Easy Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets Using the Air Fryer
Love Chick-fil-A nuggets?
My kids are big fans of Chick-fil-A, and they went nuts over this copycat Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets recipe! They taste super similar to the real deal and are DELICIOUS.
One of my Hip2Save sidekicks is a former Chick-fil-A employee, and she’s the one who told me about this genius idea. 😍
There’s one ingredient that makes these Chick-fil-A inspired nugget stand out… are you ready for this?! It’s pickle juice! Marinating your chicken in dill pickle juice makes the nuggets juicy and delicious.
And don’t worry, your pickles will be fine with a little juice missing from the jar. You could even serve some pickles on the side with your nuggets!
To keep things real around here, my first batch of Chick-fil-A nuggets did NOT turn out very well, but I definitely learned some secrets for success such as…
- Grease your basket before placing nuggets inside your air fryer. They will stick horribly if you don’t. I used my olive oil mister.
- Place the nuggets in the air fryer, and then spray them again using an oil mister. This helps the breading crisp up nicely! If you skip this step, the breading will appear white and powdery after cooking.
- Flip the nuggets halfway through cooking for perfect crispiness.
Air Fryer Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets
yield: 6 SERVINGS
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 8 MINUTES
total time: 23 MINUTES
Make delicious nuggets that taste similar to Chick-fil-A at home, thanks to the air fryer!
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw chicken breast meat, cut into one-inch pieces
- 3/4 cup dill pickle juice
- 1 and 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cups milk
Directions
1
Place chicken pieces in a bowl or freezer bag with pickle juice. Marinate for 30 minutes.
2
Whisk egg and milk together in a small bowl.
3
In a separate bowl, mix flour, powdered sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper.
4
Drain pickle juice. Dredge chicken pieces in egg mixture and then in flour mixture.
5
Place in a well-greased air fryer basket. (Don't skip this step as my first batch onlinepletely stuck to the basket!)
6
Make sure to place the chicken in single layer, careful not to overcrowd.
7
Mist chicken with olive oil spray.
8
Set the timer for 9 minutes at 370 degrees Fahrenheit.
9
Remove and serve with your favorite dipping sauce!
10
Alternative Oven Directions: Simply place nuggets on parchment paper or greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Make sure to spray with oil before hand so they'll brown up and crisp.
Additional Notes
Recipe adapted from ByPink.online
These copycat Chick-fil-A nuggets are SO GOOD!!!
Just pair them with your favorite dipping sauce. I love how the breading puffs up in the air fryer and tastes amazing!
I really think you’ll enjoy them as much as my kids do – in fact, plan on making extra because these disappear quickly!
Eating low-carb or keto?
We’ve got you covered! Our pickle-brined chicken bites are the keto-friendly answer for all you Chick-fil-A nugget lovers out there. We’ve even got a sugar-free version of the sweet mustard dipping sauce, too — yum!
