Pantry Hack: Turn Canned Chicken Into Crispy Air Fryer Nuggets
Use your air fryer and a favorite pantry staple to quickly whip up delicious canned chicken nuggets for an easy meal idea!
Making homemade nuggets has never been easier! With just canned chicken and a few other kitchen staples, you can whip up tasty, flavorful chicken nuggets in about ten minutes! They’re low-carb, customizable, and made with a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. My family loved them as a quick and tasty lunch.
The results are honestly so GOOD!
Canned Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer
yield: 3 SERVINGS
prep time: 10 MINUTES
cook time: 10 MINUTES
total time: 20 MINUTES
Easy homemade chicken nuggets using canned chicken, egg, and shredded cheese.
Ingredients
- 12.5 oz. can of chicken, drained
- 1/3 cup shredded cheese (I used an Italian blend)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon Kinders The Blend seasoning (or season to taste)
Directions
1
Be sure to drain the chicken well first. Add it to a bowl along with the cheese, egg, and seasoning. Combine that mixture well.
2
Shape nuggets and add them to an air fryer. My batch made 9 nuggets. Optional step: Spray them with a little cooking oil before cooking.
3
Cook at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes turning half way through. They will be done once the nuggets are browned. Serve warm with desired chicken sauce.
Extra tips for making canned chicken air fryer nuggets:
- Prefer to bake these in the oven instead? Try Baking in a 425-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Flip them over halfway through for best results.
- Curious about my air fryer paper liners? I love using them for easy clean-up afterward!
- To make the outside of these air fryer chicken nuggets crisp up, I sprayed them with a little olive oil first. Yum!
- Serve them with your favorite chicken dipping sauce!
- Leftovers can be stored in a container and reheat well the next day!
- We dipped our nuggets in this Sweet Baby Ray’s Ray’s Chicken Sauce Dipping Sauce
I am at a point now where I could not live without my air fryer! Isn’t it just the easiest way to warm up food or make easy meals? If you’re up for trying simple air fryer “hacks” try this one! My teens are older now and my daughter enjoyed these, but if I had little ones again, I would try making canned nuggets! Maybe serve with their favorite veggie dippers too as a full meal.
if you make these nuggets, let us know how it goes in the comments!
Coffee filters work too & cheaper. Lol!
That’s such a creative idea! 💛 Just a quick heads-up, coffee filters can have trouble with the high heat and air circulation in an air fryer and could burn or blow around. Safer options are the perforated parchment paper liners or reusable silicone ones. The liners linked above are on sale if more helpful! They’re heat-safe and make cleanup super easy! 🤗❤️