Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets with Fry Sauce

Just because we are adults, doesn’t mean we don’t still enjoy a good chicken nuggets. I will always love chicken nuggets no matter how old I get, but I don’t love all the grease and filling that come with some of the places serving up nuggets. I wanted to make a slightly healthier version using ground chicken and my air fryer! Baked nuggets are alright, but they don’t always get as crispy as I want them. These are great for the entire family too and if you dunk them in enough ketchup or sauce, your kid’s won’t even be able to tell they aren’t McDonalds! I also made a creamy, tangy “fry” sauce to go with these that is irresistible. Make these the next time you’re craving some chicken nuggets!

The Nuggets:

1 lb Ground Chicken
1 Tbsp Mustard Powder
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 1/2 Tbsp Basil
1 Tbsp Oregano
1 Tbsp Paprika
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Flour
2 Cups Breadcrumbs (I used tempura bread crumbs for a crispier texture)
Pam (or olive oil)

Fry Sauce:

1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1/3 Cup BBQ Sauce
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1/3 Cup Ketchup
1/8 Cup Ranch
3 Tbsp Relish
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
1 Tbsp Paprika
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

Makes: 22-26 Nuggets
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 12-14 Mins per Batch
Total Time: 30+ Minutes

To Make:

In a large mixing bowl add the ground chicken, mustard powder, minced garlic, onion powder, cumin, basil, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well so the seasonings are equally distributed.
Take a spoonful of the ground chicken, roll in to a ball, flatten and set on a plate – continue this until all the ground chicken has been formed.
Grab 3 shallow bowls – add the flour to one, eggs to another, and breadcrumbs in the last bowl. Whisk the eggs so they are well mixed.
Time to bread! Take one of the flattened ground chicken patties and dunk in the flour to coat well – make sure there is a layer of flour coating the entire thing.
Next, dunk the flour coated patty in to the eggs and cover completely. Shake off any excess egg (gently) and coat with the breadcrumbs. Gently pat down bread crumbs on both sides of the chicken patty. Repeat steps 4 + 5 until all chicken patties have been breaded!
Using your air fryer – heat to 350 degrees. Add a layer of chicken nuggets (how many you can add will depend on the size of your air fryer – make sure they do not overlap or they will not crisp up as well). Before cooking, lightly coat with olive oil – I used Pam just to spray over the top – this will help them crisp!
Cook in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the nuggets are crispy on the outside.
Repeat steps 6 + 7 until all the nuggets have been cooked!
While the nuggets cook, make the sauce. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine well. Set aside until you are ready to eat.
Once all the nuggets are cooked, dunk them in the fry sauce and enjoy!