Chicken Nuggets

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  1 lbs Chicken Breast, Boneless Skinless

  Boneless skinless. Buy in bulk and freeze — Costco rotisserie packs work too.

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  0.5 cup Flour, All-Purpose, White
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  1 Egg, Whole, Large(44g)
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  2 tbsp 2% Milk
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  1 cup Bread Crumbs, Panko, Dry
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  0.3 cup Cornmeal, Yellow, Dry
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  1.5 tsp Paprika, Ground
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  0.5 tsp Garlic powder
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  0.5 tsp Onion powder
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  0.3 tsp ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (plus a few pinches)
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  Nonstick spray or olive oil mister

  Regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil for high-heat cooking. EVOO for dressings.

Instructions

1. 1Cut 1 pound of chicken breasts or tenders into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
2. 2Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls: place the ½ cup flour with a few pinches of kosher salt in the first bowl; whisk together the egg and 2 tablespoons milk in the second bowl; combine the 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, ¼ cup cornmeal, 1½ teaspoons paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt in the third bowl.
3. 3Working in batches, coat each chicken piece in the flour and shake off any excess, dip into the egg-milk mixture, then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture until fully coated on all sides. Arrange in a single layer on a plate.
4. 4Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Mist the air fryer basket with nonstick spray, arrange nuggets in a single layer without overlapping, then mist the tops of the nuggets lightly.
5. 5Air fry at 400°F for 8 minutes, flip each nugget, mist again lightly, and cook an additional 4–5 minutes until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer.
6. 6Work in batches as needed, misting the basket between each batch. Nuggets are done when the coating is crisp and deeply golden with no pale spots remaining.
7. 7Divide the nuggets evenly into 4 meal-prep containers, seal, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.