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How long to air fry Dino Buddies? Air fryer Dino Buddies dinosaur chicken nuggets takes 8-10 minutes at 400F (200C); flip them halfway through cooking time. This easy air fryer recipe is your answer to how to make dino nuggets crispy in the air fryer. These instructions work with fun nuggets (Tyson dino nuggets), Perdue Panko Breaded Dino Nuggets, Yummy Dino Buddies, and other frozen dinosaur nuggets.
➕ How to Air Fry Dino Nuggets
All you need are a box of frozen dino nuggets, an air fryer, and a meat thermometer. Don’t forget the dipping sauce! Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to cook dino nuggets in an air fryer:
- Put the chicken nugget dinos in a single layer in your air fryer basket or tray. I could fit 12 on the tray.
Hot tip! Don’t stack or overlap the nuggets in the air fryer. You need the heat and air to be able to freely circulate to achieve perfect crispiness.
- How long do you cook dino nuggets in an air fryer? What temperature to air fry dino nuggets? Air fry frozen dino nuggets for a total of 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200C), flipping halfway through cooking time (after 5 minutes).
If you have an air fryer oven, you’ll want to use the top rack position. Cook from frozen, one tray of dino nuggets at a time.
- Check them with a meat thermometer and add more cooking time if needed. The minimum safe temp for chicken is 165F (74C).
- Let them rest for 1-2 minutes to crisp up more before serving. If you cook more than one batch, later batches may take less time as the oven was effectively preheated.
Air frying dino nuggets is very low effort!
⭐ Dino Buddies Air Fryer Instructions Tips
I’m air frying Dino Buddies nuggets. (Here is the Yummy Dino Buddies store locator.) If your dino-shaped chicken nuggets are larger or smaller than these, it can impact the air frying time.
Cooking times may also vary between the Ninja Foodi, Kalorik, Philips, Nuwave, Pampered Chef, Actifry, Instant Pot Vortex, Cosori, Breville, and other air fryer brands. Check the food often the first time you try any new air fryer recipe, and you’ll never burn the food!
Are Dino Buddies fully cooked?
Yes, the box of Dino Buddies states that they are fully cooked but that they should reach a minimum safe temp of 165F (74C). Check the package of your dinosaur nuggets for the most accurate food safety information.
🦖 Yummy Dino Buddies Air Fryer Storage
After you air fry Yummy Dino Buddies, you can keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. That said, it’s best to only cook what you need, so you can enjoy fresh dinosaur nuggets each time.
Reheat leftover dino nuggets in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 350F (177C) if needed. (Use the top rack position if you have an air fryer oven.)
🦕 How to Serve Dino Nuggets
What goes with air fryer dino nuggets? I love to serve this cooked dino nuggets recipe with veggies like sweet potato fries and broccoli. Here are some other sides for dino nuggets:
- Air Fryer Waffle Fries
- Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- Frozen Vegetables in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
- Air Fryer Whole Carrots
Don’t forget your favorite dipping sauce! Here are a few of the best dipping sauces for dino nuggets:
- Ketchup
- Sweet and sour sauce
- Ranch
- Honey mustard
- BBQ sauce
- Garlic aioli
📋 Dino Buddies Nutrition Facts
One serving of air fryer dino nuggets has 200 calories, 17 grams net carbs, and 10 grams protein. These are Dino Buddies nutrition facts. This is for a four-nugget serving (as listed on the box), but many of us will eat more.
The nutrition information for dino nuggets varies by brand and is subject to change.
Watch How to Make It!
Dino Buddies Air Fryer Instructions (Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets)
Ingredients
- 1 box frozen dino nuggets
- dipping sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Place frozen dino nuggets in a single layer in your air fryer basket or tray. I could fit 12 on the tray.
- Air fry the nuggets at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. (Use the top rack for air fryer ovens.) Then flip the nuggets and air fry an additional 3-5 minutes. (Hot tip! Cooking times may vary between air fryers and by brand of nuggets you use. Always check the food early the first time you try any new air fryer recipe.)
- Check the nuggets to be certain they've reached a minimum safe internal temp of 165°F (74°C). Add additional air frying time if needed.
- Let them rest for 1-2 minutes before serving with your favorite dipping sauce.
Equipment
Notes
💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Dino Nuggets are a product targeted to young children, so it’s no issue they’re level 3. We want to make sure that children get enough calories and other nutrients for healthy growth. That said, frozen dino nuggets fall into the category of ultra-processed foods. They may be higher in sodium and fat compared to homemade chicken nuggets, and they generally contain white flour instead of whole grains. Though this dino chicken nuggets air fryer recipe isn’t the most nutritious option, air fried dino nuggets do have some benefits worth a mention:- Feeds picky eaters: Even the pickiest eaters tend to accept a plate of delicious chicken nuggets. The fun dino shapes are appealing to kids, and they’re getting a little protein in.
- Healthier than deep frying: Plunging your frozen dino nuggets in hot oil to deep fry adds a lot of fat and calories. With air frying, we can cook dino nuggets without oil. (Note: there is already plenty of oil present in the nugget breading, so these are not oil-free.)
- Fast and easy: You can cook dino nuggets from frozen in only 10 minutes in the air fryer. You would need 10 minutes just to preheat an oven, so air frying is a much faster cooking method.
- Crispy dino nuggets: My dino nuggets air fryer recipe turns out crisp every time. They are so much better than when you make them in the microwave. No more soggy nuggets!
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Nutrition
FAQs
Are dino nuggets real chicken?
Usually yes, but you should check the package of the Dino nuggets you bought for the most accurate information on ingredients. Dino Buddies nuggets contain white meat “boneless skinless chicken breast with rib meat,” which is real chicken with no artificial ingredients, no preservatives, and no antibiotics.
Are dino nuggets gluten free?
Most dino nuggets are not gluten free because they contain wheat flour in the breading. Dino Buddies does make gluten free dinosaur chicken nuggets, but they can be difficult to find in stores. You could also make your own dino nuggets with a gluten free breading.
Are there vegan dino nuggets?
Yes! There are meatless plant-based Yummy Dino Buddies that are vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian friendly. You can air fry vegan Dino Buddies using the same instructions as the ones with chicken.
How to make homemade dino nuggets in the air fryer?
To make Dino nuggets from scratch, you’d need to cut small chicken pieces into dinosaur shapes. Then you can bread and air fry the chicken, similar to this Ninja Foodi breaded chicken breast recipe.
How to cook frozen dino nuggets in an oven?
Bake dino nuggets on a baking sheet in the middle of an oven preheated to 425F (218C) for 10-12 minutes. Flip nuggets halfway through baking time, and let rest for 1-2 minutes before serving.
How to pan fry dino nuggets?
To make dino nuggets on the stove top, heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet. Add the dino nuggets in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Let them rest on paper towels for a few minutes before serving.
👩🏻🍳 Air Fryer Recipes for Kids
Having an air fryer is great when you have kids! Older kids can even prepare food in the air fryer for themselves. Here are a few more easy air fryer recipes for kids:
- Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets
- How to Reheat McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
👨🍳 More Frozen Foods to Air Fry
If you enjoyed this frozen dino nuggets air fryer recipe, I bet you’ll love these other frozen food recipes for the air fryer:
- Best Frozen Foods for Air Fryer
- Frozen Flautas in Air Fryer
- Ready Meals in Air Fryer
- Gluten Free Corn Dogs (Air Fryer)
- Ore Ida Tater Tots (Air Fryer)
- Costco Spanakopita
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Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