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Quick & Crispy Homemade Chicken Nuggets (Oven or Air Fryer)

A pile of golden brown, crispy homemade chicken nuggets on a white plate, one nugget is broken open showing the white chicken interior.
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Make juicy, crispy homemade chicken nuggets from scratch using chicken breast. This easy recipe uses simple breading techniques and works well in the oven or air fryer for a healthy, family-friendly weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • Cooking spray or oil for baking/air frying

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken into uniform, bite-sized nugget shapes.
  2. Set up the breading station: In one shallow dish, mix the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. In a second dish, whisk the eggs with water. In a third dish, place the panko breadcrumbs.
  3. Dredge the chicken: Take a piece of chicken and coat it thoroughly in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip it into the egg wash, letting excess drip off. Finally, press the chicken firmly into the panko breadcrumbs until fully coated. Place the breaded nuggets on a wire rack or plate.
  4. Preheat your cooking appliance: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) or your air fryer to 380°F (195°C). If baking, lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
  5. Cook the nuggets: If baking, arrange the nuggets in a single layer on the prepared sheet and spray the tops lightly with cooking spray for extra crispiness. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). If air frying, cook in a single layer in batches for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until crispy.
  6. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.

Notes

  • For extra juicy homemade chicken bites, you can marinate the chicken pieces in buttermilk for 30 minutes before breading.
  • To make these ground chicken nuggets, pulse the chicken in a food processor until coarsely ground, form into shapes, and then proceed with the breading steps.
  • These are great for meal prep chicken nuggets; cool completely, then freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. Reheat in the oven or air fryer.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://fooddexterity.com/homemade-chicken-nuggets-recipe/