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
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!
Have you tried these in an air fryer?
We have not, but I’m sure it could work! – Nicole
We love these chicken nuggets! So easy to make and very yummy.
Awesome! Glad you enjoy them. – Nicole
Hi, how are these best served in a packed school lunch? Cold, room temperature, or heat and keep in a thermos? Thanks!
Lisa’s girls don’t mind eating them cold/room temperature. You could heat them up and store in a thermos to keep them warm, or just in a regular container.
Can these be baked?
While we haven’t yet, they would work fine being baked, too. – Nicole
I have never had luck with “frying” in a skillet. Can you drizzle with olive oil and cook these in an air fryer instead of skillet?
Hi Heather. We haven’t tried them in the air fryer yet, but as someone who uses it regularly, I’d say there’s a good chance this could work. – Nicole
Can gluten free flour be used cup for cup?
Hello Lori. I have used gluten free bread crumbs.
These are great when you mix in panic breadcrumbs! My kids only like these chicken nuggets! #worthwork #seeyafastfoodrestaurants #workingonthefries
PANKO ;)
obviously i’m interested in many of these recipes … but i’m also wondering what the nutritional value is in the meals. Do you have this information for these recipes ?
Hi there. Sorry, we do not provide nutrition details on recipes but there are many online tools that can help. My Fitness Pal is a good example. This post helps explain Lisa’s philosophy on this: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/do-not-count-calories-still-lose-weight/
How long can you keep the chicken nuggets in freezer? Thanks,Judy.
We recommend about 3 months. – Nicole
If you have frozen the chicken nuggets, how do you reheat them? In the oven at the same temperature or can you do it in the microwave? If so, how long for the oven or microwave?
Hi there. I typically thaw them overnight in the fridge. You can reheat in either place. In the oven, I cover with tin foil until heated through. The microwave will depend on its power and how many you are reheating. I typically put them on a plate, cover with a paper towel and heat for about a minute.
Me and my dad love making these chicken nuggets at home! They are so easy to make and soooo yummy!! My dad likes to make these with baked potatoes.
I made these with our 4 yr old granddaughter recently. Grandpa cut up the chicken. I had the bowls set up for dipping and breading. Tried explaining the wet hand, dry hand method to granddaughter, but she had other ideas and just used both her hands to dip and bread. It was kind of a mess, but decided to just go with it. They turned out wonderful and Kaitlyn was so thrilled to have helped make them. Thanks for a great recipe!
Made this again last night ! Everyone loved it. Served with frozen vegetable medley and applesauce. Left out the cheese again – baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes on each side (24 minutes total).
These were a big hit with my son! Will definitely make them again.
My husband likes these but my kids don’t like them :(
Came out wonderful all 12 kids and 4 adults loved them, left out the cheese. Baked at 400* for 25 minutes, on a greased cookie sheet turned halfway. used 6 eggs and 6lbs chicken.
When serving these as a lunch item in the lunch box. Does a ice block help keep them cold enough to be eaten mid day? Just want to make sure I don’t make the little ones sick. :)
Hi there. These are the ice packs Lisa uses: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/24/my-favorite-school-lunch-supplies/.
Do you think these could be baked instead? I would love to make a batch for my 1 year old and freeze them. Thoughts on baking temp and times?
Hi. From a reader above: “I but them on a broiler pan and spray them lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 mins. Jusiy on the inside and crispy on outside!”
I would love to make these, but my daughter is highly allergic to egg. Is there something I could substitute?
Hi Janet. I’ve had varied degrees of success with flax or chia egg substitute but eggs are difficult to replace as a binder. ;)
I made these today and they were delicious! We didn’t have Parmesan or garlic powder, so I very finely grated cheddar & fried them in oil with crushed garlic which worked well!
They are delicious! Do you think they could be baked instead of fried?
Yes, I’ve baked them and it worked well.
How long and at what temp to bake them?
Hi. I just use a baked recipe as a reference for time and temp such as: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/parmesan-baked-chicken-nuggets-recipe/.
I but them on a broiler pan and spray them lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 mins. Jusiy on the inside and crispy on outside!
Loved it! My family gobbled it up. Yum!
Hi! If I put them in freezer, how long will it last? I’d like to make them ahead and freeze them so that I can just reheat for a quick meal. Thanks!
I’d recommend about 3 months. – Nicole
Love these! I make them for my family often… They’ve become a staple for us. :) Just a comment… I generally will use two eggs instead of one. It simply allows me to have plenty of liquid base without running out.
