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Dino Nuggets in the Air Fryer

When it comes to kid-approved meals, nothing beans dino nuggets in the air fryer. This recipe is a life-saver for busy weeknights… but don’t be surprised if the family starts asking for it all the time!

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Pile of crispy dino nuggets on a plate

Frozen air fryer recipes are a lifesaver on busy weeknights. Whether I need to get a meal on the table fast or I just forgot to get something out for dinner, being able to make these dino nuggets in the air fryer is the perfect solution!

First of all, my kids absolutely love this meal. Second, I can go from freezer to table in about ten minutes! The instructions couldn’t be easier. Then, I simply get out their favorite sauces and serve.

Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:

  • How to make the best air fryer crispy dino nuggets
  • Which brands of dino nuggets will work for this recipe
  • What sauces to serve with this meal
  • Kid-friendly sides to go with dino nuggets

If you’re like me, you probably find yourself in need of a quick meal you know the kids will devour at least once a week. It’s so nice to know you can just throw some Tyson dino nuggets in the air fryer! 

And even though I’m pretty sure the dino chicken nuggets taste exactly the same as regular chicken nuggets, my kids seem to love them so much more. The shapes are just too fun! Once you give this recipe a try, don’t be surprised if your family starts asking for it all the time.

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And if you love chicken nuggets, try our homemade chicken nuggets in the air fryer recipe too!

Air Fryer I recommend: Large, easy to clean, square basket, burner on top and bottom. Click to see it.
prepared ingredients for air fryer dino nuggets

How to Cook Dino Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.

STEP TWO: Place your dinosaur nuggets in the air fryer, leaving space between each one for the hot air to circulate properly.

space dino nuggets around air fryer basket

STEP THREE: Cook for 4-5 minutes. 

STEP FOUR: Flip and cook the dinosaur nuggets in the air fryer for another 3-4 minutes. 

What Kinds of Frozen Dino Nuggets Can I Use?

You should be able to use any brand of frozen breaded dino nuggets in the air fryer! Here are a few of the brands I’ve tried and loved:

  • Perdue Chicken Plus Dino Nuggets
  • Tyson Fun Nuggets
  • Yummy Dino Buddies
  • Fast Fixin Dino Bites
  • Weaver Chicken Breast Fun Nuggets
  • Kirkwood Dino Nuggets

If you find another brand at your local grocery store, feel free to give it a try! 

cooked dino nuggets in air fryer basket

How Long to Cook Dino Nuggets in the Air Fryer

The size of the nuggets can vary based on brand, but in most cases, you’re going to want to cook the nuggets for 7-9 minutes. Make sure to flip them halfway through the cook time to ensure even crispiness on all sides.

Because dino nuggets are pre-cooked, we don’t need them to reach a specific internal temperature. Rather, our goal is to heat them all the way through while giving the breading the perfect crispiness. 

This may take a little experimenting to find your perfect cooking time, but as long as you’re in the 7-9 minute range, you should be pretty set. And as far as experiments go, this is a pretty yummy one!

Sauces to Try with Dino Nuggets

single layer of dino nuggets in air fryer

Kid-Friendly Sides to Serve with Air Fryer Dino Nuggets

Looking for more meal ideas the whole family will love? Make sure you check out my roundup of the best Kid-Friendly Air Fryer Recipes!

Tips to Get Crispy Dino Nuggets in the Air Fryer

  • There is no need to grease or preheat your air fryer since the nuggets are already cooked. You can skip those steps and just add the nuggets straight to the basket.
  • Leave space around your nuggets to allow the hot air to flow between them. This will allow the breading to get as crispy as possible. I was able to fit about 14 nuggets in my basket. 
  • Flip the nuggets halfway through to make sure they cook evenly.
dino nugget dipped in ketchup

How to Reheat Air Fryer Dino Nuggets

  1. Place the desired amount of nuggets in your air fryer, leaving space around them for the air to circulate. 
  2. Cook at 350 degrees F for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through.
  3. Enjoy!

Other Frozen Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:

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Pile of crispy dino nuggets on a plate

Dino Nuggets in the Air Fryer

Samantha Erb
Need a quick dinner the kids will love? Just throw some dino nuggets in the air fryer! You can go from freezer to table in about 10 minutes.
4.80 from 10 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Air Fryer Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 3 to 4 servings
Calories 262 kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 to 16 Dino nuggets brand of choice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
  • Place your dino nuggets in the air fryer, leaving space between each one for the hot air to circulate properly.
  • Cook for 4-5 minutes. 
  • Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
  • Remove the dinosaur nuggets from the air fryer and enjoy!

Notes

How to Reheat Air Fryer Dino Nuggets:

  1. Place the desired amount of nuggets in your air fryer, leaving space around them for the air to circulate. 
  2. Cook at 350 degrees F for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through.
  3. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 14gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 507mgFiber: 1g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!


samantha

About Samantha

I’ve always had a love of cooking and creating new recipes, so it only made sense to create a food blog so I could share those recipes with you. This site is designed to provide easy and flavorful recipes with as little ingredients as possible. That means you still get great flavor combinations without all that extra time and effort. Read more...

8 thoughts on “Dino Nuggets in the Air Fryer”

  1. Dino nuggets from Tyson do not taste the same as their regular ones, actually. The breading is different. I was accidentally delivered dino nuggets instead of regular ones, and since they bake at different temperatures, was looking for an air fryer plan for them. Thanks for this!!!

    Reply
    • I am glad that you were able to find what you were looking for here, thanks for your feedback and happy cooking!

4.80 from 10 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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