an internal temperature of 170.

    Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    Flipped chicken nugget in the air fryer basket ready to eat
    Bell and Evans chicken nuggets come out great and are NOT precooked.

    I flip the chicken about halfway through the cooking time. I get the best results with this method.

    Tip: Keep in mind that all air fryers are different and depending on their wattage the cooking times can vary by a few minutes.

    frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer closeup and crispy
    Close up of crispy chicken nuggets made in the air fryer. I love the way this gadget makes chicken so crispy. I happen to like the Bell and Evans chicken nuggets.

    What to Serve with Chicken Nuggets

    What dipping sauce to serve with chicken nuggets is a matter of preference but I find these sauces are most common. I have also included some other recipes that go great with chicken nuggets.

    • BBQ Sauce – Use Your Barbecue sauce of choice.
    • Ranch Dressing – Ranch is good on everything.
    • Blue Cheese Dressing – This is one of my favorites

    See this spicy version of this recipe on my website! (placeholder for in-content link)

    Equipment

    Of course, the equipment can have a huge impact on how recipes turn out. Air fryers are no different. I’m listing the air fryer that I use below. I do have more than one.

    Included is also a list of what I think are a few kitchen essentials.

    Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 8 Quart 2-Basket Air Fryer.
    Ninja AF101 Air Fryer, 4 Qt.
    Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Basket Air Fryer
    Air Fryer Parchment Paper, Air Fryer Liners, 200pcs 8.5 Inch
    Air Fryer Liners, 2 Pack Non-Stick 8.5 Inch Silicone Square

    Storage

    Chicken nuggets can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

    Reheat Chicken Nuggets in Air Fryer

    How to reheat chicken nuggets in the air fryer is a simple process. The air fryer does a much better job of this than a microwave.

    Place chicken nuggets in an air fryer basket in a single layer.
    Set air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
    Cook 3-4 minutes until hot.

    Sides for Chicken Nuggets

    Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
    Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings
    Frozen Eggrolls in the Air Fryer
    Air Fryer Frozen Dumplings

    frozen chicken nugget cooked up crispy and juicy with barbecue sauce

    Frozen Chicken Nuggets Air Fryer

    Frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer came out fantastic. Makes a great snack or even dinner. Ready in as little as eight minutes cooking time.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, dinner, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 250kcal
    Author: Matt Freund

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • 1 Box or Pound Frozen Chicken Nuggets
    • 1/4 Cup Barbecue Sauce
    • 1/4 Cup Ranch Dressing (Optional)

    Instructions

    How to Cook Frozen Nuggets in an Air Fryer (Uncooked Nuggets)

    • Preheat air fryer to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
    • Place Chicken Nuggets in Basket in a Single Layer
    • Cook 20-22 Minutes
    • Flip Halfway Through Cooking Time

    How to Cook Frozen Nuggets in Air Fryer (Precooked Nuggets)

    • Preheat air fryer to 400 Degress Fahrenheit
    • Place Nuggets in Basket in a Single Layer
    • Cook 8-10 Minutes.
    • Flip Halfway Through Cooking Time.

    Notes

    The cooking times are different and the temperatures are different whether you are using uncooked frozen chicken nuggets or pre-cooked chicken nuggets.
    Bell and Evans are the only uncooked nuggets I am familiar with. All the other brands like Tyson and banquet are pre-cooked nuggets..
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 250kcal
    Tried this recipe? Dont Forget to Follow Us.Mention or Follow @stuffmattycooks or tag #stuffmattycooks!
    (Visited 2,355 times, 3 visits today)

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