Keto Chicken Nuggets Recipe

You can feel good about feeding your kids and yourself chicken nuggets. These homemade Keto homemade chicken nuggets can be pan-fried or oven-baked and will be a family favorite! Freeze a batch and keep in the freezer for a quick meal or snack for your kids. They will be asking for them all the time! 

Since I was a kid chicken nuggets have ALWAYS been one of my favorite foods, and honestly still are one of my all-time favorites. Combine chicken nuggets with mashed potatoes and that is my go-to meal. What’s weird is that when I’m sick all I want are nuggets and mashed potatoes…I know it sounds strange. Give it a try though, and you won’t be disappointed. 

The great thing about this recipe is that you can eat it while on a low carb diet or if you are gluten-free, dairy-free, yeast-free, and sugar-free. Pretty hard to find all of those requirements in a restaurant or fast food place. But with these crispy homemade chicken nuggets, you get all of those, plus they are quite delicious as well!! 

What Are Chicken Nuggets?

What are chicken nuggets exactly? Well for starters they are small pieces of fried or baked deliciousness. 

A chicken nugget is a product made from chicken meat that is either breaded or battered, then baked or fried. They are most popular at fast-food restaurants, and if you have kids then they are most likely a staple in your freezer. 

What Part of the Chicken is a Chicken Nugget Made From?

Chicken nuggets are typically made from white meat, either chicken breast or tenderloins. Chicken nuggets are my favorite way to eat white meat chicken. 

Our chicken nuggets are made from 100% breast meat because it’s healthier and it just tastes so good.

A lot of restaurants and fast-food chains use ground chicken, and some even throw in the leftover parts of the chicken that nobody wants to eat. And that is why we prefer to use 100% breast meat. 

Are Chicken Nuggets Healthy?

People automatically think that chicken nuggets are bad for you and are not healthy food. Now, that can be the case depending on how they are made and how they are cooked. 

But overall to me these homemade keto chicken nuggets are a MUCH healthier choice than any frozen chicken nugget you will get at the grocery store. 

With these nuggets, we both know exactly what ingredients are used and there are no fillers at all, including preservative-free. 

So in the end, I feel like these homemade chicken nuggets are a pretty healthy option. 

Are Chicken Nuggets Keto?  – Explain why

How many net carbs are in chicken nuggets? Here’s a breakdown of our chicken nuggets compared to other ones. 

• McDonalds’: 4 piece nuggets – 15 NET CARBS

• Wendy’s: 4 piece nuggets – 10 NET CARBS

• Our Homemade Keto Chicken Nuggets: 4 nuggets – 4 NET CARBS

Quite a difference right?? I just love chicken nuggets!!!! 

What Ingredients are in Keto Chicken Nuggets?

Chicken – Most chicken nugget recipes call for white meat chicken. I chose to use chicken tenderloins, but breasts are fine as well. If you prefer chicken thighs, that’s good as well. No matter what cut of chicken you choose, make sure it’s boneless. 

Almond Flour  – This is used in the replacement of breadcrumbs. Make sure you use super-fine almond flour and not almond meal. 

Eggs – I used 4 eggs. That might seem like a lot, but when you double coat them you definitely need more eggs. If you chose to only coat them once, then 2 eggs should suffice. 

Spices – Combination of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and paprika. I love spices, the more the better is my thought process. 

Can I Make These WIthout Almond Flour?

Yes, these healthy low carb or keto chicken nuggets can be made without using almond flour. 

A few other ways to coat them:

• Pork Rinds – Put the pork rinds into a food processor and pulse until they are crumbs. Add spices and use instead of almond flour.
• Combo of pork rinds and parmesan cheese – (Not a dairy-free option)
• Coconut flour – this is great if you have a nut allergy.

What Are the Best Seasonings to Use?

What seasonings should you use for your chicken nuggets? 

These are my go-to spices: 

• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Italian Seasoning
• Paprika 

Now if there is another one you like to use then, of course, feel free to use them. I tend to use these spices in a lot of our recipes including my Buffalo Chicken Wings and Garlic Parmesan Wings. (Except I don’t add Italian Seasoning to my wings, but it can be added for sure.) 

