Yes, you can make frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer. And it’s easy, too! Follow these simple instructions.
The air fryer has become another member of our family — trust me, I’m not joking. Not only do I use it to heat anything from meatballs to leftover pizza, but on weekends or evenings when I’m at work, my kids often prepare frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer because it’s so easy (and delicious!).
I’ll share some info about air fryer frozen chicken nuggets so you can enjoy the ease (and delicious crispiness) of nuggets prepared in a flash!
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets – Everything You Need To Know!
Here’s a step-by-step guide for heating frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F if your air fryer requires preheating.
- Place chicken nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer basket or on the wire rack. Leave space so the nuggets are not touching too much — you want to allow air to circulate around the nugget for proper cooking.
- Air fry for 5-12 minutes. This time varies considerably due to all the factors mentioned above, so keep an eye on the nuggets to ensure they don’t burn and check for an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Using heat-safe tongs, remove the nuggets from the air fryer basket and place them on a plate.
- Serve with sauces of your choice — in my home, we always have buffalo, ranch, and honey mustard on hand!
Best Air Fryer Chicken Nugget Tips
- If provided, always follow the instructions on the box or bag for the perfect results.
- You can cook thawed chicken nuggets for considerably less time if desired. Check the manufacturer’s suggestion regarding food safety if you are considering thawing premade chicken nuggets. Some companies advise against this.
- Always cook your nuggets and other air fryer foods in a single layer so the air can move freely.
- Flip the nuggets halfway through cooking if you’re using a liner or if the tray or pan at the bottom does not have air holes or a rack to allow both sides to cook evenly at the same time.
Do You Need to Defrost Chicken Nuggets Before Cooking?
Chicken should typically be thawed before preparing it. Frozen chicken nuggets can be air-fried straight out of the freezer, making prep time zilch and lunch, dinner, or snack time ready in a snap!
Another huge bonus is that frozen chicken nuggets are already pre-cooked. This means you don’t need to worry about any raw spots, only even and thorough heating.
All brands of frozen, premade chicken nuggets can be fried in the air fryer, though you may need to adjust time and temperature to account for breading types, nugget sizes, and shapes specific to each brand.
Reheat Chicken Nuggets in Air Fryer
Reheating chicken nuggets in the air fryer is easy!
Heat your air fryer to 350°F and heat your nuggets, using the same instructions as before, for 3-5 minutes.
You can also use the air fryer to reheat homemade chicken nuggets!
How to Make Frozen Chicken Nuggets
Frozen chicken nuggets can be prepared in a multitude of ways!
- Baking. Frozen chicken nuggets can be baked on a cooking sheet in the oven. It typically takes around 15 minutes at 425°F to heat frozen chicken nuggets, but instructions on the box will vary. Place the nuggets in a single layer on a baking sheet and flip part way through cooking. Always check the company’s instructions when deciding what temperature and time to cook your chicken nuggets at.
- Pan Frying. If you love fried chicken, this is for you. You can pan-fry chicken nuggets over medium heat in a skillet. Add vegetable oil and fry for 10-12 minutes or until the nuggets are golden brown on both sides and heated to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Caution must be exercised when heating cold items, especially those that are frozen, in hot oil.
- Microwaving. Some frozen chicken nugget brands have instructions for preparation in the microwave. Microwaved frozen chicken nuggets can cook unevenly and become soggy — for this reason, microwave nuggets are our least preferred method (though your toddler may never complain.)
- Air Frying. Air frying is a healthy way to get the results of crispy chicken nuggets without the extra oil that comes from pan frying or deep frying. Air frying is also safer for young or novice cooks to experiment with, as it doesn’t involve managing large cooking sheets in an oven or handling scalding hot oil.
How to Make Frozen Chicken Nuggets Crispy
The best method for crispy frozen chicken nuggets is the air fryer.
Our next best suggestion is the oven. If your nuggets were prepared in the oven and are still not crispy enough, turn on your broiler setting for a short period of time (monitoring your nuggets closely) and allow the sudden burst of high temps to make them as crispy as possible!
There is no need to move the chicken nuggets to another rack if you decide to finish them using the broiler method.
Recipes Using Frozen Chicken Nuggets
Frozen chicken nuggets aren’t just for kids or kids at heart — you can also utilize them in recipes and make the most of having a super easy way to prepare breaded chicken for your meals. Here are a couple of ideas we love:
- Chicken Caesar Salad: Use nuggets as your chicken in a chicken Caesar salad that packs perfectly for lunch at work and school or is a nice, easy way to serve up a healthy dinner in minutes.
- Chicken Parmesan: Chicken nuggets or tenders prepared in the air fryer make a really quick and easy replacement for breaded chicken in this chicken parm recipe. Now you can make it as a last-minute dinner plan on a busy work night!
- Honey Garlic Glazed Chicken Nuggets: We love this easy yet flavorful recipe from our friends at Olivia’s Cuisine!