301 Comments / By Lisa Leake / October 14, 2010 / Recipes
31 Reviews / 4.9 Average
Easy and delicious, these Homemade Chicken Nuggets are way healthier than the deep-fried ones you get at any fast food restaurant! You can make a whole batch at once to enjoy right then, or freeze in wax paper to save for another day. They're perfect for school lunches or dinner.
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Even before we started eating real food I always thought that homemade chicken nuggets tasted much better than what you can get at most restaurants and grocery stores. And the best part is…you can freeze the leftovers!
How to Make Homemade Chicken Nuggets
So if you are in a rush simply pull a few pre-made nuggets out of the freezer and microwave them for 30 – 60 seconds for a quick and guilt-free dinner. In our house, this is the kind of “kids’ meal” that is so good the whole family eats it together.
This recipe is also fairly easy once you have the breadcrumbs made. I find that I need whole-wheat breadcrumbs on hand for all sorts of reasons so be sure to make those in advance on a rainy day and store them in the freezer as well. That way they are there and ready when you need them.
Chicken Nuggets With Whole Wheat Breading
To make a more nutritious chicken nugget for your family, we’ve decided to use whole wheat breadcrumbs for this recipe! Not only does it give the chicken a nice crispy texture, but a little more added protein to satisfy your hungriest eaters.
They’re also made a little healthier, (and easier!) by pan-frying in a skillet as opposed to deep frying. This cooking method also helps the chicken nuggets keep their crunchy and crispy breading even after freezing.
Can you Make These Nuggets in the Air Fryer?
Absolutely! Breaded foods like these do incredibly well in the air fryer, so you shouldn’t need to adapt it too much. You will however want to make sure that you line the bottom of the air fryer basket to prevent pieces of breading from falling through. If you’d like to be sure, the inside of the chicken nuggets should temp at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to Freeze This Chicken Nuggets Recipe
To freeze the leftover chicken nuggets make sure they are cooked first then layer them between sheets of wax paper in a Tupperware or other freezer-safe container. Enjoy!
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Easy and delicious, these Homemade Chicken Nuggets are way healthier than the deep-fried ones you get at any fast food restaurant! You can make a whole batch at once to enjoy right then, or freeze in wax paper to save for another day. They're perfect for school lunches or dinner.
31 Reviews / 4.9 Average
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 40 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Lunch,
Cuisine: American
Method: Freezer Friendly, Too Easy
Diet: Peanut/Tree Nut-Free, Picky Eaters
Print Recipe
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- olive oil (for cooking)
Instructions
Chop the chicken into small chunks and sprinkle them with salt and pepper (if desired).
Lightly beat the egg in a shallow bowl.
In another shallow bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, cheese, paprika, and garlic powder with a fork.
Now you are ready to bread the chicken. There is a simple technique that will make this part very easy. Make one of your hands the “wet hand” and the other one the “dry hand”. With your wet hand toss some of the chicken chunks into the egg mixture until they are coated on all sides. Then with your wet hand drop them on top of the bread crumb mixture. With your dry hand sprinkle some breadcrumbs on top of the chicken and then flip them over a few times until the pieces are coated. Put the coated pieces on a plate while you work on the rest of the chicken.
Heat a thin layer of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat.
Cook the chicken nuggets for several minutes on each side until they are golden brown. You want the nuggets to be cooked all the way through by the time they get brown on the outside. Cut one down the middle to make sure it is fully cooked.
Transfer the nuggets to a plate lined with paper towels to help drain off any excess oil.
Serve with organic ketchup or homemade honey mustard sauce (equal parts honey, mustard, and mayo).
And don’t forget to freeze the leftovers!
Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Amount Per Serving
Calories 256Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 119mg40%
Sodium 387mg17%
Potassium 435mg12%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 270IU5%
Vitamin C 6.8mg8%
Calcium 81mg8%
Iron 2.6mg14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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