Air-fryer chicken nuggets with honey-mustard dip
35 min · 51 g protein · 411 cals / serving
Real chunks of chicken breast in a crunchy, golden panko and parmesan coat, air-fried until they crackle, with a sweet-tangy honey-mustard dip and a pile of carrot and cucumber sticks for dunking. Juicy inside, properly crisp outside, and the kind of dinner children eat with both hands.
Ingredients
Nuggets
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breast, cut in 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 large egg whites
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 1/3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- a few sprays cooking spray
Honey-mustard dip
- 3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, mild yellow or Dijon
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp lemon juice
To serve
- 3 medium carrots, cut in sticks
- 1 large cucumber, cut in sticks
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
Steps
- Pat the chicken dry and toss it in a bowl with the salt, garlic powder and paprika.
- Set up two shallow bowls: whisk the egg whites with the 2 tsp mustard in one, and mix the panko and parmesan in the other. Dip each chunk in the egg, let the excess drip off, then press it into the crumbs so it is well coated. Lay them on a plate.
- Heat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the nuggets in a single layer with a little space between them (cook in two batches if needed), spray the tops lightly with oil and air-fry 10–12 minutes, turning once halfway, until deep golden and the biggest piece reads 165°F inside.
- Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, 1 tbsp mustard, honey and lemon juice for the dip.
- Serve the nuggets hot with the dip and the carrot, cucumber and tomatoes on the side.
Good to know
How do I get the kids involved?
Make it an assembly line: one child dips in the egg, the next rolls in the crumbs and lines the nuggets up on the plate. Small hands get messy, which is half the fun, and children are far more likely to eat something they breaded themselves.
No air fryer?
Bake them on a rack set over a baking sheet at 425°F for 15–18 minutes, turning once. The rack lets the hot air reach the underside so the bottoms stay crisp.
My picky eater only eats the shop-bought kind
Cut the chicken smaller and more even (about 3/4 inch / 2 cm) and leave out the paprika for a plainer, paler nugget that looks like the familiar one. Ketchup on the side is fine; the dip can be for the grown-ups.
Can I freeze them?
Yes. Freeze the breaded, uncooked nuggets on a tray, then bag them. Air-fry from frozen at 400°F for 14–16 minutes, until 165°F inside.
Alternatives
Per
- Calories
- 106
- Protein
- (52%)
- 13 g
- Fat
- (20%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (28%)
- 8 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 203 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1644 kcal goes into the pot and 1698 g of ingredients comes out as about 1547 g of food: 106 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.