Healthy Oven “Fried” Chicken Nuggets Your Kids Will Love
This is my secret recipe for a food that my son (a picky eater) holds very dear to his heart. It is a recipe that will change your life – one that may even win you Parent of the Year. Crispy, juicy, tender chicken nuggets that taste like fast food but are much healthier for you and your family.
We Need a Better Chicken Nugget!
I don’t know about you, but when my son requests a specific fast food meal that contains six VERY greasy chicken nuggets, I cringe a little inside. Yes, chicken nuggets are delicious (and for some reason, they appeal to even the pickiest eaters!). Yes, these meals are fun for a treat. And they are so convenient!
Let’s face it – it is VERY easy to give in to the convenience of these meals that make my son so… happy.
One day, when I was particularly stressed out, my son sauntered up to me with a twinkle in his eye. “Mama, can I have chicken nuggets for dinner?” he asked with a hopeful smile. His expectant eyebrows arched into his scalp-line. I sighed, looked at my watch, and scolded myself internally for not getting more steps that day. Just before I agreed to go to the nearest drive thru, I remembered I had a package of chicken tenders in the refrigerator.
“Sweetie, we need a better chicken nugget!” I proclaimed. After rustling around for ingredients in my kitchen, I haphazardly concocted my first homemade chicken nuggets. My first nuggets were not the nuggets in the recipe below, but they were the beginning of my mission.
My son and I have had a great time trying out new recipes together. He is my most trusted taste-tester. After some experimentation, we came up with a nugget that is crunchy, delicious, and best of all, baked in the oven and not fried.
Essential Tools
Please note, this post contains affiliate links which means I will receive a small commission on the sale of these items at no cost to you.
All of my posts contain my recommendations for essential tools. I have researched these tools. Many of them are already in my kitchen. The ones that are not come highly rated. I do the research so you don’t have to and I only recommend high-quality tools.
If you are just starting to furnish your kitchen with tools or if you are looking to expand your kitchen toolkit, be sure to reference Expert Guide: Equip Your Kitchen for Less Than $200. This guide contains links to all of the equipment items I recommend for a basic kitchen set up.
My essential tools when making this chicken nugget recipe include the following:
- Pampered Chef Coating Trays (Set of 3) Plus Tool for Dipping This set is great for setting up your dredging station!
- Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet (2 Pack)
- Silpat Nonstick Baking Mat, Set of 2 If you don’t already have Silpats, I highly recommend them. They are lifesavers!
Healthy Oven “Fried” Chicken Nuggets with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
For the Chicken Nuggets
- 1.5 lb chicken tenders seasoned with salt and pepper and sliced into 1.5-inch chunks
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. onion powder
- 1 tbsp. paprika optional
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
For the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
- 1/2 cup honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Chicken Nuggets
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Combine almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
- Beat eggs and pour into a second shallow dish.
- Pour panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a third shallow dish.
- Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper and slice into 1.5-inch chunks.
- Dredge the chicken chunks one-by-one: first in the almond flour, next in the eggs, and lastly, in the breadcrumbs. Place each chunk on the sheet pan.
- Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the nuggets reaches 165°F. Let cool for 10 minutes and then enjoy!
For the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
- Whisk all ingredients together and serve. Easy and delicious!