Healthy Chicken Nuggets are made with 8 simple ingredients, coated in delicious breading and are baked instead of fried. They are easy, crispy and totally irresistible!
Our family also loves these buffalo chicken bites!
Table of contents
If this is the first time making chicken bites, you’ll be shocked at how much better they are than fast food nuggets! They’re crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
I based this healthy chicken nuggets recipe of off my super popular almond crusted chicken that is always a hit with my kids. It is their and I’m sure yours, favorite fast food!
But we barely go through a drive-through. If you are like me and do not buy chicken nuggets, you will love this recipe!
We love to eat them both hot and cold. They are so good and addicting to sneak from the fridge! And leftovers are perfect for lunchboxes.
Ingredients You Will Need
This easy recipe is made with only a few ingredients for a quick lunch.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Eggs
- Almond flour
- Cornstarch
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
How to Make Healthy Chicken Nuggets
This healthy chicken nugget recipe is easy to put together with these simple steps.
Dip the chicken pieces in the eggs and then coat them in the flour mixture.
Place the chicken on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake.
Bake the chicken until they’re golden brown and cooked all the way through.
Tips for Best Results
Here are some tips and tricks to make this simple recipe perfect every time.
- Even more flavor: Add other dried seasonings to the flour like oregano, thyme, parsley, and onion powder.
- Baking sheet: Aluminum pan lined with parchment will provide better results that non-stick pan lined with silicone mat.
- Do not overcrowd the baking sheet: Make sure there is enough room between chicken pieces to get each one crispy.
Are Chicken Nuggets Healthy?
When you buy chicken nuggets from the grocery store, they are packed with preservatives and deep fried in hydrogenated oils. Also questionable chicken meat includes odds and ends of mechanically separated chicken.
Making homemade chicken nuggets is definitely the way to go!
These ones are especially healthy because they’re made with lean chicken breast, very little oil and are baked instead of fried.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these healthy baked chicken nuggets with your favorite dipping sauce. My go-to is my healthy honey mustard sauce, yogurt blue cheese dressing or healthy ranch dressing.
Good old ketchup or Thai sweet chili sauce work like a charm as well.
You can also serve them with a side dish like air fryer sweet potato fries, healthy mac and cheese, or air fryer broccoli.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Store leftover chicken pieces in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat: To reheat the chicken, place them on a cookie sheet and broil them in the oven until they’re warm all the way through. This has the added benefit of making them crispy again.
Freeze: This is the perfect make ahead recipe for quick lunches or to pair with a side for dinner.
To freeze, roll the uncooked chicken in the flour and egg mixture and place them in a single layer on a sheet pan. Place the sheet pan in the freezer for 30 minutes until the chicken has mostly frozen.
Transfer to a large freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Label and date the bag, so you remember what you’ve saved. You may also want to write quick reheating instructions too.
When you’re ready to cook frozen chicken nuggets, place the pieces on a baking tray and bake until golden brown. No need to thaw. You might also have to add a few minutes to cook time.
FAQs
Almond flour is the best option when making these chicken bites. I have not tried all-purpose gluten free flour and I do not think it will work that well.
Yes. Just use the same amount as almond flour.
Chicken breasts work best because they can be cut into uniform cubes. But you can also use chicken thighs if you’d like.
Yes. Dip them in the egg and flour mixtures and then place them in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
More Healthy Chicken Recipes
- Air fryer chicken tenders
- Crispy coconut chicken
- Healthy fried chicken
- Healthy lemon chicken
- Chicken burger recipe
Also make sure to try these other healthy chicken recipes.
Healthy Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks/nuggets
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp paprika I used smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line two large baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper or bake in batches. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs.
- In another small bowl, add almond flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper and mix with a fork.
- Dip each nugget into an egg mixture, then roll and coat completely in almond flour mixture and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces and do not overcrowd the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes on one side, flip and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown, crispy and cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm with ketchup, honey mustard sauce or your favorite sauce.
Notes
- Store: While these taste best fresh, you could store them in an airtight container for a few days. Eat cold or reheat in an air fryer or microwave. Don’t overheat, as chicken could turn chewy.
- Freeze: For meal prep, after assembling, place unbaked nuggets on a tray lined with parchment paper and put it into the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the nuggets and store them in a large zip-top bag in the freezer for up to one month. Bake as directed from frozen, adding additional minutes as needed until fully cooked.
Looks tempting!
Looking forward to hearing how you enjoyed it!
What can substitute for cornstarch since I have an allergy to that as well as gluten?
Potato starch or arrowroot powder are usually the best substitutes.
These are so delicious and easy to make! My kids loved them!
Thanks Amy! So glad you and the kids enjoyed them!
Easy and loved using almond flour for these! They were perfect to top my salad with.
Great idea on the salad, glad you enjoyed them!