Name: Make Dino Nuggets using Air Fryer
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 oil; 1 hamburger bun; 1 chicken tenders; 1 egg; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon oregano; 1/4 teaspoon thyme; 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 black pepper

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Grace

Author of the blog. I am passionate about the calling to be a homemaker, and local, family-owned businesses.

About Air Fryer: What is an air fryer?

An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks food by circulating hot air around it.

The food has a very similar taste to traditional deep frying, but much less fat is absorbed into the food.

The results are crispy on the outside and moist inside.

How do you cook in an air fryer?

You put the food in a bowl, add some oil (if needed), season to taste, cover it with plastic wrap, place it in the fryer basket, and cook.

You can choose your temperature setting.

How do you clean an Air Fryer?

Once the fryer cools down, open up the top, remove the food bowl and oil, rinse out the oil (if there is any), take a wet paper towel, and wipe down.

(This assumes you used parchment paper or foil to make clean up easier).

What to serve with homemade dino chicken nuggets?

Here are some ideas:

Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce or Ranch, Homemade Ketchup, Oven Baked Fries, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy.

Side Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing, Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad.

Potato wedges or french fries: Cut some potatoes. Peel the skin off, cut them in half (making easy cutting), soak in water for 10 minutes, drain well, spray some oil on the potatoes pieces (both sides) and cook at 425 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.

Some of our favorites: Green beans, carrots, or veggies such as butternut squash, broccoli, cauliflower.

Frozen vegetables: Just put them into the air fryer for 20 minutes (stir every 5 minutes) at 400 degrees F.

Hamburger patties: add seasonings, cook in a pan on the stove, add cheese when the hamburger is halfway done.

Serve it with a salad: Salad is quick and easy to prepare. Add your favorite veggies, greens, etc to a bowl. You can even buy pre-made salads/salad kits at the store (like this one).

Salad dressing: You can make your salad dressing or you can use the premade dressings. This ranch dressing is my version. It’s great on salad, in a sandwich wrap, or even just plain to dip veggies/chips in!

It may include lettuce, onion slices, tomato slices, dressing, and cucumber slices.

You can also pair it with french fries or rice.

Can You Freeze Them?

Yes!

If you made too many and don’t want to eat them all right away (always a possibility), you can freeze them for up to 3 months in the freezer.

When ready to eat, just pop them in the air fryer for a quick reheat.

How it is healthy?

The food is cooked using less oil than deep frying.

By cooking at a lower temperature, it uses less electricity than baking in the oven.

You don’t need to turn on the oven to heat your whole house!

You can also choose how much oil you put into the food which will reduce your overall calories/fat intake.

What are the most essential things to remember after finishing?

●The most important thing to remember after finishing is not to eat them all right away. And I’m serious about that. They are an easy snack, but they are also easy to overeat if you are not careful.

●It’s very tempting to just grab one out of the bowl or bag and munch on it. You might just find yourself eating the whole bowl or bag, but if you don’t want to gain weight and stay healthy, that’s not a good idea.

●The second most important thing is to let them cool down before you store them away. This allows for things like bacteria and mold not to form on the food since it has been warm for so long.

●Remember to let the air fryer cool down before cleaning. I recommend waiting about 15 minutes or so. This is important because if you clean immediately, the oil may splash and cause burns.

●Remember to wash all parts thoroughly including the inside of the lid with warm soapy water. Finally, remember to unplug the fryer when done cooking!

●If you want to go the extra mile and make more than one meal at a time, I recommend doubling or tripling your recipe. It makes it much easier on yourself if you need to freeze them.

●It also helps with portion control (you might eat too many if they are right in front of you). Make sure you place them on a plate or pan to make it easy to separate them when you need them.

Are there any cons of making Dino Nuggets in an air fryer?

No. The pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to cooking in an air fryer.

The food tastes great and is better for you.

It cooks fast, uses less electricity than a regular oven, and is much easier to clean up afterward since there is no baking sheet or pan.

It’s also much lighter to take with you for tailgating and other events.

How long does it take to cook Dino Nuggets in an air fryer?

About 20 minutes should be plenty of time, but that depends on your air fryer.

I recommend checking it every 5 minutes after the first 10.

I’ve seen Dino Nuggets that were fully cooked in as little as 15 minutes, but it depends on the thickness of the cut and the size of your chicken breast or tenders.

The most important thing is to make sure they are fully cooked inside before you take them out.

What do I need to make Dino Nuggets?

All you need is an air fryer, cooking spray or oil, hamburger bun or roll of choice, cut up chicken tenders or chicken breast, egg wash if using breaded nuggets (you can also do it without eggs), seasoning blend of choice (see below for one option), and enough salad dressing for the desired amount of dressing.

I recommend this one: 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, a pinch of black pepper.

Mix in a small bowl.

How do I reheat Dino Nuggets after being frozen?

Just pop them in the air fryer for about 5 minutes and enjoy!

They taste just as good if not better than when you made them fresh (and much better than in the microwavable variety).

My family loves Frozen French Fries or Sweet Potato Tots.

You can even make tater tots with this recipe, but skip all the seasoning in that recipe and use a seasoning blend like the one I mentioned above.

What do I mean by “seasoning blend?”

It’s a combination of spices that you mix and then sprinkles on the chicken or nuggets.

The one I mentioned above is my favorite, but feel free to experiment with different spices like salt, oregano, thyme, garlic powder (or garlic salt), cayenne pepper, black pepper, red pepper flakes, etc.

Can I use frozen nuggets?

Yes.

While cooking time will increase slightly because they are frozen, it’s still fast and easy.

Just remember to allow enough time for them to thaw in the fridge before you want to cook them so they have enough “breathing room” in the air fryer.

Does it matter what kind of oil I use?

Not really.

You can use cooking spray or coconut oil, olive oil, or whatever you prefer for frying your food in the air fryer.

The one caveat is that using too much oil can make cleanup difficult if any runs over onto the heating element in the air fryer.

How many Dino Nuggets should I eat in a meal?

It depends on your goals and needs.

If you are trying to gain weight or muscle mass, then 3-4 is a good number before a meal.

However, if you are trying to lose weight, then only 1 or 2 with a salad or vegetable is a good idea.

You just have to use your best judgment and track the number of calories in them to see how many would be a healthy amount per meal for you.

Dino Nuggets are an excellent choice when making fried food.

This gourmet recipe is much easier to make than it seems and can be easily cooked in an air fryer for a healthy alternative to frying.

Go ahead, give them a try!

Yum yum!