Stuck on what to make your little picky eaters around the holidays? Air Fryer Pretzel-Coated Chicken Nuggets are the perfect solution! Tender chunks of white-meat chicken are coated in crushed pretzels and almond flour before crisping up in the air fryer!
Need a healthy recipe for picky eaters at your holiday celebration? Look no further!
Air Fryer Pretzel-Coated Chicken Nuggets are homemade, delicious, and juicy pieces of chicken breast that are coated in crushed gluten-free pretzels. These little nuggets get super crunchy in the air fryer, which can be going while you finish the rest of your holiday meal!
Kids and adults alike will love these nuggets, which are made in less than 20 minutes. These are also great any time of year!
What If I Don’t Have an Air Fryer?
An air fryer is an optimal tool for healthy frying. It is basically a mini convection oven, which allows high heat to circulate all around the food, leading to an intense crunch without submerging the food in oil.
If you do not have an air fryer, I suggest trying one out! The ease and convenience are second-to-none, especially if you are a lover of fried foods.
If nothing else, you can also use your oven at a higher temperature to get these nuggets crispy. Oven-fry the nuggets in a preheated 425-degree oven, turning once, for 20-30 minutes.
Ingredients in Air Fryer Pretzel-Coated Chicken Nuggets
- 2 cups gluten-free pretzel crumbs, blended from whole
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Gluten-free olive oil cooking spray
How to Make Air Fryer Pretzel-Coated Chicken Nuggets
Add your pretzels to a blender or food processor and pulse until they resemble fine crumbs. Dump out into a shallow bowl.
To the pretzel crumbs, add the Parmesan cheese and almond flour. Stir to combine with a fork.
In another shallow bowl, crack your eggs and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk to combine well. Also, cut your chicken into 1-inch cubes.
Dip each nugget into the pretzel crumbs, then egg, then pretzel crumbs again.
Place onto a baking rack and continue with the remaining nuggets.
Once all of the chicken is breaded, place the rack in the fridge for about 20 minutes. This allows the coating to adhere to the chicken well.
Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the fridge and spray with nonstick olive oil spray.
Add the chicken nuggets carefully to the air fryer and cook for 4 minutes. After that, shake the air fryer basket to flip the nuggets over. Continue cooking for another 4 minutes until all of the chicken is cooked through and crispy on the outside.
Serve with honey mustard, ranch dressing, sweet and sour, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Air Fryer Pretzel-Coated Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free pretzel crumbs, blended from whole
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Gluten-free olive oil cooking spray
Instructions
- Add your pretzels to a blender or food processor and pulse until they resemble fine crumbs. Dump out into a shallow bowl.
- To the pretzel crumbs, add the Parmesan cheese and almond flour. Stir to combine with a fork.
- In another shallow bowl, crack your eggs and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk to combine well.
- Cut your chicken into 1-inch cubes. Dip each nugget into the pretzel crumbs, then egg, then pretzel crumbs again. Place onto a baking rack and continue with the remaining nuggets.
- Once all of the chicken is breaded, place the rack in the fridge for about 20 minutes. This allows the coating to adhere to the chicken well. You can also skip this step, but the breading may not stick as well.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the fridge and spray with nonstick olive oil spray.
- Add the chicken nuggets carefully to the air fryer and cook for 4 minutes. After that, shake the air fryer basket to flip the nuggets over. Continue cooking for another 4 minutes until all of the chicken is cooked through and crispy on the outside.
- Serve with honey mustard, ranch dressing, sweet and sour, or your favorite dipping sauce.
