The perfect chicken nuggets without deep frying and without gluten?! Do they even taste good then…..? Let me tell you, YES and more YES! These are one of my favorite things to make in my air fryer. They are super easy, clean and perfect for an easy dinner or lunch prep for the week. These Gluten Free Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets are even a winner with my four year old daughter and she is not a fan of meat ( still!) Get ready to make these on the regular with some delicious homemade fries, or on top of a scrumptious salad drizzled with Honey Shallot Dressing.
Let’s get started on these easy Gluten Free Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets!
How are these Gluten Free Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets?
A lot of times gluten free breading on protein can fall off really easily. Therefore, I use a combination of a few ingredients to ensure the perfect coating on your chicken nuggets that doesn’t fall off completely when bitten into. Also the ingredients are VERY easy to locate, however you need to know what you are looking for! Let me fill you in on my secret trio!
Tapioca Flour- Is a type of starch that comes from the starchy vegetable cassava root. It is mostly grown in Africa, Asia and South America, and is a staple for millions to supply them with their daily calorie intake. It is one of the best performing gluten free flours for many reasons:
- It’s Gluten- Free, Grain Free and Nut Free
- Low in Calories, Sugar and Fat
- Typically a great 1-1 substitute for all purpose flour
- Tasteless and Odorless
- Great for binding & thickening — this is one of the main reasons that our chicken nugget coating does SO well! Tapioca flour absorbs liquid and retains a higher amount of liquid, keeping our chicken from drying out when air fried. While keeping it from not crumbling apart, binding the gluten free bread crumb spice mixture to the chicken nuggets well!
Egg Wash – is also another wonderful binding agent, so therefore this with the tapioca flour are key to making the GF breadcrumb mixture bind
Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
I do notice a difference when I do not ingest a lot of gluten. Therefore, when I have gluten free options I find a way to incorporate that into the recipe! I love Ian’s GF Panko Breadcrumbs Italian Style
Key to Making the BEST Chicken Nuggets
What is my favorite not so secret ingredient when making chicken sandwiches or chicken fingers or chicken nuggets… let’s just say it is KEY to chicken dishes: PICKLE JUICE.
Yep. You heard me! Pickle juice is KEY in making these over the top delicious. Brining your chicken nuggets in pickle juice for 1 hour and you are golden.
Why soak your chicken in pickle juice?
For perfect texture:
Brining your chicken in the pickle juice creates a chemical reaction to your protein. Thea acidity in your pickle juice with denature the protein structure
The proteins end up uncoiling like a net, where the pickle juice enters the chicken. Since the proteins are spaced, the pickle juice fills in the gaps around this protein net.
When moisture is absorbed like this in meet it creates that flaky, perfect bite text book texture we want in chicken nuggets!
For perfect taste:
Brining your chicken nuggets, will not allow the pickle juice to get to the center of the meet but it soaks in the flesh long enough that is sticks to the exterior of your chicken. Adding the best tart flavor that we are looking for! Seriously. So. Stinking. Good.
What Ingredients Do We Need for Gluten Free Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- 1 Jar of Dill Pickles
- 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breasts (boneless & skinless) — about 3
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Garlic salt
- Onion Powder
- Cayenne Pepper
- Oregano
- Eggs
- Tapioca Flour
- Gluten Free Panko Bread Crumbs
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
How Easy are These Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets to Make?
What Other HGHF Air Fryer Recipes Should I Make?
Easy Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings
Quick Guacamole Black Bean Veggie Burger
Best Air Fried Potstickers
Simple Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
Gluten Free Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts ( about 3)
- 1 cup Gluten Free Panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup Tapioca flour
- 1 jar Dill Pickles
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Cut your chicken breasts into 1 – 1 1/2 inch cubes/nuggets and place in a deep baking dish. Should make 28-30 nuggets.
- Then pour all of the juice from 1 dill pickle jar over them. Then fill your jar back up with water to preserve the pickles.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and brine the chicken nuggets in the pickle juice in the refridgerator for 1 to 2 hours. No more than 2 hours.
- Then in a large mixing bowl add in the Gluten Free Panko Bread Crumbs, Tapioca flour, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt, paprika, oregano and cayenne pepper. Whisk until throughly combined.
- Next take your two eggs and crack into a medium mixing bowl, whisk together to make your egg wash.
- Then set up your dunking station. The brined chicken nuggets, egg wash and then the bread crumb mixture.
- With one hand dunk in the egg wash and other hand toss in the bread crumb mixture. Repeat for all the nuggets and place on a plate with paper towel over it.
- Add chicken nuggets to pre heated air fryer at 390 degrees. Spray tops with avocado oil (prefered by my air fryer company– check to make sure which works in yours) Then air fry for 6 minutes.
- After 6 minutes, take tongs and carefully flip over each one. Then spray that new top side now. Air fry for the remaining 6 minutes and you are done!
- Dip into ketchup and or ranch, then serve with whatever side you'd like. Also add to your favorite salad! Wonderful as an appetizer too, options are endless.
These nuggets are a favorite in our house! So yummy!! But be warned, I have to hide them from my boys (8 & 6) because they will eat them all before I get any!! 🙂
Ah I am so glad!! hahaha this comment made me laugh out loud because I know that all too well with Ainsley! Thanks so much for sharing and so glad you enjoyed!!
I just got an air fryer and this was the first recipe I used it for… so delicious! These will become a staple in our rotation.
Yay Maggie!! I am so glad that you had a good first air fryer experience :)!! Thanks so much for letting these chicken nuggets be it!
Can’t wait to make these! I don’t have an air fryer, can I bake them in the oven at 400 on a cookie rack on a baking sheet?
Hi Melissa! I have not tried baking them before. I would spray tops with cooking oil and then bake. Please let me know if you try!! I think they would still be so yummy, just the crispiness might be a bit different!
These are so delicious! My 6 year old daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease when she was 3. She cried for months when she could no longer have the regular chick-fil-A nuggets. When she tried these she lit up and was SO excited! Thank you so much!
Oh my gosh this comment just made me so happy!!! Thank you so much!! I am so glad to hear that this made her so happy! I am wishing you the happiest weekend!