🍗 Pickle-Brined Chicken Nuggets – Crispy, Tangy & Irresistibly Juicy
Pickle-Brined Chicken Nuggets
Servings
3
servingsPrep time
10
minutesCooking time
10
minutesCalories
250
kcalCraving that tangy Chick-fil-A–style nugget flavor at home? These air fryer pickle-brined chicken nuggets are bold, crispy, and totally addictive.
✅ Brined in pickle juice for max flavor
✅ Air-fried until golden and crunchy
✅ Family-friendly and easy to prep
📌 Pin this for later and enjoy crispy chicken bites anytime!
Ingredients
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into chunks
¾ cup dill pickle juice (from a jar)
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup bread crumbs
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp paprika
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tsp olive oil spray
Directions
- Marinate Chicken: Place chicken chunks in a bowl with pickle juice. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1–3 hours.
- Prep Coating: In a shallow bowl, mix flour, bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Coat Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade (do not rinse). Dredge each piece in the seasoned coating mixture.
- Air Fry: Preheat your air fryer. Lightly spray coated nuggets with olive oil spray. Cook at 400°F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through.
- Serve: Enjoy hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- ✅ Brine for at least 1 hour but no more than 3 to avoid mushy texture
✅ Works great with spicy pickle juice too
✅ For extra crunch, use panko instead of regular bread crumbs
✅ CLICK HERE to see which air fryer I recommend for crispy, juicy chicken every time