With minimal prep & 5 minutes of cooking you can make the best Chili Cheese Nuggets in Air Fryer. Perfectly cooked and all ready to serve with your favorite dipping sauces!
Jump to:
Cheesy, crispy, spicy - it doesn't get much better than spicy, fried cheese balls. I love a good chili cheese nugget and these days, I make all my chili cheese nuggets in the air fryer!
Why you will love this recipe
- It's the best way to cook frozen chili cheese nuggets
- Quicker than cooking them in the oven
- Less greasy than deep fat frying
- Super easy and done in 5 minutes + 5 minutes of preheating
What you need to make them
Ingredient notes
- Frozen chili cheese nuggets can be store bought or homemade
- Vegetable oil can be skipped, but helps give the nuggets that nice golden brown color
How to make them
- Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C) and brush the chili cheese nuggets with vegetable oil
- Place the nuggets in the preheated basket, in a single layer
- Air fry for 3 minutes at 390°F (200°C), then shake them around and air fry for 2 more minutes
Tips & tricks
- Preheat the air fryer for best results
- Don't defrost the chili cheese nuggets, cook them straight from frozen
- Cook chili cheese nuggets in one layer for an even cook. If making many, cook them in batches.
- Shake the chili cheese nuggets around halfway for an even cook
- Cook time can vary with different air fryers
- Don't overcook them to avoid the cheese leaking out
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days - but I recommend not air frying more than you will finish
Recipe FAQ
Yes! This is the absolute best way to cook them. Quicker than the oven, and less greasy (and so - healthier!) than deep fat frying.
Chili cheese nuggets and other breaded cheeses are prone to exploding or starting to leak cheese, any way you cook them. There are two main ways to avoid this:
1. Thicker breading, which helps keep the cheese inside
2. Not overcooking them, since it's the too-hot cheese that makes them explode
While I recommend instead air frying just as many chili cheese nuggets as you will finish, you can of course reheat them as well.
To do this, first preheat your air fryer to 360°F (180°C). Then cook for 2 minutes, shaking halfway.
Sauces to serve them with
Need a sauce to go with your chili cheese nuggets? I have just what you need!
- Tyrosalata
- Chipotle Ranch
- 2-minute Barbecue Sauce
- 5-minute Blue Cheese Sauce
- Sour Cream Sauce with Avocado & Lime
More air fryer recipes for your snack platter
When making a snack platter for game day, an air fryer is so good to have on hand. Here are some of my favorites to serve together with chili cheese nuggets:
- Texas Toast
- Tortilla Chips
- Onion Rings
- Chicken Drumsticks
- Frozen Chicken Wings
- Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
- Homemade Air Fryer Tater Tots
And don't miss my complete guide to cooking frozen foods in air fryer.
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Chili Cheese Nuggets in Air Fryer
Print RateIngredients
- 8 frozen chili cheese nuggets
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Brush the frozen chili cheese nuggets with oil, then spread them out in a single layer in the air fryer basket.8 frozen chili cheese nuggets, ½ tsp vegetable oil
- Air fry at 390°F (200°C) for 5 minutes, shaking them around once halfway.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce!
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Pastry brush* (optional)
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Frozen chili cheese nuggets can be store bought or homemade
- Vegetable oil can be skipped, but helps give the nuggets a nice color
Tips & tricks
- Preheat the air fryer for best results
- Don't defrost the chili cheese nuggets, cook them straight from frozen
- Cook chili cheese nuggets in one layer for an even cook. If making many, cook them in batches.
- Shake the chili cheese nuggets around halfway for an even cook
- Cook time can vary with different air fryers
- Don't overcook them to avoid the cheese leaking out
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days - but I recommend not air frying more than you will finish
How do you keep cheese from leaking out in the air fryer?
Chili cheese nuggets and other breaded cheeses are prone to exploding or starting to leak cheese, any way you cook them. There are two main ways to avoid this: 1. Thicker breading, which helps keep the cheese inside 2. Not overcooking them, since it's the too-hot cheese that makes them explode This recipe has been tested with mozzarella sticks with a very thin breading, so the times recommended here should help avoid exploding mozzarella sticks. However, all air fryers are different, so if you're worried about them exploding, try air frying just one of them first to determine the optimal time for your air fryer.Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Comments
No Comments