Can I Make These Without Eggs?

Making these low carb chicken nuggets without using eggs is possible. So instead of using eggs, you can use ¼ cup – ½ cup mayonnaise. Coat the nuggets in mayo, then in the almond flour.

You can redip into the mayo and then almond flour again if you choose to double coat the nuggets. I like doing it this way, but you can try coating it once instead if you prefer.  

How to Make Homemade Keto Chicken Nuggets from Scratch 

Making homemade keto chicken nuggets are easy and 1 batch makes about 24 nuggets…more if you cut them smaller than I did. 

First, start by cutting your chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Once they are all cut put them in a bowl and set aside.

Next, grab two bowls. In the first bowl add the almond flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning. Use a spoon to mix together. 

In the second bowl add the eggs and use a fork to whisk them.

Now it’s time to start dipping. 

Step 1: Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then transfer to the almond flour. 

Step 2: Take the coated piece of chicken and redip it back into the egg, then back into the almond flour. Double coating them helps the breading to stay on while frying. 

Repeat steps 1 and 2 with all the chicken nuggets. 

Once all the chicken has been coated now it’s time to fry them. 

How Long Does it Take to Cook Chicken Nuggets?

Add olive oil to the pan and turn on to medium-high heat. You want to wait a few minutes before adding the nuggets to make sure the oil is ready. To do this, I pick up one piece and slowly dip a corner of the nugget into the oil to see if it’s starting to sizzle. 

Once the oil is ready, place in about 5-7 pieces, depending on how big your pan is. Be careful not to overcrowd the chicken. 

Cook the nuggets for about 2-4 minutes on each side. Be careful when flipping over so the coating doesn’t come off. Keep in mind, the bigger the nugget the longer it will take to cook fully through and frying times will vary a bit depending on your stove and burners.

You want your keto chicken nuggets to be nice and crispy on the outside, but juicy on the inside. 

Make sure to place the nuggets on a plate with a paper towel under them to soak up the excess oil.

Cook all the nuggets and serve while hot!  

Best Tips for Homemade Keto Chicken Nuggets 

• Because I double coat the chicken I used 4 eggs. However, if you choose not to double coat, then 2 eggs will be enough.
• If baking in the oven, lightly spraying the chicken nuggets with a cooking spray will help to crisp them up. 
• For make-ahead nuggets: follow the recipe, then let them cool. Place in a freezer bag and put it into the freezer for up to a month. When ready to reheat, cook them for about 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees.   
• Marinating the chicken in sour cream ahead of time will help to tenderize the meat. If you are dairy-free full-fat coconut milk will work instead of the sour cream.
• Air-frying: Preheat to 400 degrees. Place chicken nuggets in the air-fryer basket, single layer. Spray the nuggets lightly with a cooking spray. Cook in several batches for about 7 minutes per batch. 

Can I Bake Low Carb Chicken Nuggets without Frying Them?

Baking your low carb nuggets is definitely an option. One thing to keep in mind though when baking keto chicken nuggets is that they won’t get as crispy as if you were to fry them. So if you like them crispy, then my recommendation is to quickly pan fry them, then put them in the oven to finish baking them. 

But if you want to bake them from the start then preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper to prevent sticking, and bake for 6-8 minutes, then flip over and bake for another 6-8 minutes, or until cooked through.  If you spray them with a little bit of cooking spray, I’ve heard that it will help to crisp them up while they are baking. 

Can I Use the Air-Fryer?

Should you use an Air-fryer? Sure, you can use an air-fryer to cook your homemade low carb chicken nuggets if you like.

1. Preheat the air-fryer to 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
2. Coat the chicken according to my recipe.
3. Place the chicken nuggets in the air-fryer basket in a single layer (You will need to make several batches).
4. Then spray the nuggets with a cooking spray and cook each batch for about 7 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. 

Different Variations of Chicken Nuggets 

• Cheese – Add some grated parmesan cheese to the almond flour to make them parmesan-crusted chicken nuggets.
• Buffalo Chicken Nuggets – Toss the nuggets in some buffalo sauce to make easy boneless buffalo bites.
• Non-Keto: Instead of breadcrumbs or almond flour you can use crushed potato chips, such as Kettle chips. 

