Want healthy chicken nuggets but don't want to sacrifice flavor? Give these a try and I guarantee you'll be hooked on making them from scratch!
Have you ever wanted to make chicken nuggets from scratch? Not sure where to start? You’ve come to the right place. With this recipe you have the option to bake or pan fry your chicken nuggets. My ingredients are a bit more than the typical flour and salt/pepper recipes. With this recipe you get a healthier breading. These are flavorful and addictive and really don’t take much time.
Chicken nuggets are one sure way to get my toddler to eat meat. They’re soft, healthy, and have great texture! I make a large batch to have lots of leftovers. Just pop them in the oven to crisp them up the next day and you’re all set!
Ingredients for these Chicken Nuggets
Almond Flour: This flour is sweet and moist which is perfect for nuggets. It helps to keep them from being dry and adds protein at the same time.
Garbanzo Flour or Chickpea Flour: Aside from containing several vitamins and minerals, garbanzo flour is high in protein and gluten free.
Wheat or White Wheat Flour: I like using wheat flour for this recipe because it’s a bit “heartier” than white flour and slightly healthier. The wheat flour gives the breading a bit more help with binding. If you want to go gluten free you can use a gluten free oat flour instead. White wheat or white work well too!
*Option to make this gluten free by using oat flour in place of white/wheat.
To Bread or Not to Bread?
I’ve made these with one dip in the breading and I’ve also double dipped them. Both turn out great. When I bake these I tend to dip them in the egg, then breading, then set them on a baking tray.
What's the Difference Between Baking and Pan Frying these Chicken Nuggets?
When you bake these nuggets you use less oil, which makes them healthier. Baking is more hands off which is nice when you don’t have a lot of free time for cooking in the kitchen! Also, when you bake them you can choose to keep them in a little longer or increase the temperature slightly to get an extra crispy crust. With the bake time I’ve included I find that the texture tends to be similar to the pan fried method. They are also a bit less salty than pan frying since they’re not heated in as much oil.
If choosing the baking method just make sure that you spray them with enough olive oil to not leave exposed flour or you get that powder flour texture. The benefit of this recipe is that raw almond and garbanzo flour taste just fine raw so if yours do come out with dry spots at all they shouldn’t be overly “floury” tasting.
When you pan fry you use more oil to ensure they don’t burn and to get a beautiful golden breading. Pan frying gives you a little bit more flavor and saltiness. It will take a little more attention and hands-on time at the stove to pan fry.
Tips for Making the Best Chicken Nuggets
One simple trick is to cut your chicken when it’s slightly frozen. I tend to buy meat in bulk so I often have frozen meat that needs to be thawed for each meal. I will thaw it slightly then slice it. You can get sharper cuts, and it’s safer to cut the meat when it’s still firm.
I don’t flip the nuggets during their bake. When I’m preparing the cookie sheet with parchment paper I spray it lightly with oil. This will ensure that the bottom of the nuggets get some oil too.
After 20 minutes of baking if you still want them crispier, increase the oven temp to 425℉ or even 450℉ briefly to crisp them up quicker! Just be sure to keep an eye on them.
These chicken nuggets pair great with my honey mustard sauce or a barbecue sauce.
Onion Rings
If you have any excess breading and egg, cut up thick slices of onion and follow the same instructions as the chicken nuggets for onion rings! I would recommend double dipping! Pan frying might be the best method for these.
Similar Recipes
These chicken nuggets pair well with these dips/sauces:
Baked or Pan Fried Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 5 cups cubed chicken breast
For the first layer of coating
- 1 large egg
For the breading
- ¾ cups flour option to replace with oat flour
- ¾ cups almond meal blended raw almonds
- 2 tablespoon garbanzo flour
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- olive oil for pan frying or to spray when baking
Instructions
- Cut chicken into small cubes. You can choose to make longer strips or bigger pieces if you wish.
- In a medium-size bowl whisk 1 egg with a fork for the first layer of coating.
- In a separate bowl (I use a 7 cup pyrex) combine all ingredients for the breading and mix well.
For Baking Method
- Preheat oven to 400℉
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper with olive oil.
- Add about 2 cups cut chicken at a time into the egg bowl and mix thoroughly to coat.
- Using either your fingers or a fork transfer the chicken 1 piece at a time into the breading mixture bowl. Coat chicken with the breading. I like to use my hands so I can be gentle and make sure the chicken is coated well. Repeat with all chicken. TIP: Use one hand to remove chicken from egg, and the other to coat with flour to keep 1 hand for dry mix and 1 hand for wet.
- Transfer 1 piece at a time onto the cookie sheet. Once filled, spray all pieces with olive oil holding your sprayer high away from the nuggets so you don't knock off too much of the flour coating.
- Bake for 20- 25 minutes total. After 10 minutes option to lightly spray nuggets again with olive oil to keep moist.
Pan Frying Method
- Prepare a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess oil after frying.
- Heat pan on low-medium meat (level 3 on electric range) until it sizzles when you trickle a little water on it.
- Add about 2 cups of cut chicken at a time into the egg bowl and mix thoroughly to coat.
- Using either your fingers or a fork transfer the chicken 1 piece at a time into the breading mixture bowl. Coat chicken with the breading. I like to use my hands so I can be gentle and make sure the chicken is coated well. Repeat with all chicken. TIP: Use one hand to remove chicken from egg, and the other to coat with flour to keep 1 hand for dry mix and 1 hand for wet.
- Once the pan is hot, transfer the chicken pieces 1 at a time onto the pan and cover. Pan fry for 4-5 minutes until golden brown then flip using metal tongs.
- After another 4-5 minutes transfer nuggets to the plate covered in paper towel to absorb excess oil
- Enjoy with my homemade honey mustard dipping sauce. Recipe can be found immediately before the Onion Ring image above.
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