Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets in the Air Fryer
Enjoy fast food from the comfort of your home with this healthier alternative!
Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Nuggets are tender, marinated bite-sized chicken breasts air fried to crispy golden brown perfection. Serve this copycat recipe with a delicious homemade Chick-Fil-A-Sauce for a quick and easy recipe for lunch or dinner.
If you love Chick-Fil-A, try more recipes inspired by the famous fast food chain like this Copycat Chick-fil-a Homemade Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing, Copycat Chick-Fil-A Market Salad, and this Copycat Chick-Fil-A Cobb Salad recipe.
Easy Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Nuggets are juicy “fried” chicken bites with a delectable crispy coating. One bite in, and you won’t believe it’s not fresh from the drive-thru!
The key to that iconic Chick-Fil-A flavor is a dill pickle juice marinade. That’s right! We soak the chicken cubes in dill pickle juice for up to 24 hours for the best air fryer Chick-Fil-A nuggets.
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Nuggets Recipe
Easy to Make. Simply marinade, coat in flour then air fry! With just 15 minutes of cooking time, this recipe is a breeze. Plus, it’s made with pantry staples so you have leftover pickle juice from your jar of pickles, this is the perfect recipe!
A healthier way. Get the satisfaction of deep-fried chicken with fewer calories, less oil, and no breading.
Chick-Fil-A Whenever You Want! This chicken nugget recipe is perfect for when you're craving them on a Sunday! Save some money with this affordable kid-friendly dinner alternative.
Ingredients
Chicken breast: Dice the boneless, skinless chicken breast into cubes.
Dill pickle juice: This tenderizes the chicken and pretty much replicates the flavor of Chick-Fil-A nuggets
Wet Ingredients
Egg: Whisk at room temperature.
Milk of choice: Any milk works. I used dairy free walnut milk. You can use cow's milk, almond milk, or oat milk. Just make sure it is unflavored and unsweetened.
Dry Ingredients
Flour of choice: Any flour works. I used a gluten free flour, you can use any flour you have on hand. Try a regular all purpose flour, almond flour, or an oat flour also works well.
Seasoning: I season with salt, black pepper, and paprika. Chick-Fil-A’s recipe adds a bit of confectioner’s sugar for a subtle sweetness but I omitted that.
How to Make Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
Cut the chicken breast into bite sized cubes, about 1 inch. Add the chicken pieces into a bowl along with the pickle juice. Mix it to combine then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for up to 24 hours!
Once the chicken has marinated, into the same bowl add 1 whisked egg and milk.
Mix the chicken well into this wet mixture.
In a second bowl, add the dry ingredients; flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Take the wet chicken cubes, and add them into the flour mixture to coat well. Shake off any excess coating.
Spray your air fryer basket with a little bit of avocado oil or olive oil spray.
Place the chicken nuggets into the air fryer in a single layer. Continue until all chicken nuggets are coated and in the air fryer. Work in batches if necessary, depending on the size of your air fryer.
Spray the top of the chicken nuggets with cooking spray such as avocado oil or olive oil spray. Air fry at 380F for about 15 minutes, flipping the nuggets half way through.
Recipe Variations
Chicken: Use chicken tenders instead! If you don’t want to cut it into cubes, you can just increase the cooking time to ensure it’s being cooked through. And if you prefer dark meat, use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Grilled Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets: Follow all the steps of this recipe but omit the flour. The nuggets won’t have a crispy coating but it saves you some calories and you still get all that mouthwatering flavor.
No Pickle Juice: If you don’t like pickles, skip them and make the recipe without the marinade. However, the flavor and texture will vary.
Tips
Cut the chicken into even pieces so it cooks at an even rate.
The longer you marinate, the more flavorful and juicy the chicken nuggets. But don’t worry if you can’t marinate for super long, it will still have delicious flavor.
Remember to flip the nuggets halfway through cooking to achieve the perfect texture.
Its a good idea to buy your chicken breast when it’s on sale, then freeze it in a freezer bag. That way you can make this anytime by just thawing your chicken.
Every air fryer is different, so check the air fryer Chick-Fil-A nuggets at around 5-6 minutes to ensure they are cooking evenly. Then adjust cooking time if needed.
Do not overcrowd the hot air fryer basket or the chicken will not be crispy.
These are best served immediately, with your favorite dipping sauce for the best result.
Dipping Sauces for Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
These delicious chicken nuggets were absolutely made for dipping in your favorite sauces! Try one of these:
Buffalo sauce
Ranch dressing
BBQ sauce
Sour Sauce
My copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce (see below for the ingredients)
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce
This recipe comes together in just a few minutes. See the video below!
•1/4 cup mayo
•1 tbsp mustard
•1 tbsp bbq sauce
•1 tbsp honey
•1 tbsp lemon juice
What to serve with Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
Top a salad like this Cheesecake Factory Chopped Salad or the quick Trader Joe’s Year Round Salad with tender chunks of chicken.
Try it with this creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese.
It may seem like an obvious choice but french fries would taste amazing with this! It’s the ultimate fast food meal.
Make a rice bowl with your favorite rice; whether that’s white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
FAQ
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The best way to reheat is to just pop them into the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 380F. Guaranteed crispy chicken nuggets every time!
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The fast food franchise marinates their chicken in dill pickle juice.
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They are certainly a healthier option than fried chicken nuggets. These are fewer calories, less grease, and my favorite way to replicate Chick-Fil-A's famous nuggets!
Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut in cubes
- 1 cup dill pickle juice
- 1 egg, whisked
- ½ milk of choice
- 1 cup flour of choice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast into bite sized cubes, about 1 inch.
- Add the chicken into a bowl along with the pickle juice. Mix it to combine then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for up to 24 hours!
- Once the chicken has marinated, into the same bowl add 1 whisked egg and milk. Mix the chicken well into this wet mixture.
- Into another large bowl, add the dry ingredients; flour, salt, pepper and paprika.
- Take the wet chicken cubes, and add them into the dry ingredients to coat well. Shake off any excess coating.
- Spray your air fryer with avocado oil or olive oil spray.
- Place the chicken nuggets into the air fryer in a single layer. Continue until all chicken nuggets are coated and in the air fryer. Work in batches if necessary, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Spray the top of the chicken nuggets with avocado oil or olive oil spray.
- Air fry at 380F for about 15 minutes, flipping the nuggets half way through.
Hey, I’m Jazz
I’m a nutritional therapist practitioner and spent 3 years as a personal chef to NBA athletes. Follow along for easy, attainable and healthy recipes in under 30 minutes!
Watch the Recipe Tutorial
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