Name: Air-Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed; Salt and pepper; 3 tablespoons sugar; 3 cups panko bread crumbs; ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 3 large eggs; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon onion powder; ¾ teaspoon garlic powder

Why This Recipe Works

These homemade nuggets are tender and juicy, not gristly and spongy. And they’re convenient if made ahead and frozen, ready to be popped in the air fryer at short notice. A 15-minute brine seasoned the white meat and guarded against dryness even after freezing.

Before You Begin

The air fryer cooks up to 18 nuggets at once; this recipe makes double that, so you’ll have plenty on hand. The nuggets can be cooked from fresh without freezing; reduce the cooking time to 10 to 12 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking. Respray the basket before cooking additional batches. Serve these nuggets with

Instructions

Pound chicken to uniform thickness as needed. Cut each breast diagonally into thirds, then cut each piece into thirds. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add chicken, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss panko with oil in bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to shallow dish and let cool slightly. Whisk eggs, flour, onion powder, garlic -powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in second shallow dish.

Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Working with several chicken pieces at a time, dredge in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere; transfer to prepared rack. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. (Frozen nuggets can be transferred to zipper-lock bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month.)

To Cook Nuggets: Lightly spray base of air-fryer basket with vegetable oil spray. Place up to 18 nuggets in prepared basket. Place basket in air fryer, set temperature to 400 degrees, and cook for 6 minutes. Transfer nuggets to clean bowl and gently toss to redistribute. Return nuggets to air fryer and cook until chicken is crisp and registers 160 degrees, 6 to 10 minutes. Serve.