Making chicken nuggets from scratch is a lot easier than it looks, and this Air Fryer Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe is a great way to enjoy a crispier, lighter version at home. Instead of deep-frying, these nuggets are coated with breadcrumbs and air-fried until golden, making them a practical recipe for everyday meals and family-friendly cooking sessions.

What I love about homemade chicken nuggets is that you know exactly what goes into them. The chicken is minced, lightly seasoned, shaped into small nuggets, coated, and then cooked until crisp on the outside and juicy within. They may not look perfectly uniform like store-bought nuggets, but that is also part of their charm!

These air fryer chicken nuggets are also especially suitable for cooking with children. The shaping and coating steps are fun, hands-on, and easy to follow. Just make sure to practice proper food safety when handling raw chicken, including washing hands thoroughly and keeping raw and cooked utensils separate!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

These homemade chicken nuggets are:

  • Made from scratch with real chicken
  • Air-fried instead of deep-fried
  • Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside
  • Child-friendly and family-friendly
  • Great for lunchboxes, snacks or casual meals
  • Easy to customise with your preferred seasonings

Tips For Success

  • You can use either a food processor by pulsing in short bursts until it becomes a coarse mince or to hand-chop finely using a sharp knife. However, do not over-process it into a smooth paste.
  • Do not include the chicken skin in the nugget mixture, as the skin can make the mixture oilier and harder to shape.
  • Keep the nuggets small and flat. This helps them cook evenly and gives you a better crispy coating.

These Air Fryer Homemade Chicken Nuggets are a fun and practical recipe for both adults and children. They are simple enough for everyday cooking, but also interactive enough for a family cooking. With a crisp breadcrumb coating and juicy chicken filling, they make a comforting homemade alternative to store-bought nuggets.

Without further ado, the recipe!

Video Coming Soon!

Air Fryer Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe
by Javier Tan June-16-2026

Make crispy air fryer homemade chicken nuggets from scratch with real chicken, simple seasoninga, and a crisp coating. Perfect for family!

Ingredients (Nuggets)

  • 180g Boneless chicken (I used drumstick, skin removed)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • Small pinch of white pepper
  • 1 tsp cornstarch / cornflour
  • 1 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp beaten egg

Ingredients (Breading)

  • 2 tbsps plain flour
  • Leftover beaten egg
  • 1/2 cup panko crumbs
  • Vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. First, remove the chicken skin, bone and any hard bits. Cut the chicken into small pieces.
  2. Then, mince the chicken by pulsing at short bursts until it resembles a coarse mince (no more than 30s). You can do the same by chopping the chicken finely using a sharp knife.
  3. Combine the minced chicken with all the remaining listed ingredients including salt, garlic powder, onion powder and beaten egg. Do so until the mixture is combined and slightly sticky. The nuggets should be able to hold their shape at this stage. However, if the mixture is too wet, add a little bit more cornflour.
  4. Lightly wet your hands, then shape the chicken mixture in a small nugget. Coat them in the sequence of plain flour, then beaten egg and bread crumbs.
  5. Do so for the remaining chicken nuggets, and brush the top layer with a layer of oil.
  6. Air fry the chicken nuggets in a pre-heated air fryer at 190C for 10 – 12 mins, flipping them halfway through and re-applying oil on the other side.
  7. Serve and enjoy with your favourite dipping sauce!

Details

  • Prep time: 15 mins
  • Cook time: 30 mins
  • Total time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 6 – 8 Crispy Chicken Nuggets

Notes:

  1. If you would like to be updated for more recipes which I strive to create to perfection for sharing and for free, do check out my Instagram, Facebook Page, or YouTube 🙂 Thank you so much for all of your support! Feel free to tag me or link back here!
  2. Serve fresh on the day itself. Alternatively, freeze them for up to 3 months.
  3. Please do not copy and paste the recipe without my permission, but feel free to link back here!

Enjoy!
– Bakeomaniac, Javier Tan