Air Fryer Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets

Yes. For this recipe it is necessary. We want that basket already hot before adding the chicken to help seal in the juices and provide that crispy coating.

This is an extra step in air frying that helps the chicken get golden and crispy. Since it is not frying in oil, you need that extra measure to make sure that they come out like they were fried. I suggest using an olive oil or coconut oil spray. These have a less damaging effect on the air fryer basket like a vegetable oil spray would. Vegetable oils can often make the basket sticky and hard to clean.

This is a real integral part of this recipe so I would recommend using buttermilk. I can’t stress that enough. Real, thick buttermilk.
Now, you can make a copycat version by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to whole cow’s milk or heavy cream. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes and stir then continue with the recipe. But as I always say in my other recipes that use buttermilk, there really is truly nothing like real buttermilk.

The Chick-Fil-A sauce can be purchased at many grocery stores now. I found some at Walmart as well as Kroger. However, we also really love it with ranch dressing or even honey mustard.

Yes – definitely! With any recipe like this (where it is battered) you will want to spray very well with olive oil spray. It helps the coating from sticking to the basket. Also, if you are going to line your air fryer basket with those new precut air fryer liners, make sure there are plenty of holes in them to allow the air to circulate. If you don’t do this, the chicken will not cook properly.

These will be done after about 8 minutes cook time or when the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.

Yes. Although I haven’t tested them out in the oven yet. However, if I were to give my best guess here, I would suggest you use butter to make them. It’s the only way you are going to get the outside of it truly crispy without adding some sort of additional coating like bread crumbs or crushed crackers. Melt about 5-6 tablespoons of butter and put it into the bottom of a large baking pan with higher sides. Layer out the prepared chicken on the baking pan. Bake at 400F degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip them all over and continue to bake for about another 10 minutes (until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F degrees).

These will need to be placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they will keep for up to 4-5 days. You can reheat in the air fryer at 390 degrees F for about 3-5 minutes.