Baked Chicken Nuggets

Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets! This is our all time favorite chicken nugget recipe. Incredibly easy to make and less than 30 minutes from start to finish! Be sure to double the batch so you can freeze some for later!

Make it a meal and serve this chicken recipe with a side salad and homemade bbq sauce for dipping!

single chicken nugget being held above a plate of nuggets


 

This post was originally published February 21, 2013. It has since been updated to include fresh photos and helpful tips.

Recipe Features

  • Super Simple Dinner: This is such a quick meal. Pair it with steamed veggies or baked tater tots for a delicious alternative to fast food.
  • Customizable: You can use your favorite seasonings, add parmesan cheese, and even use crushed crackers in place of breadcrumbs.
  • Freezer Friendly: We always double, and sometimes triple, this recipe to keep extras in the freezer. Perfect for a quick lunch or snack!

This recipe is a recipe of love. We have a slight nugget obsession here in the One Sweet Appetite household. Mc Donald’s, Chick Fil A, and Wendy’s are among some of our all-time favorites. That being said, we’re not always up for take out. Enter these delicious and Easy Baked Chicken Nuggets!

These come together incredibly quick and are loaded with flavor. Picky eater approved and one of the most requested dinners from our teen. He claims that these are almost better than fast food.

glass square bowl filled with flour and spices on a wooden tabletop

Homemade Chicken Nugget Ingredients

  • Egg: One egg that is whisked with water. This provides the perfect “glue” for the dry ingredients.
  • Flour: This is a key ingredient to making sure your chicken nuggets are crisp and perfect.
  • Seasonings: We have tried several different seasonings and have two that are our favorites. First, Dan O’s. It’s delicious all inclusive seasoning that tastes great on chicken. OR, as written in the recipe, you can use salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, and paprika.
  • Breadcrumbs: I used plain breadcrumbs, but you can also tone down the added seasoning and opt for Italian seasoned.
  • Chicken: I have only made this with chicken breasts. Pounded to an even thickness and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
  • Cooking Spray: A quick mist of oil spray is perfect to help get that golden brown finish. I use avocado oil.

Want even more chicken dinner inspiration? Try my Oven Roasted Chicken Breast, Malibu Chicken Recipe, or my Easy Chicken Pot Pie!

unbaked chicken nuggets covered in breadcrumbs sitting on a baking tray

Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets

  1. PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place an oven safe cooking rack inside of a baking tray and set aside for later.
  2. MIX: In one shallow bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and 3/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. In the last bowl, add 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Set these aside.
  3. CUT: Pound the chicken breast to 1/2 inch thickness. I like to do this by placing the chicken into a ziptop bag and pounding with a meat tenderizer (affiliate). Cut each chicken breast into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
  4. DIP: Dip each chicken piece in the prepared ingredients in this order: Egg , flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
  5. BAKE: Place in a single layer on the prepared baking tray. Mist with cooking spray and bake 10 minutes. Flip the chicken and bake 10 minutes more, or until lightly browned and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Helpful Tools

  • Cooking Rack: Using an oven safe cooking rack (affiliate) helps bake around the entire nugget. This gives you the perfect crisp finish!
  • Baking Tray: Not all baking trays are made equal. Using a quality tray (affiliate) is going to help give you a more even bake. Thinner trays will cook the outside too quickly leaving you with dry chicken.
  • Cutting Boards: Using a sharp chef knife and a good set of cutting boards (affiliate) will help this recipe come together quickly.
white plate topped with golden brown chicken nuggets and a small white bowl filled with ketchup

Recipe Notes:

How long do chicken nuggets go in the oven for?

I have found that 20 minutes of baking time, flipping one time halfway through, is the perfect amount for a 1 1/2 inch nugget.

Do you have to flip chicken nuggets in the oven?

Technically, no. However, flipping the chicken halfway through the baking time helps to give you an even crisp on both sides.

How long do these homemade nuggets last?

Store leftovers in an airtight container inside the refrigerator. This should keep them fresh for 1 to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes before eating.

Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes! Make the recipe. Once you have all of the baked nuggets, let them cool completely. Place in a single layer on a tray and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to one hour. This helps keep the chicken nuggets from sticking together later.
Once slightly frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag and freeze fully.
When ready to enjoy, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Warm the nuggets for 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Can these be made in an air fryer?

Yes! In fact, we love to make this recipe in our air fryer. I have a post that walks you through how to make chicken nuggets in an air fryer.

single nugget being dunked into a white bowl filled with ketchup

Still Hungry? Follow One Sweet Appetite on InstagramPinterest, and Facebook!

5 from 3 votes

Baked Chicken Nuggets

Author Jesseca
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Serves: 6 servings
Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets! This is our all time favorite chicken nugget recipe. Incredibly easy to make and less than 30 minutes from start to finish! Be sure to double the batch so you can freeze some for later!

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place an oven safe cooking rack inside of a baking tray and set aside for later.
  •  In one shallow bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and 3/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. In the last bowl, add 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Set these aside.
  • Pound the chicken breast to 1/2 inch thickness. I like to do this by placing the chicken into a ziptop bag and pounding with a meat tenderizer (affiliate). Cut each chicken breast into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
  • Dip each chicken piece in the prepared ingredients in this order: Egg , flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
  • Place in a single layer on the prepared baking tray. Mist with cooking spray and bake 10 minutes. Flip the chicken and bake 10 minutes more, or until lightly browned and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Nutrition

Serving: 4nuggetsCalories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 21gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 426mgPotassium: 351mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 191IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg

The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.

Course Dinner Recipes
Cuisine American
pinterest graphic image of a hand holding a single chicken nugget with text overlay reading "crispy baked chicken nuggets"

Sharing is caring!

Categories:

, , , , ,
5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




7 Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing this Baked Nugget recipe, I will try

  2. 5 stars
    So tasty and the kids love them.

    1. I’m glad your kids love them! Nothing like a homemade chicken nugget.

  3. 5 stars
    Oh My Jesseca, this recipe looks so good :)! I cant wait to try it! Yumm! BTW: Your blog is looking awesome I love the new design!

    1. Thanks Karina! I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages!

  4. I just licked my computer screen. Those look so good!

    1. Thanks Melanie! Sooooooo sad your 12 dates of christmas are over, but looking forward to some New York posts from you!!

More Recipes You'll Love...