Are these okay to freeze and re-heat?
Sure. :)
What temp and time would you re-heat these?
Hi. I thaw and reheat at 400 until heated through in a covered glass casserole dish.
I’d like to try this recipe but bake them instead. Can you provide a for a recommendation for temp and time in the oven? Thanks!
Hi Anna. I have baked these at 400 for about 18 minutes.
My son is allergic to dairy. Could I leave the cheese out or sub it with something else possibly?
Hi. I’ve used nutritional yeast and the flavor is similar. It is a rule bender ingredient, however. :)
Thanks! Why is it a rule bender? I am new to this site :)
It is a bit processed but rich in nutrients. Here is some info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-JC73AStkw.
I made these tonight for the first time for a very picky crowd. It was a smashing success! I fried the chicken and then I had to finish it in the oven, but it was still extremely moist and the best part is that my very picky daughter ate them, my not picky son ate them and my semi picky husband requested that I make them again!
Which cooking oil did you use?
Hi there. I choose avocado or coconut oil. Olive oil works well, too since we aren’t cooking at a high heat.
what cooking oil do you recommend for this recipe?
Hello Maria. I use avocado or coconut oil.
Hi the recipe posted on your blog seems to differ slightly than the one in your book. Is one more recent?
Hi. The book recipe is more recent.
Just a note to make breading even easier and less messy, put the breadcrumb mixture in a plastic bag or other container with a tight lid. Coat chicken with egg then put into baggie and shake until covered. You can do more at once this way and it’s way cleaner!
Also I have frozen them before cooking and they are still good, the breading falls off a little easier though. Thanks for all the great recipes!
Please, more recipes without egg! My son is allergic and I would like to use some of these recipes but lots of them gave egg. It is a far more common allergy than what you would expect. E.g nuggets, banana muffins, vegetable muffins etc.
Hey! Try using vegan mayonnaise instead of egg. Adds nice flavor and has the same effect. Good luck :)
Have you tried using applesauce as an egg replacement in baked goods, like muffins, etc? My daughter has a good friend who is allergic to eggs too, so I have tried to accommodate it. We really like using the applesauce because everything tastes very moist. Had great success with cupcakes and muffins.
How long and at what temperature would you recommend baking these?
HI there. I use this recipe as a guide for baking time and temp: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/parmesan_chicken/.
These nuggets had a great flavor, but they stuck to my pan and I lost a lot of the breading. I’ll try baking these next time as others have suggested.
Can you bake these nuggets in the oven vs. cooking on the stove top?
Hi Teresa. Other readers have.
I made these last night and they were a big hit with my family…there weren’t any leftovers! I don’t do dairy, so I substituted the parmesan cheese with about a tablespoon of nutritional yeast. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I have 2 questions.
1. What kind of oil do you use?
2. Can they be baked in the oven instead (oven fried)?
Hi Allison. I think Lisa uses ghee here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/14/mini-pledge-week-10-no-refined-oils/. I typically choose avocado oil. And, other readers have baked this successfully.
I have a kiddo with an egg allergy. And substitution recommendations for the egg in this recipe?
Hi Rachel. I think you could use flax eggs. this might help: http://www.thekitchn.com/ideas-for-breading-that-doesnt-use-eggsrecipe-questions-167823. :)
I just made this for my family and they went wild over it. They kept telling me how good it was. I made the chicken nuggets with “french fries” using your Homemade Dried Onion Soup Mix and olive oil. And I also made steamed organic green beans with almond slivers and lemon butter sauce.
I just bought your book and working on changing the family’s eating habits. Thank you so much for all your research and forging the way for us to healthfully follow in your footsteps.
Hi, I’ve made quite a few recipes from this site and they’ve been delicious. This one won over my family. I was eating it as I was cooking it, my husband ate it when he came home. I managed to save a few nuggets for my son after school. I made it just like the recipe other than doing two eggs because our chickens lay small ones. Thank you! ~Tia
Thank you for this recipe. I was curious how you reheat it. Also, how long have you stored them? I’m trying to fill my freezer in an attempt to help simplify my families life. Best wishes for you.
Hi Lindsay. Thaw them in the fridge overnight and heat through in the oven or toaster oven. ~Amy
Do you think I could replace the bread crumbs with almond meal? I have a bunch frozen from making almond milk.
Hi Jessie. I use almond meal as a “breading” for fish all the time. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work here, too. :)
Ahhh…spell check. TUMERIC!
I added Time rich to the recipe…good for you and nobody’s the wiser :)