Recipe

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Have you been looking for a healthy homemade chicken nuggets recipe that compares to that of the frozen ones? Your kids are going to love this recipe.

My easy recipe for healthy chicken nuggets is just about to become your favorite. Simple, nutritious, and freezable!

homemade chicken nuggets on a plate with a small dipping container of ketchup

Homemade Chicken Nuggets with Ground Chicken

My kids were always begging for frozen or fast food nuggets, but I didn't love the list of ingredients on the manufactured nuggets. I decided to try making my own and came up with this Healthy Chicken Nugget Recipe. These are a huge hit at my house, and I'm sure they will be at yours too.

With years of helping parents feed their families, I know how to recreate kid-favorite foods into wholesome fresh meals, like meatballs or turkey burgers. It's recipes like these and others found in our family meal plans that make mealtimes a success!

There's no denying that my kids get excited to see these chicken nuggets on the menu from time to time. With these homemade nuggets, you get more protein, nutrition, less sodium, and non of the preservatives, nitrates, and weird stuff in the processed.

Copycat McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets

This version of homemade chicken nuggets yields perfectly fresh and tasty chicken nuggets with the texture kids love from the golden arches and the freezer aisle.

Since these nuggets are made with ground chicken, this copycat recipe is perfect for picky eaters who struggle with the normal texture of cooked chicken. These are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, just like McDonald's.

Ingredients

I've made a few ingredient swaps in order to make this chicken nugget recipe as healthy as possible. Amounts are at the end of the post, but first, check what you'll need:

Ground chicken: ground turkey also works for this recipe.
Old-fashioned oats: give these nuggets the best texture.
Grated Parmesan cheese: for the chicken mix and the coating.
Creole Seasoning: you can swap it for paprika.
Garlic powder: adds delicious flavor!
Black pepper: for seasoning, of course!
Breadcrumbs: regular or gluten-free will work.

How to Make Chicken Nuggets

So we have good ingredients, but just how do you make this delicious, healthy Chicken Nugget Recipe? Easy peasy! I'll break it down for you step by step and you can also print the full recipe below:

Prep
While the oven preheat, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine
Combine chicken, oatmeal, half of the cheese, and seasonings. Then, knead dry ingredients into ground chicken.
Shape the nuggets
You can shape your nuggets by pressing the chicken mixture balls into a cookie cutter or with your fingers. Moisten hands to prevent sticking.
Bread the nuggets
Combine breadcrumbs, seasoning, and grated parmesan. Press each nugget into this mixture and transfer to the cookie sheet.
Bake
For a crispy crust, spray the nuggets with cooking oil spray. Bake the nuggets, flipping them halfway through for even cooking. Keep in mind that these nuggets don't brown and will dry out if you cook them too long.

Check out how easy they are to make in this video!

How to Freeze Homemade Chicken Nuggets

There's nothing more convenient than grabbing chicken nuggets from the freezer and having lunch or dinner pulled together in seconds. These healthy homemade chicken nuggets can be frozen baked or unbaked.

My favorite method for keeping homemade nuggets in the freezer is to double or triple the batch and freeze the extra baked nuggets in a large, freezer-safe bag.

To reheat, you can place the nuggets in the oven, so they'll crisp up or if you need to pack a quick lunch, microwave for 20-30 seconds before packing into lunch containers. Fast & delicious!

To store these nuggets unbaked, freeze the breaded nuggets on a cookie sheet, then transfer them to a zip bag or container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Add about 3-5 minutes to your usual cooking time if baking from frozen.

Best Dipping Sauces for Chicken Nuggets

If these chicken nuggets are already epic, imagine dipping them in the best sauces: drooling alert! My kids love my homemade ketchup, BBQ sauce, and my Cane’s Sauce Copycat Recipe. My favorites for dipping these nuggets are ranch dressing or this delish avocado lime sauce. SO good!

What to Serve with Chicken Nuggets

For a complete kid-friendly meal, these healthy chicken nuggets make a perfect match with my baked garlic fries and carrot raisin salad. To sneak some greens, serve Parmesan green beans or a bruschetta salad as a side. Another family-favorite? Cilantro lime cauliflower rice!

Healthy Homemade Chicken Nuggets

chicken nuggets on a plate with a small bowl of ketchup for dipping

Servings: 6 (24 nuggets)

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 18

Total Time: 28

Have you been looking for a healthy homemade chicken nuggets recipe that compares to that of the frozen ones? Your kids are going to love this recipe.

4.89 from 85 votes

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Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken
¼ cup old-fashioned oats
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning, divided or paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs

Instructions

Prep:

Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the nuggets:

In a large bowl, combine chicken, oatmeal, half of the grated parmesan (⅛ cup), half of the Creole seasoning (or paprika), (½ teaspoon), garlic powder and pepper. Knead dry ingredients into ground chicken.
Moisten hands to prevent sticking and form 1 tablespoon of chicken mixture into a ball. Press into a cookie cutter for shaped nuggets or flatten with fingers for a basic nugget shape.
In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with remaining Creole seasoning and grated parmesan.
Press nuggets into bread crumb mixture and turn over, patting crumbs into the surface to coat evenly, place on to the cookie sheet.

Bake:

Place nuggets onto the cookie sheet and spray them with cooking oil spray for a crispy crust (optional).
Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway through. Remove from oven. These baked nuggets don't brown but will dry out if you cook them too long. Check for doneness around minute 18.

For a packed lunch:

Allow the nuggets to cool down at room temperature before packing them in a lunch container with fruit and veggies. If adding a dip, pack it in a sauce container.
Refrigerate until ready to pack inside a lunch bag.

Notes

To Freeze: freeze the breaded nuggets on a cookie sheet, then transfer them to an airtight bag or container and store them in the freezer until you’re ready to bake as few or as many as you like for up to 3 months. Add about 3-5 minutes to your usual cooking time if baking from frozen.