These keto chicken nuggets are seasoned with garlic and cayenne, coated in almond flour, and baked until golden and juicy.
I make these chicken nuggets often. They're juicy, flavorful, and so easy to make. Coating chicken breast before baking makes it so much more interesting! I use almond flour in this recipe, Parmesan in my Parmesan chicken tenders, and crushed pork rinds in these pork rind chicken tenders. Each coating adds lots of flavor and creates a delicious golden crust.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- To season: Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't make the nuggets spicy. Rather, it adds a layer of interesting flavor.
- For the coating: Almond flour. I prefer superfine almond flour because it adheres better to the chicken pieces.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Mix an egg with spices in a small bowl, and place almond flour in another bowl. Dip the chicken pieces in the seasoned egg and dredge them in almond flour.
Arrange the nuggets on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Coat them with oil and bake them for 8 minutes per side in a 450°F oven.
Serve immediately.
Amazing! Made it twice, first time using almond flour , second time with quinoa flour. Everyone love them! Thanks for the recipe.
Lil
Amazing! Made it twice, first time using almond flour , second time with quinoa flour. Everyone love them! Thanks for the recipe.Recipe Tip
The biggest challenge is getting almond flour crisp and browned without burning it. It won't be as crispy as breadcrumbs, but we don't want it soggy. To achieve this, don't crowd the nuggets on the baking sheet. You can use an oven-safe wire rack to promote airflow.
Sometimes, you'll find that the chicken is fully cooked, but the coating is still pale, as shown in the image below. This can happen if your chicken is extra moist. For example, if it contains an added saline solution, causing it to release more moisture during cooking and brown less readily.
When this happens, I switch the oven to broil and replace the parchment paper with foil. I broil the nuggets in the middle of the oven (not directly below the element) for 2-3 minutes per side, until they are nicely browned, as shown in the photo below.
Keep a close eye on them when broiling. They won't all brown at the same time. Switch them around on the pan or remove the browned ones to a plate, then keep broiling the rest. Eventually, they should all become browned and fairly crispy, though not as crispy as a breadcrumb coating.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Instead of the egg, use ¼ cup of melted butter. However, an egg is a better binder for the almond flour coating.
Yes. You can replace the almond flour with grated Parmesan cheese or finely crushed pork rinds.
Don't worry about making them identical. A little variation is inevitable, and trimming them to identical sizes would waste perfectly good chicken.
Don't bake these nuggets at 350°F for 30 minutes, as some recipes instruct. Baking them in a hot 450°F oven makes the coating crispier, helps seal in the juices, and keeps the meat juicy.
Serving Suggestions
Side Dishes
I like to serve these nuggets with roasted zucchini or roasted peppers, which you can cook in the same 450°F oven. Another excellent side dish is a salad. I often serve them with one of the following:
- Cucumber tomato salad
- Arugula salad
- Cucumber salad with vinegar
- Cherry tomato salad
- Homemade coleslaw, as shown in the photo below
Dips
When I serve them as an appetizer, I like to add a dip. Good options, shown in the image below, include sriracha mayo, Dijon mustard, ranch dressing, and sugar-free ketchup.
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. The almond flour coating is a bit fragile, so handle the nuggets carefully. I don't recommend freezing them. The coating will not survive the freezing and thawing process.
The photo below shows an easy lunch of reheated nuggets, tomatoes, pickles, and mustard.
Recipe Card
Keto Chicken Nuggets
Video
Ingredients
- Avocado oil spray
- 2 chicken breasts - 8 ounces each
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt - or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - or to taste
- 1 cup superfine almond flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper or nonstick foil and coat it with avocado oil.Avocado oil spray
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, about 1.5 inches. Pat them dry with paper towels.2 chicken breasts
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Place the almond flour in another bowl.1 large egg, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 cup superfine almond flour
- Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, then dredge it in the almond flour, pressing to coat. To avoid a sticky mess, use one hand to dip in the egg and the other to dredge in the almond flour.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spray them lightly with avocado oil. Bake until the bottom is golden, about 8 minutes.
- Carefully flip, spray with more oil, and bake for about 8 more minutes, until golden and cooked through. Their internal temperature should reach 165ºF.
- To promote browning, if your baking dish is broiler-safe and lined with foil (not parchment), finish by broiling the chicken nuggets in the middle of the oven for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Watch them closely to ensure they don't burn.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Seasonings, especially salt, are just guidelines. Adjust to taste.
- You won't use all the almond flour. You'll only use about half. But you need all of it to properly dredge the chicken pieces. The nutrition info reflects that.
- The coating won't be as crispy as breadcrumbs, but we don't want it soggy. To achieve this, don't crowd the nuggets on the baking sheet. You can use an oven-safe wire rack to promote airflow. Sometimes, the chicken is fully cooked, but the coating is still pale. When this happens, I switch the oven to broil and replace the parchment paper with foil. I broil the nuggets in the middle of the oven (not directly below the element) for 2-3 minutes per side, until they are nicely browned. They won't all brown at the same time. Switch them around on the pan or remove the browned ones to a plate, then keep broiling the rest.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. The almond flour coating is a bit fragile, so handle the nuggets carefully. I don't recommend freezing them.
Nutrition per Serving
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Lil says
Amazing! Made it twice, first time using almond flour , second time with quinoa flour. Everyone love them! Thanks for the recipe.
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Lil!