Dino nuggets are quick and easy snacks or meals that are beloved by children and adults everywhere. While they may not seem like anything exciting, they are fun and simple to make, which can lead to easy comfort food or a quick warm snack. Plus, they have the added benefit of being shaped like freakin’ dinosaurs! What’s not to love?
Table of Contents
- What are Dino Nuggets?
- How to Cook Dino Nuggets in an Air Fryer
- Are Dino Nuggets Best Cooked in an Air Fryer?
What are Dino Nuggets?
Dino nuggets are very simple chicken nuggets that have been shaped like various dinosaurs. This is done similarly to how you would shape a cookie or a cake. Aside from their shape, they are just normal chicken nuggets. There is chicken on the inside with a breaded exterior that turns delicious and crispy when warmed.
They are shaped like various dinosaurs to appease kids, the main demographic for the nuggets, as dinosaurs can make dinnertime a more fun experience. Despite being aimed at kids, adults also tend to love these as well because they are so quick to cook and again…are shaped like dinosaurs. Who doesn’t want to eat a T-rex made out of chicken? They’re the coolest things ever.
Types of Dino Nuggets
By “types of dino nuggets” I do not mean all the variations that they come in. If you are expecting me to list every dinosaur shape that they have, I will not. I could – I definitely could! – but I won’t.
While they are most popular for being made out of chicken, there are some variations out there in shops that use a different type of meat or no meat at all. This beloved snack can also be made out of turkey meat.
Turkey has been gaining a lot of popularity recently as it is being used as more than just a seasonal food. Turkey mince, turkey nuggets, and turkey fingers are all quite commonly sold in a lot of shops as an alternate choice.
Aside from being made out of chicken or turkey, dino nuggets can sometimes be completely vegetarian or vegan. While the ‘meat’ on the inside will be different depending on what brand you buy, it will most likely be a similar texture and taste but without any actual meat in it. For vegans, the breadcrumbs will also be made with vegan-friendly bread.
How to Cook Dino Nuggets in an Air Fryer
Cooking dino nuggets in an air fryer is really simple and takes barely any time at all. The only preparation you need is to just open the bag of nuggets, it is that easy.
Ingredients
As for what you’ll need, you will only need:
- Dino Nuggets
- Air Fryer
- Tongs
- Ketchup
While the dino nuggets and air fryer are obvious, the other two required items are completely optional.
When eating dino nuggets, it is best to have a dipping sauce as this will make them taste nicer and will also add a different texture so that you do not get bored. The tongs are completely not required, but are recommended as they can prevent you from burning your fingers if you were to try and grab a nugget while it is really hot. The air fryer will still be hot after it is finished, so using tongs or anything to prevent you from burning yourself is a good idea.
To cook your dino nuggets, you will find instructions on the packaging. This should not be much different from what I am about to instruct. However, depending on if they are vegan or not, they may have different cooking times.
Dino nuggets and chicken nuggets are meant to be cooked from frozen. If your nuggets are chilled and have been in the fridge, your cooking time will be a bit shorter as they will not be as cold.
Instructions
- To cook your dino nuggets from frozen, you will want to place them in the air fryer.
- You do not need to separate them like when you cook bacon, you can just throw them all in there.
- Set the air fryer temperature to 392 degrees F and set the timer for 10 minutes.
- Dino nuggets are flatter than chicken nuggets, so the cooking time is usually shorter by around 2 minutes. I normally cook chicken nuggets for 12 minutes, so 10 for dino nuggets is the sweet spot.
- After they have finished cooking, remove them with your tongs or whatever else you plan to use, and plate them. After this, you can serve them with your favorite condiment and dip them.
Reheating Leftover Dino Nuggets
If you accidentally cooked too many dino nuggets and wanted to keep some in the fridge overnight, you will be delighted to know that they can be restored to their former glory after a short vacation in the air fryer.
To reheat your dino nuggets, you will want to set the temperature to 392 degrees F and allow them to cook for 5 minutes. They do not have to cook this time, only warm up, so it is quicker.
Are Dino Nuggets Best Cooked in an Air Fryer?
Dino nuggets can be cooked in the oven, grill, toaster oven, microwave, and air fryer. So is the air fryer actually the best option?
I’m going to have to say yes. The air fryer allows you to cook them very quickly and easily without any additional steps. Using an oven requires you to have a glass tray to put them on. Whereas an air fryer lets you just throw them in and cook them.
Alongside this, an air fryer cooks with dry heat. This way, they are evenly cooked and perfectly crispy every single time.
Not only can air fryers make perfect dino nuggets, but they are also great for a lot of other food as well. Anything that just needs to be quickly cooked or fried can be made in an air fryer such. Such examples are french fries, fish fingers, potato waffles, and so much more!
