1poundchicken breast, boneless skinless, or tenders
½teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoonsmoked paprika, divided into two parts
½teaspoonsalt, divided into two parts
¼teaspoonblack pepper, divided into two parts
1 ½cupscrushed cornflakes
½cupall-purpose flour
2large eggs, beaten
cooking spray
½cupbarbecue sauce
2tablespoonhoney
parsley, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Season the chicken: Season chicken pieces with salt, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Prepare coating: Set up bowls with flour mixture, beaten eggs, and crushed cornflakes.
Coat chicken: Dip chicken in flour, then eggs, then cornflakes, pressing to coat well.
Air fry: Preheat to 200°C (400°F), cook 5–6 minutes, flip, cook another 5–6 minutes until golden.
Make sauce: Mix barbecue sauce and honey.
Serve: Toss or drizzle sauce over nuggets and garnish with parsley.
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NOTES
Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. Cook in batches so the chicken gets crispy instead of steaming.
Crispy texture tip: The chicken is perfectly crispy at first, but once you coat it in sauce, it will lose a good amount of that crispiness. This is totally normal.
Sauce tip: You can simmer the sauce gently over low heat for about 5 minutes to thicken it slightly. Or keep it simple and just mix everything together — both options work great
Serving idea: I like to make it both ways — some pieces plain and crispy, and some tossed in the sauce. That way you get the best of both worlds.
Add the sauce right before serving. This keeps the coating crunchy and not soggy.
Don’t overcook the chicken. It cooks fast and can dry out quickly if left too long.