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These healthy baked chicken nuggets are coated in a crispy almond flour breading and baked instead of fried. And you only need 8 ingredients!
I have been a chicken nugget fan for as long as I can remember. I used to think they were the healthy option at fast food restaurants. While they probably are healthier than some options on the menu, they still weren’t that healthy! You went wild for my baked chicken tenders so I decided to create a healthy chicken nugget recipe that rivals Chick-Fil-A nuggets… I actually think mine are better, but you can be the judge.
I have a secret tip for you. Are you ready? Marinate the chicken breasts in pickle juice. Sounds so weird, right? But many believe that’s exactly what Chick-Fil-A does to really flavor their chicken and it makes sense!
So to make these nuggets, you’ll start by marinating them in pickle juice for 8-12 hours, or overnight. After marinating, discard the pickle juice and make your breading.
In a shallow bowl, mix the almond flour and spices. Crack and whisk the egg in a different shallow bowl. One at a time, take the chicken pieces and dredge them in the egg. Wipe excess egg off and then dip in the almond flour mixture – making sure the entire piece is coated.
Place nuggets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a wire rack that fits on a baking sheet. Using a wire rack will result in crispier nuggets! Cook until golden brown and completely cooked through.
Most of the time I wouldn’t consider chicken nuggets to be a healthy food option, but these are! They are made with minimal ingredients and baked instead of fried! Here’s what you need for these healthy chicken nuggets:
Compared to McDonald’s chicken nuggets (which involve lots of oil, white flour and natural flavors), I’ll take my version any day.
First things first: SAUCE! You can’t have chicken nuggets without dipping sauce, right?! I love honey mustard sauce, vegan ranch, healthy BBQ sauce or my new fave: healthy Chick-Fil-A sauce.
Fries are an obvious choice to pair with nuggets! My sweet potato fries are fan favorites, but if you’re feeling creative, I highly recommend my turnip fries or jicama fries.
If you’re dealing with a picky eater, this is the perfect example of how healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring. Chicken nuggets and vegetable fries for dinner? Kids love this meal! You can also pair nuggets with protein-packed healthy mac and cheese or vegan mac and cheese.
Of course, if you want to go the extra healthy route you could pair the nuggets with a green veggie side like roasted brussels sprouts or green beans or serve the nuggets over a salad.
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Made these tonight and they were good! I love the ingredients. I missed the part about marinating for 8-12 hours so mine only did for about an hour but I bet the flavor will be even better next time when I marinate for the full time suggested. Thank you for a yummy dinner!
So glad you loved these nuggets, Jessica. Thanks for making this recipe and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Super yummy. This is going to be a silly question, but do you have any ideas on how to make these into dino nuggets? Traditional nuggets are made with ground chicken that can be pressed into shape, do you think I could do that here without having it fall apart or adding extra binding ingredients? Sometimes, y’know, the only way to get through college is with emotional support dino nuggets
Hey! I am not really sure as I haven’t ever tried making these into dino nuggets. Here’s a recipe of homemade dino nuggets that you could possibly try!
This tastes just as good as seasoned fried shnitzel. So so happy I found this recipe! Will definitely make again, family loved it and I’m pleasantly surprised!
Yay! So glad you loved this recipe, Sally. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review! I so appreciate it!
I would love to try this recipe, but do I buy dill pickles and use the juice from the pickle jar? Or can you just buy dill pickle juice by itself. If so, where would I buy pickle juice. I’ve never used pickle juice in a recipe before so this is new to me.
Hey Denise – I always use the juice from dill pickles! Let me know how this recipe turns out for you if you end up trying it.
I don’t get the high ratings… these did not work out at all how they’re pictured. Followed the recipe exactly and the breading all came off and did not crisp up well. at all.
I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t turn out for you, Erica. Thank you for letting me know. Just to confirm, did you marinate the chicken in the pickle juice for 8-12 hours?
Very tasty and I’ll be baking these again. It fits into my new gluten free/sugar free diet change. It’s a whole lot easier when the recipe turns out tasty and doesn’t leave the rest of the family unsatisfied.
So happy to hear you enjoyed this baked chicken nuggets, Vicky. Thanks so much for trying them out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!