Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Bites
Crispy air fryer chicken bites are the best homemade chicken nuggets. They have crispy, golden brown edges and are moist in the middle. The whole family will love this simple recipe that's dairy free and can easily be made gluten free.
Ingredients
- 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 large egg beaten
- ⅔ heaping cup panko breadcrumbs use gluten free if needed, see notes below
- ¾ teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt use ½ teaspoon if using anything else
- ½ teaspoon EACH garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil or avocado oil spray
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces (chicken nugget size). Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF.
- Set up your dredging station. In one bowl, mix the panko bread crumbs and seasonings. In the other bowl, beat the egg. Dredge each piece of chicken first in the beaten egg then in the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer the coated chicken pieces to a plate (don't stack them).
- Arrange the breaded chicken pieces in a single layer in the tray. Spray the top of the pieces of chicken with avocado oil or olive oil. Cook for 9 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through and spraying the tops of each piece with a little more oil.
- Transfer the cooked pieces to a wire rack and continue until you’ve cooked all the chicken. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce (ideas are included in the blog post).
Notes
Aleia’s is my favorite brand for gluten free and dairy free breadcrumbs. It tastes identical to traditional panko.
See the blog post for helpful tips, storage, serving ideas, and recipe FAQs.