These crispy chicken nuggets are baked instead of fried and are a great healthier option to the more famous fried counterpart. If you’re making them for your kids, they’ll love them and if not, they bring out the kid in you!
It is almost a weekly tradition where it is around 4 pm in the afternoon and Lauren and I are texting each other trying to figure out what we want for dinner. Most of the time I end up picking something but I always bug Lauren to make the decision. And recently she did! Randomly she was craving some crispy chicken nuggets, so I scoured the internet for some ideas.
I’ve made chicken nuggets plenty of times in the past, but I always fried them. Wanting a slightly healthier alternative I decided to bake them instead. We weren’t disappointed by the results and satisfied a craving by Lauren on top of it.
It is important to use panko bread crumbs as it gives the chicken a crunchier texture than regular bread crumbs would. You might almost forget that these are baked and you’re saving some extra calories! And I know I say this a lot, but these baked chicken nuggets are super easy and can be made quickly. It would be great as an appetizer for a party or football game as well. Hope you enjoy!
What Ingredients are in this Baked Chicken Nuggets Recipe?
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Panko bread crumbs
- Olive oil
- Parmesan cheese
- Spices – paprika, salt, garlic powder, thyme, basil, black pepper
- Eggs
How to Make Baked Chicken Nuggets
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Pour bread crumbs in baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over bread crumbs and toss with fingers. Spread in even layer and bake for 3 minutes. Remove from oven.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme, basil, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper.
- In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Dip chicken into the egg mixture first.
- Dip egg coated chicken into panko mixture and press mixture into chicken so it is entirely coated
- Place wire cooling rack on baking sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer coated chicken to wire rack, leaving space in between each piece.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until chicken reached 165°F. Serve immediately with a sauce of your choice.
What Sauces Should I Serve with Chicken Nuggets?
- BBQ sauce
- Honey mustard sauce
- Blue cheese
- Ranch dressing
- Sweet chili sauce
- Ketchup
Can I Use Regular Bread Crumbs?
Yes although if you want crispy chicken nuggets, I recommend using panko as it’s better for baking.
Other Chicken Recipes
- Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
- Orange Chicken
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit
- Chicken Schnitzel
- Baked Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Baked Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Pour bread crumbs in baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over bread crumbs and toss with fingers. Spread in even layer and bake for 3 minutes. Remove from oven.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme, basil, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
- Place wire cooling rack on baking sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Dip chicken into the egg mixture first, then coat with panko mixture. Transfer coated chicken to wire rack, leaving space in between each piece. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until chicken reached 165°F. Serve immediately with a sauce of your choice.
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