Description
Crispy, golden, and full of flavor, these air-fried spicy chicken nuggets use ground chicken and a bold spice blend to create the perfect bite-sized snack or meal.
Ingredients
- Chicken Mixture:
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg (or 2 medium eggs)
- 2 tablespoons water
- Panko Coating:
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Italian bread crumbs, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Divide mixture into 20 balls, flatten slightly into nugget shapes, and place on a baking sheet.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and water.
- In another shallow bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt.
- Dip each nugget into the egg mixture, shake off excess, then coat in seasoned panko. Return to baking sheet.
- Air Fryer Method: Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. Arrange 10–15 nuggets in a single layer in the basket without overcrowding. Spray tops with cooking spray. Air fry for 5 minutes, flip, spray tops again, and air fry another 5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Repeat with remaining nuggets.
- Oven Method: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place nuggets on a baking sheet and spray tops with cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes, flip, spray tops again, and bake another 10 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
- Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- For extra heat, increase cayenne pepper or add hot sauce to the chicken mixture.
- Nuggets can be frozen after breading—just cook from frozen, adding extra time.
- Ground turkey can be substituted for chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Appetizer
- Method: Air Fryer, Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 nugget
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 260mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
