Healthy Homemade Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer: Crispy & Delicious

Healthy Homemade Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer
This is my first homemade chicken nugget recipe in the Air Fryer and it did not disappoint! I will prepare you in advance and say this is fairly messy but this recipe did taste exactly like a crispy chicken nugget, I was highly impressed. If you have some extra time on your hands and want to make a recipe that your kids will love, this is it! 

These chicken nuggets are better (and healthier) than McDonald's or Wendys and they combine a wheat bagel with seasonings and parmesan cheese. Air Fryer recipes are our favorite (we use our Air Fryer 3-4X per week on average) because they are healthier than fried meals, use no oil, and adds that extra crisp and flavor without the extra calories or carbs. 

This recipe inspiration came from Laughing Spatula.  

• Total cook time from start to finish: Less than 15 minutes
• Family friendly: YES
• Difficulty level: Simple and easy for all skill levels

Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer:
*This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you purchase using any of my links. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

• *1 slice Taufayan bagel wheat  
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• *1 cup panko breadcrumbs (you can also switch these out for a gluten-free breadcrumb)
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 eggs  

How to Make Homemade Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer:
Step #1 In a bowl, combine the bagel and milk and let it sit for a few minutes. 

Note: If it has bigger chunks from the bagel, just remove those. 

Step #2 To the bowl, add the ground chicken, pepper and oregano and mix to combine. 

Step #3 In another bowl, add the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder and paprika. 

Step #4 Using your hands, create chicken nugget patties and add them to a plate. 

Step #5 Place the plate in the freezer for 5 minutes so they are easier to create and hold the mixture.

Step #6 Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees - usually it takes about 5 minutes to preheat. 

Step #7 In a final bowl, whisk the eggs. 

Step #8 Once the chicken nuggets are a little firmer and the Air Fryer is ready to go, take them out of the freezer and dip them in the egg wash followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Add them to the Air Fryer one at a time. 

Step #9 Cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and then flip over and cook for 3-4 minutes more, until cooked all the way through. 

Serve with Asparagus and rice. Dip chicken in a *Sugar Free BBQ Sauce or a light Ranch. I stored leftovers in a air-tight plastic container and kept it in the fridge to have the next day. If you make this recipe, please comment, review, or rate it below! 

If you like this Air Fryer Chicken, you may also like my Breaded Air Fryer Tenders, Chicken and Waffles, or Air Fryer Caesar Chicken.