Keto chicken nuggets are coated in almond flour, then baked until deliciously crispy. The spicy chipotle dipping sauce is wonderful!
I make these tasty chicken nuggets often. They're really good, and my entire family enjoys them. It's interesting to see how coating chicken breast greatly improves its flavor.
This is true whether the coating is almond flour, as in this recipe; parmesan cheese, in these parmesan chicken tenders; or pork rinds, in pork rind crusted chicken tenders.
The ingredients you'll need
These are the ingredients you'll need to make these keto chicken nuggets (exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below) :
For the chipotle dipping sauce: Mayo, sour cream, and chipotle pepper sauce.
Cooking spray: Avocado oil has a neutral flavor and it's quite suitable for high-heat cooking.
Chicken breasts: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe.
Egg: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
Spices: I use garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Make sure they are fresh - a stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
Almond flour: An excellent flour substitute. I use blanched flour in this recipe. A coarse almond meal might work too, but I haven't tried it.
How to make keto chicken nuggets
It's very easy, as you can see in the video below. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. The basic steps:
1. Your first step is to cut raw chicken breasts into bite-size pieces.
2. Next, you dip the pieces in a seasoned egg and dredge them in almond flour.
3. The last step is to bake them for about 15 minutes at 450°F. That's it! Dinner is served.
Can you make this recipe without eggs?
Yes. Instead of the egg mixture, you can mix ¼ cup mayonnaise (I prefer avocado oil mayo) with the same spices, then coat the chicken pieces with that before dredging in the almond flour.
Can you make them without almond flour?
Yes! As mentioned above, almond flour is not the only option when it comes to keto or low carb coatings for chicken nuggets. Other options include dry-grated parmesan cheese and crushed pork rinds.
Do I have to use the chipotle dipping sauce?
Of course not! We're a family of two adults and two teenagers. We have grown-up tastes. So I add cayenne pepper to the nuggets and serve them with a chipotle dipping sauce in lieu of ketchup.
But you can certainly serve them with any dip you like, such as mustard or sugar-free ketchup. And if you serve them to young children, you might want to omit the cayenne.
How to serve keto chicken nuggets
You can serve them as a snack or an appetizer, 4 pieces per person. Or serve them as a main course, 6-8 pieces per person, with your favorite side dish.
I like to serve them with baked zucchini fries. I simply bake the zucchini in the same 450°F oven for 10 minutes per side.
What about leftovers?
You can keep the leftover in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave on 50% power, or in a 300°F oven.
The almond flour coating is a bit fragile, so be careful when handling the nuggets. I never tried freezing them, so I'm not sure about that.
More chicken breast recipes that you might enjoy
The very basic recipe for juicy baked chicken breast does indeed make nicely flavored, juicy chicken breast that you can use in salads, in wraps, and in many other recipes such as stuffed poblano peppers.
And another family favorite that I make often is this recipe for baked keto chicken tenders.
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Keto Chicken Nuggets
INGREDIENTS
Chipotle dipping sauce:
- ¼ cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper sauce (or more, depending on taste)
Chicken nuggets:
- Avocado oil spray
- 2 medium chicken breasts, 8 oz each
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit if serving these to young children!)
- 1 cup blanched finely ground almond flour
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with avocado oil spray.
- Prepare the chipotle dipping sauce by mixing its ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Cut the chicken breasts into nugget-sized pieces, as shown in the video below.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
- Place the almond flour in another small bowl.
- Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, then dredge in the almond flour, pressing to coat. To avoid sticky mess, use one hand to dip in the egg, and the second hand to dredge in the almond flour.
- Arrange the chicken nuggets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spray them with avocado oil. Bake until the bottom is golden, about 8 minutes.
- Carefully flip, spray with more oil, and bake until golden and cooked through, about 8 more minutes.
- To promote browning, if your baking dish is broiler-safe, you can finish by broiling the chicken nuggets, in the middle of the oven, for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve immediately, with the chipotle dipping sauce.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
More recipes to try
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 