Easy Baked Chicken Nuggets

With just a few simple ingredients, you can bake up moist and crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets with less added salt than store-bought. Your kids will love them!

Baked Chicken Nuggets

For the longest time, I didn’t even try to make homemade chicken nuggets because I didn’t think my kids would like them as much as the ones from the freezer aisle. Then I randomly made them one day and my older kiddo declared them to be the “best chicken ever!”. And they instantly went into regular dinner rotation in our house.

Easy Chicken Nuggets Recipe

I know that making a homemade chicken nugget recipe can feel daunting since sometimes the ingredients seem too complex, but this recipe is super simple. It has a very streamlined ingredient list and a straight forward process. It does require actually breading the chicken, but once you make this recipe once, you’ll totally get the hang of it!

TIP: This is a recipe you’ll want to make when the kids are occupied with something since you’ll have your hands in raw chicken for a few minutes. Here are some fun activities to keep them busy.

Ingredients in Baked Chicken Nuggets

To make these baked chicken nuggets you’ll need:

• Chicken breast or chicken tenders (both work!)
• Flour
• Panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
• Egg
• Salt

TIP: You’ll also need nonstick spray to make sure that they don’t stick to the pan as they bake

How to Make Baked Chicken Nuggets Step-by-Step

Here’s a look at the simple process involved in making these homemade chicken nuggets.

1. Preheat the oven and prep your pan. Cut up the chicken into bite-size pieces. Place the egg, flour, and breadcrumbs into three shallow bowls.
2. Coat the chicken pieces in the flour.
3. Coat the chicken in the egg.
4. Coat the chicken in the breadcrumbs.
5. Place onto the wire rack over the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake!

Can I use regular breadcrumbs?

Sure thing! We like the extra crispy texture of the panko but regular breadcrumbs work really well too.

Why do you bake them on a wire rack?

Ah, this is the key to crispiness all over! This method of baking them on a rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet means you don’t have to flip them or worry about them sticking to the pan. And they won’t be mushy on the bottom. It’s super simple and makes them turn out so much better.

Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets

To make these chicken nuggets gluten-free, simply use gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko. They will bake up the same and no one will be able to taste the difference.

Egg-Free Chicken Nuggets

To make these baked chicken nuggets without egg, simply omit the egg and use 1/2 whole milk instead. This is an easy swap that works pretty well. The flavor is just slightly different but likely not noticeable!

How long can I store leftover chicken nuggets?

You can store these in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. The coating will soften as they’re in there, so to serve them in their same crispy original form, warm them in a 375 degree F oven for 6-8 minutes.

What goes well with these Baked Chicken Nuggets?

We like these with simple sides like roasted potatoes or rice, broccoli or cauliflower, or biscuits. We also love them with Cheesy Rice (shown below). They really versatile, so see what you think your little ones will enjoy!

Toddler Dinner on EZPZ Mini Mat

We had the chicken nuggets (shown above with regular breadcrumbs) with cheesy rice (literally rice mixed with shredded cheese), Sauteed Apples, and steamed carrots recently for dinner. My one year old loves his EZPZ Mini Mat when he eats right up at the table with us and I love that it’s one suction mat he actually can’t get off the table. Plus, the silicone is super easy to clean.

TIP: Take 10% off an EZPZ Mini Mat with the code YUMMY10.

Tips for Making the Best Baked Chicken Nuggets

• Coat the wire rack well to ensure that the breading doesn’t stick.
• Use all-purpose or gluten-free flour as needed.
• Use panko breadcrumbs for a crunchier end result. (Regular ones will work fine too, but won’t be quite as crunchy.)
• Use kitchen shears to quickly cut up the chicken into smaller pieces.
• To reheat leftovers, place into the oven on a foil-lined baking sheet for 6-8 minutes at 375 degrees F.
• To make these baked chicken nuggets without egg, simply omit the egg and use 1/2 whole milk instead.
• To make these chicken nuggets gluten-free, simply use gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe if you try it so please comment below with feedback!

Easy Baked Chicken Nuggets

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Amy Palanjian
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 14
• Total Time: 29 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

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Description

These chicken nuggets have simple ingredients and a pleasantly crispy exterior. Aim to cut the chicken into similarly sized pieces so they bake evenly.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breast or tenders
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup all purpose or gluten-free flour
• 1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a wire rack coated with nonstick spray on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Cut up the chicken into bite-size pieces. I like to use kitchen shears for this.
3. Place the egg, flour, and breadcrumbs, mixed with the salt, into three shallow bowls.
4. Coat the chicken pieces in the flour, egg, then the breadcrumbs and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until completely cooked.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature with ketchup, ranch or marinara.

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Notes

TIPS

Coat the wire rack well with nonstick spray to ensure that the breading doesn’t stick.

Use all-purpose or gluten-free flour as needed.

Use panko breadcrumbs for a crunchier end result. (Regular ones will work fine too, but won’t be quite as crunchy.)

Use kitchen shears to quickly cut up the chicken into smaller pieces.

To reheat leftovers, place into the oven on a foil-lined baking sheet for 6-8 minutes at 375 degrees F.

To make these baked chicken nuggets without egg, simply omit the egg and use 1/2 whole milk instead.

To make these chicken nuggets gluten-free, simply use gluten-free flour and gluten-free panko.

1950.4 g172.7 mg3.2 g0.8 g18.9 g0.7 g20.7 g86.2 mg

Filder Under:Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Recipes