Chicken Nuggets
Chicken Nuggets aren’t just for kids! GOOD chicken nuggets can be appreciated by all—and friends, these are some gosh darn good chicken nuggets. Perfectly seasoned with a crispy coating and baked in the oven, these nugs are a happy meal indeed.
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Why You’ll Love This Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe
- Sometimes You Just Want Nuggets. There are days when you want Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu for dinner. And then there are evenings when you just want some chicken nuggets, ketchup, and your bills to pay themselves because adulting is way over-rated. This chicken nugget recipe brings the comfort, but in an elevated way (and yes, I just referred to a chicken nugget as “elevated”).
- The Ultimate Kid-Friendly Food. Chicken nuggets rank right up there with chicken quesadillas and cheese pizza when it comes to foods your kids will happily eat without any arguments. And when you make them yourself, you can make them with real chicken breasts and skip the frying.
- Quick and Easy. Making your own chicken nuggets vs. buying them frozen is absolutely worth the (minimal) effort. Mix up the seasonings, dredge, and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes—SO simple and so much tastier than store-bought.
- Use Them in Unexpected Ways. These nugs aren’t just for dipping! Add them to salads (hello, Cobb Salad!), wraps, meal bowls, and more.
How to Make Chicken Nuggets
The Ingredients
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts. Or use tenders. (See my Chicken Tenders Recipe, too.)
- All-Purpose Flour. For gluten-free chicken nuggets, swap in your favorite measure-for-measure gluten-free flour.
- Egg and Milk. For dredging. Any milk you have on hand will work, even plant milk.
- Cornmeal and Panko. I love a combination of both for a more intensely crispy exterior.
- Seasonings. Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt.
The Directions
- Flour the Chicken. Add the chicken pieces to a zip-top bag with the flour and shake to coat.
- Prep the Dredging Stations. Whisk the egg and milk in one shallow bowl and the panko, cornmeal, and seasonings in another.
- Coat the Chicken. Dredge the chicken in the egg mixture, then the panko mixture.
- Bake. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, mist with nonstick spray, and bake chicken nuggets at 400 degrees F for 9 minutes.
- Finish. Flip, spray again, and bake until the chicken nuggets are cooked through. Season with salt and ENJOY!
What to Serve with Chicken Nuggets
- Sauces. Ketchup, Homemade BBQ Sauce, honey mustard, Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip, and hot sauce are all classic dipping options.
- Veggies. Serve nuggets with a side of Zucchini Fries for a well-rounded (but still kid-friendly!) meal.
- Fries or Tots. For an extra kid-friendly meal, pair these chicken nuggets with some crispy Homemade Fries or Tater Tots.
- Mac and Cheese. Another childhood favorite that goes perfectly with chicken nuggets. Try my Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
- Salads. Serve crispy nuggets on top of Spinach Strawberry Salad.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Press the Chicken Into the Panko Mixture. Use your hands to gently press the chicken into the panko mixture; you need to really press it in to pick up the panko, cornmeal, and seasonings.
- Keep Your Hands Clean. You can use one hand for coating the chicken in the egg mixture and another hand for coating with the panko and this will keep your fingers relatively clean-ish. Or use my little trick and transfer the chicken from one bowl to another with chopsticks.
- Parchment Paper is Key. Using parchment paper on your baking sheet will help prevent sticking, which is important—if the chicken nuggets stick to the pan, it’s not just annoying, but it’s the panko coating that will stick, leaving you with bare nugs. No one wants bare nugs!
- Give Them Space. You don’t have to space them far apart, but make sure the nuggets have a little bit of breathing room between them so the air can circulate. This helps them get that crispy exterior.
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Chicken Nuggets
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These homemade chicken nuggets are so easy to make and MUCH better than frozen! Baked in the oven with the perfect crispy coating. Yum!
Servings 4 servings
Calories 309kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk any kind you like
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus a few pinches
- Nonstick spray or olive oil mister
Instructions
-
Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
In a large ziptop bag or a bowl, place the chicken pieces. Add the flour and coat the chicken as evenly as possible, either by sealing the bag and shaking, or stirring with a large spoon.
-
In a medium, shallow bowl (a pie dish works well), beat the egg and milk. In a second shallow bowl, stir together the Panko, cornmeal, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
-
Bread the chicken: Working in batches, dredge the floured chicken in the egg mixture, then the Panko mixture, shaking off the excess flour and egg as you go and lightly pressing the Panko mixture as needed so the crumbs adhere. Arrange the breaded chicken pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
-
Mist the tops of the chicken with nonstick spray. Bake for 9 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip the pieces over. Mist the tops with spray, then return to the oven and continue baking until the chicken is cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes more—the pieces should no longer look pink in the center when cut in half. Immediately sprinkle with a small pinch of additional salt. Enjoy with your favorite nugget dipping sauces.
Notes
- TO STORE: Transfer the cooked chicken nuggets to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat at 350°F in the oven or air fryer to restore the nuggets’ crispy exterior.
- TO FREEZE: Place the nuggets in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can reheat the chicken nuggets directly from frozen.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4) | Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 486IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg
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