Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Name: Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts (about 1 – 1 ½ lbs); 1 – 2 eggs; 1 – 2 tsp water; 1 – 2 cups breadcrumbs (make your own with this easy recipe); ½ – 1 cup flour (I used all-purpose, but you can use whole wheat); 1 – 2 tsp each: salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder; ½ – 1 tsp each: salt and pepper; 2 – 4 Tbsp healthy cooking oil (coconut oil or avocado oil recommended)

By Tiffany Published August 2, 2021 • Last Updated August 16, 2021 41 Comments

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These homemade chicken nuggets are healthy, easy to make, and a guaranteed kids’ favorite. Skip the Chick-Fil-A drive-thru and serve these nuggets with easy potato skins and stove-top macaroni and cheese for the perfect meal!

Crispy, browned chicken nuggets sit on a plate next to a cup of ketchup. Text overlay reads "Easy Homemade Chicken Nuggets."

Over time, I’m slowly re-making some of my family’s favorite “junk food” meals into healthy homemade versions.

So far I’ve done homemade hot pockets, homemade instant oatmeal, homemade spaghetti o’s, homemade lunch meat, homemade peanut butter cups, and homemade donuts… just to name a few.

But no list of kids’ favorite foods is complete without chicken nuggets, so I had to find the perfect, healthy, homemade version of this drive-thru staple to satisfy our craving. Here it is, folks!

What makes these chicken nuggets so fabulous? They are:

Healthy. Fast food nuggets are fried in unhealthy oils and are loaded with additives. These homemade chicken nuggets contain only whole food ingredients and are fried using healthy oils.
Ready in less than 30 minutes.
Flavorful. The spices in this recipe give these nuggets a special kick that will beat the taste of conventional nuggets.
A Kids’ favorite. Your kids will beg for more (and probably your spouse too)!
Freezer friendly. This recipe is easy to double or triple for an easy future dinner.

Here’s What You Need

Image showing recipe ingredients chicken breast, eggs, water, and breadcrumbs.

Image showing recipe ingredients flour, spices, salt & pepper, and coconut oil.

Chicken breasts
Eggs
Bread crumbs. You can buy them, or make your own following this recipe HERE.
Salt
Paprika
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Pepper
Flour. I use all-purpose einkorn flour, but you can use whole wheat or gluten free as well.
A healthy cooking oil such as coconut oil or avocado oil.

A Quick Note on Meat

I often buy chicken at Costco, but if you’re looking for better meat and you can’t find it locally, Butcher Box delivers grass-fed beef, organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork directly to your front door each month.

I’ve shared my Butcher Box experiences a few times:

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Recipe Notes

Cubed, 1 inch pieces of raw chicken fill one bowl; a second bowl is filled with whipped eggs, and a third bowl is filled with flour and seasonings.

The hardest part about making homemade chicken nuggets is two-fold:

First, the cooking technique. Fast food chicken nuggets are fried, and your kids or spouse will taste the difference if you try to bake them, so you’re going to have to fry them. But you can totally do that with coconut oil or avocado oil and you’re not only making a healthier dinner than the drive-thru, but you’re cooking with healthy fats, so you can fry without guilt!

Second, the seasoning. Salt and pepper are your BFF’s for seasoning, but homemade chicken nuggets require a little more oomph if you’re going to pass the test. Don’t be scared of the amount of seasoning in this recipe. Trust me – they’re going to be AWESOME.

Plan to make extras, and follow the steps below to freeze them so you have supply to meet the demand!

Step-by-Step Instructions

A plate is filled with brown, crispy chicken nuggets and served with ketchup.

Step 1. Pound down the chicken. Unroll a 12” section of plastic wrap and place it on the cutting board. Place one chicken breast on one end of the plastic wrap and fold the other end over. Using a meat mallet (I have this one) or a very heavy spoon or rolling pin, beat the chicken until the entire piece is even in thickness all over. I aim for ½” to ¾” thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Step 2. Cut the chicken into equal sizes, about 1 ½” in size.

Step 3. Preheat a cast iron skillet, or another heavy bottomed skillet to medium heat and add 2 Tbsp healthy cooking oil.

Step 4. In a shallow dish, crack 1 egg and add 1 tsp water, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Use a whisk to mix well.

Step 5. In another shallow dish, measure 1 cup of breadcrumbs, ½ cup flour and 1 tsp each salt, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well.

Nuggets sizzle and brown in oil inside a cast iron skillet.

Step 6. Working in batches, move the cut chicken pieces into the egg mixture and coat thoroughly. Then move the chicken to the breadcrumb mixture and coat thoroughly.

Step 7. Add to the skillet in a single layer and cook until the sides begin to turn golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Step 8. Using tongs, flip each nugget over and cook until finished and both sides are dark golden brown, about 2-4 minutes.

Step 9. Remove the nuggets to a plate lined with a paper towel or napkin to allow excess oil to drain.

Step 10. Repeat with the remaining chicken, using additional egg, water, breadcrumbs, flour, spices and cooking oil as necessary. (If you need just a little bit more of the breadcrumbs mixture, use ½ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup flour, ½ tsp of each salt, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.)

Step 11. Serve warm, or freeze for later.

How to Freeze Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Frozen chicken nuggets sit atop a baking rack set on top of a pan. Green seasoning is visible on the nuggets.

Step 1. Make as many chicken nuggets as you want (I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe because you’re going to get requests for these often!).

Step 2. Freeze extra nuggets on a cooling rack (I have these) or on a cookie sheet for 30-60 minutes. (You can skip this step, but your nuggets will end up sticking together, and you’ll pull the breading off when you tear them apart later).

Step 3. Move the frozen homemade chicken nuggets from the cooling rack to a freezer-safe container. At this step, I recommend portioning out enough to cover one meal. That way you’re not thawing more than you need later on.

Step 4. To reheat, preheat the oven to 375F and bake for 10-15 minutes!

For more freezer friendly meals, including meal plans and grocery lists, check out the Freezer Family Bundle sale here.

FAQs

Are homemade chicken nuggets healthy?
Absolutely! Homemade chicken nuggets are packed with protein and healthy fats and, most importantly, are free of all the processed garbage that commercial foods contain. These chicken nuggets are cooked with healthy oils, real chicken breast, and a variety of flavorful spices.

What goes with homemade chicken nuggets?
Adding a salad and carbohydrate side is a great way to round out this meal. Try these easy potato skins and stove-top macaroni and cheese for a great, kid-friendly side dish! This delicious kale salad is another great side to try!

Can homemade chicken nuggets be frozen?
Yes, homemade chicken nuggets can be frozen, and it is quite easy! Just remember to freeze them first on a cooling rack or cookie sheet so that they do not freeze together. Then, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.

Additional Recipe Notes

A crispy nugget hovers above a small dish of homemade barbecue sauce.

If you are taking the time to make homemade nuggets, then you need homemade dipping sauce too! Try any of these homemade sauces for a delicious twist:

Having a stash of dump dinner recipes in my freezer is totally rocking my world. Here's a plan to get seven dump dinners in the freezer in just one hour!

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