Other Diets This Recipe is Good For

This recipe for crispy keto chicken nuggets is suitable for many people with diet restrictions.

Gluten-Free: Being made with almond flour makes this recipe completely gluten-free. If you have a gluten allergy it can be a challenge finding things like chicken nuggets that are gluten-free. Or when you do find them in a grocery store, they are so expensive for such a small bag. Now you can make a big batch of gluten-free nuggets for much cheaper. 

Dairy-Free – Another fabulous perk of these homemade chicken nuggets is they are dairy-free! They don’t contain any dairy whatsoever. I’m excited for all of you dairy-free people out there, cause I know it can be a challenge at times to find recipes suitable for you. 

Candida Friendly – While on a Candida diet there are so many things you can’t have. But all of the ingredients in this recipe are perfectly acceptable.   

Sugar-Free – There is no added sugar to this recipe, unlike frozen store-bought ones. To be honest there is absolutely no need for chicken nuggets to have sugar in them. 

Unfortunately, these homemade keto chicken nuggets are NOT Nut-free due to the almond flour. But to make them nut-free due to a nut allergy, you can use coconut flour or use crushed pork rinds. By making this change those who are allergic to nuts will have a delicious homemade chicken nugget recipe. 

What Goes with Homemade Chicken Nuggets?

What can I serve with these homemade low carb chicken nuggets? 

You can serve them as an appetizer with an assortment of dipping sauces, perfect for any party. Or you can serve them as a main course for you and your family. I guarantee your kids would love that!! If you want to have them for dinner you can serve them with a plethora of low carb and keto sides. 

• Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Roasted Broccoli
• Keto Dinner Rolls 
• Creamed Spinach
• Loaded Cauliflower Casserole 
• Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes – One of my personal favorites….love to dip my nuggets into my mashed potatoes
• Cauliflower Mac and Cheese – Together with Keto chicken nuggets it’s a perfect kid’s meal!

What Type of Dipping Sauces Go With Chicken Nuggets?

Chicken nuggets and dipping sauces go together like peanut butter and jelly. There are several low carb options, considering that chicken goes with so many different things. 

Here are a few low carb and keto ideas: 

• Low carb Ketchup, I recommend using Primal Kitchen Organic Unsweetened Ketchup
• Keto BBQ Sauce
• Keto Tartar Sauce
• Spicy Brown Mustard
• Homemade Ranch Dressing
• Tzatziki Sauce
• Fry Sauce – ¼ cup mayo, 2 tbsp sugar-free ketchup, 1 tsp vinegar, salt and pepper

Non-Keto dipping sauces:

• Ketchup
• BBQ Sauce – I prefer Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
• Honey Mustard 
• Ranch Dressing – Hidden Valley Ranch

How to Store Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Store your leftover low carb chicken nuggets in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container.  If you love nuggets the way I do, or your kids love them, I have a feeling they won’t last in the fridge too long. 

How to Reheat Chicken Nuggets

You might think I’m a weirdo but I actually like my chicken nuggets cold! I know, I’m strange….haha 

But for those of you who like your chicken nuggets reheated, it’s super easy. 

You can place them on a plate and cover them with a paper towel, and microwave them for 30-60 seconds depending on how hot you like them. 

Or you can place them on a baking tray and pop them in the oven for about 10 minutes on 350 degrees.

Can You Freeze Homemade Chicken Nuggets?

To freeze your homemade low carb chicken nuggets, put them into an airtight container or a large Ziploc bag. Put them into the freezer and store for about 1 month. 

To reheat after being frozen, place on a baking tray and cook for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees. 

Please make sure that the chicken nuggets are cooled down to room temperature before you store them in the fridge or freezer. 

More Keto Chicken Recipes

If you’re in the mood for some other Low Carb Chicken recipes then try our:

• Greek Chicken Bowls
• Tandoori Chicken Masala Wraps

They all are Keto-friendly and low carb, and will be a hit at your next party!

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