Welcome back to another amateur recipe by a home cook; if I can do it, so can you!
Today, we’re talking about how to make dino nuggets in the air fryer. Dino nuggets are a nostalgic meal a lot of us had growing up. Most of us probably had our nuggets from a freezer box and popped them in the oven. Now, you can make the same delicious snacks in your air fryer without all the preservatives that were in the ones we ate.
Ready to get into it?

Let’s Talk About Dino Nuggets
It’s talk about this classic childhood favourite meal: dino nuggets.
This recipe is for those who want a fun afternoon activity with their kids or to be mother or father of the year to make this adorable little meal.
Classic dino nuggets come in a box you buy at the store and are filled with preservatives we aren’t that thrilled about. Sure, they’re done for you, but if you have the time to make a healthier version, why not give it a try!
The beauty of this recipe is the utilization of the air fryer. If you haven’t made the most of your air fryer or haven’t purchased one yet, they are the ULTIMATE tool for healthy alternatives. Your air fryer will leave your dino nuggets crispy without the use of a ton of oil.
Some Tips
Now, let’s discuss some tips for success to make sure your dino nuggets taste amazing and hold their shape.
- Make sure your chicken mixture is semi-frozen before punching out shapes. Your nuggets will hold their form MUCH better. If you notice them starting to suck-pop it back in the freezer.
- Your nuggets can be completely frozen before breading them. The firmer they are, the easier (and less messy) it will be.
- Every air fryer is different; however, if you’re doing multiple batches, you may need to lower the time since your air fryer is already hot from previous batches.
- Just an FYI, because you’re using ground chicken, your nuggets will not be white and a grey colour instead (and that’s totally normal).
Are you ready to try this super delicious recipe? If so, I’d love to see your versions below or on Pinterest!
Let's Get Cooking

Healthy Air Fryer Dino Nuggets
We're talking about how to make dino nuggets in the air fryer. Dino nuggets are a nostalgic meal a lot of us had growing up. Most of us probably had our nuggets from a freezer box and popped them in the oven. Now, you can make the same delicious snacks in your air fryer without all the preservatives that were in the ones we ate.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 272 kcal
Ingredients
For Nuggets
- 454g Ground Chicken
- 1 Egg
- 1 Minced Garlic Cloves
- ¼ TSP Salt
- ¼ TSP Pepper
- ¼ TSP Paprika
For Dredge
- 1 ½ Cups Panko Bread Crumbs
- ¾ Cup Flour
- 1 Egg
- Splash of Milk
- 1 ½ TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
Preparing Your Nuggets
- Begin by combining all your nugget ingredients in a bowl and mixing until fully combined.
- Take 2 baking sheets and evenly spread your nugget mixture between them.
- Pop in the freezer for 45 minutes.
- Take your mixture out of the freezer and begin using your dino cookie cutters to make your dino nuggets.
- If you have extra mixture, reform it, pop it back in the freezer for 10 minutes, and make more dino nuggets.
- Once all your nuggets are formed, pop back in the freezer for 20 minutes.
For Air Frying
- Arrange your 3 bowls for dredging with flour first, eggs & milk second, and panko third.
- Dredge your nuggets and place them in your air fryer. Lightly brush your nuggets with olive oil.
- Cook in your air fryer at 375 for 6 minutes on both sides
- Repeat this process until all your nugs are cooked.
- Get your favourite sauces out, take a cool instagrammable pic & enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 17gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 370mgPotassium: 448mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 120IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 2mg
Keyword air fryer, chicken nuggets, dino nuggets
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

