6 Magical Ways to Cook Frozen Chicken in the Air Fryer

Who doesn’t love crunchy chicken nuggets, succulent chicken tenders, and scrumptious chicken patty burgers? They are super easy to prepare at home; just open a pack, fry the contents, and enjoy your favorite chicken delicacies.

The only bad part is dunking the chicken into a gallon of oil and then feeling guilty about eating all the fat-laden stuff. However, with an air fryer, you can fry chicken in a tablespoon (or less) of oil and still get the same crispy, crunchy results. Here are some quick instructions on how to cook frozen chicken using an air fryer.

1. Chicken Strips / Chicken tenders / Chicken fingers

Fried chicken strips are delicious! But if you avoid these treats due to the large amount of oil used in traditional frying, you should try making frozen chicken tenders in an air fryer. You can achieve the same crispy coating, but with much less fat. Here is how to cook frozen chicken strips in an air fryer.

Cooking time: 17-21 minutes

Ingredients: Frozen chicken tenders

Video on how to cook frozen chicken strips / chicken tenders / chicken fingers in an air fryer:



Method

  • Preheat your air fryer to 175 ° C or 350 ° F
  • Place the chicken tenders into the air fryer basket
  • Air fry frozen chicken strips for about 17-21 minutes (until done)
  • If you are using fresh chicken strips, it should get done in about 12 minutes

Cooking tips

  • For extra crispiness, just a spray a little oil on your chicken pieces
  • Shake the basket often to ensure even cooking

Once you have tried air fried frozen chicken tenders, you will never want to go back to deep fried.


2. Chicken breast

Chicken breast is among the healthier and more succulent of all meats. Deep frying chicken breast adds unnecessary oil and therefore fat. Air frying offers a healthier, yet delicious way to cook chicken breast. All you need to do is season the chicken breast, place it inside the air fryer, and wait for the magic to happen. Want to know more about how to cook frozen chicken breast in an air fryer? Here is our quick and simple recipe for air fryer frozen chicken breast.

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients: Frozen chicken breasts, seasoning of your choice

Method

  • Preheat your air fryer to 200 ° C or 390 ° F.
  • Season the chicken breast with your choice of spices
  • Cook the frozen chicken breast for about 20-25 minutes.
  • Keep checking to make sure it is cooked all the way through

Serve it with some salad on the side and enjoy a wholesome meal.


3. Chicken nuggets

Making frozen chicken nuggets in an air fryer is easy and fuss free. No need to add extra oil. Just cook them in the air fryer for a few minutes and enjoy golden nuggets that are as juicy inside as they are crisp outside.

Cooking time: 18-20 minutes

Ingredients: Frozen chicken nuggets

Method

  • Preheat the air fryer to 200° C or 390 ° F
  • Cook the frozen chicken nuggets in the air fryer for 18-20 minutes
  • Shake the contents in between to get even cooking and browning

Dip in the sauce of your choice and enjoy a lip smacking meal.


4. Chicken patties

Want to enjoy a better version of your usual chicken burger? You can cook the frozen chicken patties in an air fryer to perfect crispiness and make your favourite chicken burger at home with accompaniments of your choice.

Cooking time: 11 minutes

Ingredients: 1 or 2 chicken patties

Method

  • Preheat your air fryer to 180°C or 360°F
  • Cook the defrosted chicken patties in the air fryer for 11 minutes
  • Flip the patties halfway to get even cooking

Once your patty is nice and crisp, build your burger with some greens and sauces of your choice.


5. Fried chicken

Using an air fryer provides a guilt-free way to enjoy fried chicken without actually frying it. It tastes just as good as the regular fried chicken, minus the extra calories.

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients: 4 pieces frozen chicken, ½ cup all purpose flour, 1 egg, seasoning of your choice, and salt to taste

Method

  • Preheat your air fryer to 200 ° C or 390 ° F
  • Mix together the flour, salt, and seasoning
  • Dredge the chicken pieces through the flour mixture, then into the egg, and then again into flour mixture
  • Shake off the excess flour mixture
  • Spray cooking oil on the chicken pieces
  • Cook in the air fryer for about 25 minutes

Cooking tips

For best results, soak the frozen chicken pieces in buttermilk for about 2 hours before breading and air frying.


6. Breaded chicken

Crumbed or breaded chicken is a favourite of many. Now you can cut down on the fat and still enjoy your favourite breaded chicken by cooking it in an air fryer instead. Here is a simple way to cook breaded chicken breast in an air fryer.

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 2 frozen boneless chicken breasts, 1 cup bread crumbs, 2 egg whites, seasoning of your choice

Method

  • Preheat the air fryer to 200 ° C or 390 ° F
  • Cut the chicken breasts horizontally into thinner strips and pound them to flatten
  • Mix bread crumbs and seasonings in a large bowl
  • Put the egg whites in a separate bowl
  • Dip the chicken pieces in the bread crumb mixture, then into egg whites, and then again into the bread crumb mixture
  • Spray the chicken with cooking oil
  • Place the chicken pieces in air fryer for about 10-12 minutes

Cooking tips

You can add parmesan cheese to the bread crumb mixture for a different flavor.


7. Tyson frozen chicken wings

Air frying provides an easier way to enjoy fried chicken without actually frying it. It tastes just as good as the regular fried chicken, minus the extra calories.

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the frozen chicken wings.

Ingredients: 10 – 14 pieces frozen chicken, ½ cup all purpose flour, 1 egg, seasoning of your choice, and salt to taste

Method

  • Preheat your air fryer to 200 ° C or 390 ° F
  • Mix together the flour, salt, and seasoning
  • Dredge the chicken wings through the flour mixture, then into the egg, and then again into flour mixture
  • Shake off the excess flour mixture
  • Spray cooking oil on the chicken wings
  • Cook in the air fryer for about 25 minutes, until fully cooked

Cooking tips

Try using 2 tablespoons of Mrs. Dash Chicken Grilling Blend seasoning.