Homemade Chicken Nuggets | The Speckled Palate

Make Homemade Chicken Nuggets without frying anything! These baked chicken nuggets are crispy, flavorful and super dippable when paired with your favorite sauces. You can enjoy them on a salad, sandwich or wrap, too. 

Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe 

Like most kids, my girls have a favorite kind of chicken nuggets… but they’re not the ones you’re thinking… 

No, they love my chicken nuggets!

These homemade chicken nuggets are so easy to make, and they are so much better for you because they’re not deep fried.

Don’t get me wrong, I love fried food on occasion, but I won’t be making it in my house. (Mainly because of the smell, the cleanup effort and the fact that our popup vent is broken…)

But you don’t need a deep fryer or lots of oil to make great chicken nuggets. These puppies get super crispy, thanks to a spritz of avocado oil and panko bread crumbs. 

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You’re going to want to make them weekly, or at least freeze a bunch for later, so you can dip them in winning sauces like ketchup and honey mustard, or add them to salads, sammies and wraps. 

Why I love this recipe:

Who doesn’t love a chicken nugget, right?

Recently, we discovered that homemade chicken nuggets are super delicious and not that much more challenging than popping the freezer-ready nuggets into the oven.

Here are a few reasons why we are obsessed with these nuggs: 

• These Homemade Chicken Nuggets are healthier than the ones you get at restaurants because they are baked, not fried. 
• They are oh-so-dippable in all your favorite sauces, but you can use them other ways too, like on sandwiches or in salads. 
• And they are entirely kid-friendly. (Take it from my two picky kiddos!) 

More kid-friendly recipes to try: Ground Beef Tacos | Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars | Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites | Pan Fried Hamburgers | Mini Corn Dog Muffins

What you need to make this recipe:

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Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy recipe:

• Chicken breasts — you can use other cuts of chicken, but I like boneless skinless chicken breast the best because they are lean. Chicken tenderloins can work, too. I do not recommend using ground chicken, as the texture will be different.
• Egg — an egg is our binder that helps the breading stick to the chicken. It is very important! 
• Kosher salt — a medium grain sea salt works well, too.
• Black pepper — freshly-cracked black pepper adds so much flavor.
• Garlic powder — always check your spices for freshness! 
• Onion powder — same here — don’t let your spices go bad! 
• Sweet paprika — hot paprika works, too, if you don’t mind the stronger taste. 
• Panko breadcrumbs — you can try plain breadcrumbs, but panko is the crispiest. It makes for a wonderful crispy coating.
• Avocado oil spray — this is what makes them sooo crispy. You can use olive oil or similar, but I’ve found avo to be the best. 

Customizations and substitutions

Gluten-free chicken nuggets: Use gluten-free panko bread crumbs. 

Spicy chicken nuggets: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder to the seasoning. 

Egg-free: Dip the chicken nuggets in milk before breading them if needed.

Chicken tenders: Use this same breading with chicken tenderloins. They are larger than chicken nuggets, so they may take a little longer to cook. Check them with a meat thermometer to make sure they reach 165°F (74°C) internally. 

How to make Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Ready to make the best chicken nuggets of your life? 

Start by preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. 

Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a bowl. 

Season the chicken chunks with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.

Toss to coat. 

In a separate bowl, beat the egg with a fork or a whisk.

In another bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs.

Dip the chicken pieces into the egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. 

You can also dump the panko into the bowl with the chicken and the egg after coating them and toss to coat.

Arrange on the prepared sheet pan in a single layer.

Lightly spray with avocado oil (or your favorite cooking spray), then bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through. 

Let cool slightly before serving.

How to serve:

You can make these easy homemade chicken nuggets for lunch or dinner. They’re great the traditional way, with french fries and favorite dipping sauces, like Cajun dipping sauce or barbecue sauce.

They’re a fantastic appetizer, too! Try them with other dippables like oven fried pickles and boudin balls. 

You can also add them to salads. We use these on the Chicken Cobb Salad. You could also add them to a wrap or a hamburger bun to make a chicken sandwich. 

How to store:

To store leftover nuggets, let them cool completely first. Then, transfer them to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. 

You can also freeze them for another time. Place cooled nuggets in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. This keeps them from sticking together. Then transfer them to a resealable freezer bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, bake in a preheated oven at 375°F until heated through and crispy, about 10-15 minutes. For frozen nuggets, increase the reheating time to 15-20 minutes.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Since chicken nuggets are such a kid-friendly option for any occasion, I can see these being an entertaining gem if you’ve got the time to put them together.

Here are some things I would do when entertaining with nuggets:

• Serve with a flight of sauces like ranch, ketchup and BBQ sauce. 
• Make a double or triple batch for a party. They will go fast! 
• Make extra and freeze them for a quick dinner another time. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick tips and tricks to making the best Homemade Baked Chicken Nuggets

• Cut the chicken into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure they cook evenly. Smaller pieces will cook faster and may become dry, while larger pieces might not cook through.
• Lightly spritz the breaded chicken nuggets with avocado oil spray before baking. This adds a touch of fat, which helps the nuggets turn golden and crisp up without frying.
• Arrange the chicken nuggets in a single layer with space between each piece. Overcrowding the pan can cause the nuggets to steam rather than bake, resulting in a less crispy texture.

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