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Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Chicken Nuggets
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5 from 2 reviews

This homemade chicken nuggets recipe is your new weeknight dinner hero! Here’s how to make healthy, tasty nuggets that adults and kids will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound chicken breast: 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 cutlets (organic if possible)*
  • 1 1/2 cups panko
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 eggs
  • Ketchup, honey mustard, or ranch, for serving**

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix the panko with the olive oil. Pour it in an even layer onto a rimmed baking sheet, place it in the oven, and toast for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly browned. Pour the toasted breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl and allow to cool for 1 minute.
  3. If using breasts, slice them in half horizontally (if you bought cutlets, skip this step). Cut the cutlets into bite-sized nuggets and place them in a large bowl. Toss with the kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin and chili powder.
  4. In another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon water. 
  5. When the baking sheet is cool, wipe any remaining crumbs from the baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. If you have one, place an oven safe rack on the baking sheet.
  6. Dredge each piece of chicken into the eggs and tap off any excess liquid. Then place it into the bowl with the breadcrumb mixture and toss until fully coated. Place the chicken nuggets onto the prepared baking sheet. When all of the nuggets are breaded, sprinkle them with a few more pinches of kosher salt. 
  7. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness, until the outside is golden and the internal temperature measures 165°F at the thickest point. Serve immediately. Leftovers store up to 3 days refrigerated; to make them crispy again, reheat in a 375°F oven until warmed through.

Notes

*If you buy the chicken as breasts that are not already butterflied or cutlets, butterfly the chicken: Place your hand over the top of each chicken breast. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the breast horizontally, leaving the edge intact so it can open up like a book (or butterfly!). Unfold the breast like a book, then cut along the fold to separate the two halves.

**Sauce ideas include ketchup, honey mustard, homemade ranch dressing, Caesar dressing, special sauce, or yum yum sauce.

Other serving ideas: Add to a Caesar salad to make chicken Caesar. Use nuggets in bowl meals like power bowls, hummus bowls, rice bowls, or replace the salmon in this salmon crunch bowl with spicy mayo. Use leftovers in chicken tacos topped with lime crema.

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/homemade-chicken-nuggets/