These Air Fryer Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets are so good. Now that you have a recipe that tastes just like the one from the restaurant, you can have that flavor and taste any time you want!
These air fryer chicken nuggets are crispy perfection and the perfect bite-size to gobble up easily in one or two bites! Stop buying those soggy chicken nuggets from the store and make your own instead!
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Can I be honest with you? I created this recipe because I was tired of going to the restaurant and having to put on shoes and pants. And yes, I’m serious. I LOVE being able to make these delicious nuggets for myself and the kids.
I also think that cooking chicken nuggets in the air fryer makes a huge difference in the taste and flavor. Crispy goodness with every single bite!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to make
- Always a hit with the kids (and adults!)
- Similar to this Air Fryer Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sandwich and Air Fryer Chicken Tenders that we love, too!
Ingredients / Shopping List
- 1/2 cup of pickle juice
- 2 chicken breasts, cubed into nuggets
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of milk
- 1/2 tablespoon of salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon of paprika
- 1 1/2 cup flour
Substitutions and Additions
Chicken breast: This is the best chicken to use for this recipe but you can use other chicken as well that you have on hand as long as you can cube it up.
Pickle juice: This is the key to this tasty dish! Your nuggets won’t taste like copycat nuggets if you don’t add in the pickle juice. (and it needs to be dill pickle juice, too!)
Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools
- Air fryer
- Plastic Gallon Bag
How to Make Air Fryer Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
This recipe is so simple, you’re going to want to make it all the time! Let your air fryer cook dinner tonight!
Step 1
Put the cut-up chicken into your bag and add the pickle juice. Give it a good shake and put it in the fridge for about 45 minutes or so.
Step 2
Add eggs and milk into a bowl and stir. Mix the flour, spices, and powdered sugar into another bowl.
Step 3
Take the chicken out of the fridge and drain. Add to the flour mixture. Remove and place in the egg mixture. Remove and place back into the flour mixture.
Step 4
Put the floured nuggets into your air fryer basket and spray with cooking oil.
Step 5
Cook for 8-10 minutes at 370 degrees. Stir and respray halfway through.
Step 6
Remove and let nuggets cool before eating.
Variations / Options / Add-Ins
If you don’t want the sugar: You can opt to leave out the sugar and just go for a less sweetened version. It WILL make a difference in the flavor, but will also cut down on the added sugar at the same time.
Tips
- Let them cool once you remove them from the air fryer. This is when they will really start to crisp up!
- Pair up with your favorite dipping sauce to really enhance the taste!
FAQs
If you have leftovers, store them in a container with a lid for the best optimal results.
I love to reheat in the air fryer for a few moments or pop them in the microwave for a short amount of time.
You bet. I would recommend cutting up the chicken and have it marinating before hand. That way when you’re ready to cook, it’s just that much more of a simple process to do.
Other Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Queso Chicken (Keto, Low Carb)
- Lipton Onion Soup Chicken Wings
- The Best Air Fryer Hash Browns Recipe
- Air Fryer Blooming Onion Recipe
- Easy Cinnamon Sugar Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts Recipe
- Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce
- Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy
📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pickle juice
- 2 chicken breasts cubed into nuggets
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1 1/2 cup flour
Instructions
- Put the cut-up chicken into your bag and add the pickle juice. Give it a good shake and put it in the fridge for about 45 minutes or so.
- Add eggs and milk into a bowl and stir. Mix the flour, spices, and powdered sugar into another bowl.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge and drain. Add to the flour mixture. Remove and place in the egg mixture. Remove and place back into the flour mixture.
- Put the floured nuggets into your air fryer basket and spray with cooking oil.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes at 370 degrees. Stir and respray halfway through.
- Remove and let nuggets cool before eating.
Notes
Nutrition
Need to run to the store for a few ingredients first? Don’t forget to pin this recipe so you can find it when you’re ready to cook!
Do you add the pickle juice to the milk and egg mixture? Did I miss that?
Thanks for pointing this out! It’s in the directions in the post, but not in the recipe – I added it now. Here’s that direction: Put the cut-up chicken into your bag and add the pickle juice. Give it a good shake and put it in the fridge for about 45 minutes or so.
The kids loved this recipe! Thank you.
That’s great, I’m so happy your kids liked the recipe! Thanks for commenting and letting me know.
Will be making this together with the sauce you published!
That’s great! I hope you like it!