Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets (No Breading)
Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets (no breading) homemade bite-size chicken, lightly coated in almond flour and flaxseed, then baked in the air fryer until crispy. Made with clean, paleo and gluten free ingredients, these nuggets are a healthier version of a fast-food favorite. Great for those following keto, paleo or Whole30 lifestyles!
Whenever I make a recipe with my air fryer, I profess to the internet my love for this incredible appliance. Here I go again: I LOVE MY AIR FRYER.
When I first heard about air fryers, I was SURE that this was just another bulky appliance fad. Frying things with little to no oil? Psh, please. I was certainly a skeptic, but then I purchased one, and quickly understood what all of the buzz was about.
I am able to get so many different foods crispy in half the time, and since I am all about the crispy texture, the amazing air fryer earned it’s place on my counter top. Seeing as how I LOVE crispy things, naturally, I’m a chicken nugget addict. So it should come as no surprise that I seek out chicken nuggets regularly (and *gasp -yes, I stop for fast food nuggets every now and then).
Unfortunately, they don’t always make me feel that great, but they just taste so good. I can’t help myself, so creating a healthier version seemed like something I should probably do.
I figured out a great way to make a healthier version of chicken nuggets with no breading using all clean ingredients. I used seasoned chicken breast, almond flour, flax seed and eggs instead. Not only are they healthier than fast-food nuggets, they are also gluten-free, keto, paleo and Whole30 compliant! Seriously, you’re going to love them.
💗 Why You’ll Love Making Homemade Chicken Nuggets In The Air Fryer
It’s homemade! Enjoy yummy chicken nuggets without going through the drive-thru.
Chicken nuggets are definitely kid-friendly finger food.
Air frying gets a really good crisp on the exterior of each nugget without the use of additional oil.
Whether you’re Low Carb, Keto, Paleo, or Whole30, These homemade chicken nuggets are all of the above!
🍗 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken Breast – If there’s any visible fat on the breasts, remove it before cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Almond Flour– I’m a huge fan of using almond flour to “bread” things because it crisps up really well while keeping things low carb.
- Ground Flax Seed– adds a nice crunch and nutrients along with a nutty flavor.
- Eggs – are used to coast the chicken pieces so the seasoned almond flour has something to stick to.
- Garlic Powder– is used to season the almond flour.
- Salt & Ground Black Pepper– enhances the flavor. The salt also helps release moisture so the nuggets get crispy.
- Paprika– adds subtle sweet and smoky flavor.
- Avocado Oil– is used to grease the air fryer basket to prevent sticking.
What’s the best air fryer? I am a die-hard Ninja Foodi fan. I own the Ninja Foodi Multicooker as well as the Ninja Foodi Grill and dual air fryer basket model. I love the convenience, how sturdy they are and how most models are designed to do more in less time.
📋How to make chicken nuggets in air fryer without breadcrumbs
- Grease the bottom of your air fryer with avocado oil and preheat your air fryer to 400
- Grab 2 medium sized bowls: In one whisk the 2 eggs together. In another add flours and spices and whisk until fully combined.
- Add 2-3 nuggets to bowl with beaten eggs and fully coat before dredging in the breading mix making sure all sides of chicken are coated. Set aside on a plate until all of them are coated.
- Once all chicken nuggets are coated in egg and breading, place in your air fryer basket leaving room in between each piece of chicken so that air has a chance to flow through and make them crispy.
- Cook on one side for 10 minutes.
- Using tongs, carefully flip the chicken nuggets to cook for 10 more minutes or until fully cooked through.
👩🏻🍳 Chef’s Tips
If the raw chicken is too damp, the egg wash will slide right off, so dry the chicken as much as you can by blotting with a paper towel.
Divide almond flour mixture into two small bowls. That way when the first one is too wet from the egg wash to adhere to the chicken, you have a fresh bowl to work with.
Do not overcrowd the chicken nuggets in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to work in batches.
These nuggets are delicious as is, but if you want to achieve next-level crispiness, spray the nuggets with cooking spray until visibly saturated and then bake in the air fryer.
To check for doneness, make sure the meat is no longer opaque (so white in color), tender and flaky. A meat thermometer should read 165F degrees.
What To Serve with Paleo Chicken Nuggets
By themselves, these nuggets are a great protein-packed snack, but alongside a couple of healthy side dishes and you have yourself a complete meal.
- For a hearty paleo & Whole30 compliant meal, serve with sweet potato fries and a side of homemade paleo ketchup.
And what would chicken nuggets be with out dipping sauces? Try dunking these nuggets into:
🧊Storing, Freezing & Reheating
Storing: Store cooked and cooled chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheating from fridge: Place nuggets in a 400 degree preheated air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes or until they are crispy again and warmed through.
Freezing: To freeze, first place cooked and cooled nuggets on a baking sheet and then freeze solid. Move the frozen nuggets to a freezer-safe container and store in freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating from frozen: Reheat homemade frozen nuggets in a 400 degree preheated air fryer basket for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
❔ FAQ
A great shortcut would be to simply purchase your favorite frozen chicken nuggets. To make them in the air fryer, heat them through at 375 for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. The size and shape varies depending on which packaged nuggets you’re using, so make sure they are fully cooked before serving.
For a nut free version, you could use just ground flax seed, but make sure you watch your nuggets carefully as they can burn easier.
For the breading, I used a mixture of almond flourand ground flax seed. You could use 100% almond flour but the flax seed adds texture and nuttiness to the nuggets. You won’t get that with just almond flour.
If carbs are of no concern, regular bread crumbs or even gluten free bread crumbs would work great in this recipe.
Make sure the bottom of your air fryer is greased with oil of choice. I grease mine with avocado oil because it has a high smoking-point. If you have cooking spray, try spraying the coated nuggets with it first before air frying.
More Healthy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms
- Homemade Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
- Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
- Air Fryer Soft Pretzels
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breast cut into bite sized nugget shapes
- ¾ cup [Almond Flour]
- ¼ cup [Ground Flax Seed]
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp [Garlic Powder]
- 1 tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp [Ground Black Pepper]
- 1 pinch[ Paprika]
- 2 tsp [Avocado Oil]
Instructions
- Grease the bottom of your air fryer with avocado oil and preheat your air fryer to 400
- Grab 2 medium sized bowls: In one whisk the 2 eggs together. In another add flours and spices and whisk until fully combined.
- Add 2-3 nuggets to bowl with beaten eggs and fully coat before dredging in the breading mix making sure all sides of chicken are coated. Set aside on a plate until all of them are coated.
- Once all chicken nuggets are coated in egg and breading, place in your air fryer basket leaving room in between each piece of chicken so that air has a chance to flow through and make them crispy.
- Cook on one side for 10 minutes.
- Using tongs, carefully flip the chicken nuggets to cook for 10 more minutes or until fully cooked through.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! I don’t like much seasoning in my breading because I dip my nuggets in honey mustard. Was wondering if using wet almond pulp as breading would work? Since it’s already wet, would you still need to dip in egg?
Thanks in advance!
Hey! If it is wet, it will be difficult to get a good crust.
This recipe is a total keeper. Tastes great and easy.
Must say I did change a few things…
First: I brined (just salt water) the whole breasts for 24 hours.
Second: I used Paula Deen’s ‘house seasoning’ instead of listed seasoning ingredients.
Third: I did not add paprika due to fact all peppers are night shade and cause me to ache all over.
It is still just yummy and beat the heck out of drive thru nuggets!
Thank you so much for the recipe.