You probably already know and enjoy them, but these are considerably healthier and created from scratch with some unnoticed extra nutrients! Everything you could possibly desire in a handmade chicken nugget, plus so much more, are these nutritious baked chicken nuggets! They’re crispy and tasty, but they’re not deep-fried, so they’re still excellent for freezing!
They’re finally here, and this one has been on my list for a very long time! In addition to having everything you could ever desire from a chicken nugget, our Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets are also just what you would anticipate from an SFS recipe: a tasty take on a classic dish!
While it’s evident that deep-frying anything makes it tasty. However, we discover that toasting panko bread crumbs provides these nutritious chicken nuggets a delicious crispy exterior without all of the deep-fried oil. This makes for a healthier homemade chicken nugget. In addition, our ingredient of secret adds taste and extra nutrients without sacrificing the consistency of your chicken!
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Chicken: We like to make our handmade nuggets using ground chicken since it gives you additional taste options, not to mention our secret ingredient. They will grind the chicken for you if you can’t locate it at your grocery store; if you inquire, they’ll usually have it at the meat counter.
- Sweet Potato-Using some mashed sweet potato works even better than using an egg to glue everything together. It also gives a delightfully subtle sweet flavor and extra vitamins A, B, C, potassium, and fiber!
- Panko Bread Crumbs: While you are welcome to use whichever breadcrumbs you choose, we particularly enjoy using these Japanese-style bread crumbs since they are prepared from bread without crusts, which results in a breadcrumb that is dryer, airier, and flakier. We also use them for our chicken tenders that are baked.
- Parmesan cheese: To provide more cheesy, salty taste, we add them to the bread crumbs and ground chicken. If you want to keep these handmade, healthful chicken nuggets free of dairy, you may easily use another hard cheese, such Romano or Asiago, or leave it out completely.
- We use garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper as our spices, but you can also add some cayenne or chile powder for a little heat, a dash of mustard powder, or some savory oregano.
Easy to Make
Toast the bread crumbs.
The reason these small nuggets turn out so crispy without requiring deep frying is because of this initial step. This is something we also use with our ranch chicken tenders, and it really does make a difference. If you choose to forego this step, you will still have delicious handmade chicken nuggets; they simply won’t have as crispy a crust.
Combine Chicken
All you have to do is combine your chicken, cheese, seasonings, and mashed sweet potato.
Prepare the bread crumbs
When the mixed ground chicken is ready, add a bit extra cheese and salt to the bread crumbs to enhance the taste of the crispy coating.
Form
The exciting part is here: sculpting! These tiny handmade nuggets may be shaped into any desired form because the recipe uses ground chicken. Go crazy and get your most cherished cookie cutters to assist in shaping them, too! When I make them with them, my kids go crazy!
Cook!
These handmade chicken nuggets will cook in around 25 minutes, but we really appreciate our instant-read thermometer for ensuring that the internal temperature is 165 degrees if you’re ever concerned about doneness when it comes to (any) meat.
Baked Chicken Nuggets—Healthy Option! Simple to prepare, significantly healthier for you, and equally enjoyable for the kids to consume!
Serve them with your preferred dipping sauce for chicken nuggets, and you’ll win over your kids for supper while keeping a secret about how healthful they are!
Tips and Tricks
Use any alternative bread crumbs—gluten-free or not.
Panko bread crumbs without gluten are also available! or any other preferred bread crumbs; but, for optimal crispiness, we do advise toasting them beforehand!
Utilize cookie cutters to create shapes
We’re all familiar with oval forms, but you can also create interesting shapes with them by using your favorite cookie cutters! Just lightly spritz the cookie cutters with oil (we use our misto for this), then fill them with the chicken and dip them gently with bread crumbs.
Include your own seasonings.
Our recipes usually call for cheese, garlic, and onion, but we’ve also added some ground mustard, oregano, paprika, and a dash of cayenne to give these a bit more savory flavor!
Largen the batch and freeze it.
These handmade chunks of chicken freeze really well! Make a large amount, allow to cool, and freeze for up to three months! For freezing directions, see the recipe notes.
How should I reheat food?
As you normally would, but right out of the freezer. Arrange them in a single layer on a wire rack, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Is there anything more satisfying than a healthy but equally tasty copycat? We’ve won because our children don’t think so!
More Recipes You Might Like
Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Cut the sweet potato into 1-inch pieces after peeling. Transfer to a bowl after adding to a small saucepan of water. Boil until the sweet potato is fork-tender, about ten minutes. Mash and reserve half a cup.
- Preheat the oven to 400° and place parchment paper on a baking pan.
- Cover the parchment paper with panko bread crumbs and lightly spritz with misto or another type of olive oil spray.
- Bake for three minutes, then flip the tray and continue baking for an additional two to three minutes, or until the bread crumbs are browned.
- In the meantime, combine 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, sweet potato, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder with the ground chicken in a medium-sized bowl. Blend well.
- After the bread crumbs are toasted, combine them with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, Parmesan cheese, and a medium-sized bowl.
- Using your hands, gather a little bit of the ground chicken mixture and form it into an oval shape. Gently dip the object into the dish of panko bread crumbs, covering it completely. Arrange them on baking pans covered with parchment paper.
- Bake the nuggets for 25 minutes, or until they are at least 165 degrees within.
- Accompany with your preferred dipping sauce!
Notes
Keepsake
Refrigerator: Keep chilled for two to three days.
Freezer: Bake on a baking sheet, then allow to cool. To prevent them from freezing together, make sure they are absolutely cold before combining them. For up to three months, store in a freezer-safe container.
Sculpted Pieces
Make your own shapes with your own cookie cutters. To do this, lightly spritz the sides of a cookie cutter with Misto, then fill it with ground chicken. Carefully transfer the filled cookie cutter to the bowl of bread crumbs, coating it gently before placing it on the baking sheet. Replacements
Sweet Potato: Two eggs can be substituted for the sweet potatoes.
Seasonings: We also enjoy using paprika, cayenne, mustard powder, and oregano.
Warming Up After Freezing
Set oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place the frozen nuggets in a single layer on a wire rack, and bake for 20 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked.