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Baked Chicken Nuggets Recipe

Our go-to Chicken Nuggets! I have been working on developing a homemade chicken nugget recipe for years and tested countless versions. These are easy (a 30-minute recipe), freezer-friendly, and family approved.

Baked chicken nuggets are low fat and healthier than fried. They are crisp on the outside and tender inside.

Dipping baked chicken nuggets in ketchup

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Homemade Chicken Nuggets:

Everyone loves chicken nuggets! There’s something so nostalgic about dunking a crisp and juicy chicken nugget into Avocado Ranch, or good old fashioned ketchup. Also, try them with our homemade fry sauces.

There is nothing great about store-bought nuggets. Consider this – when a box says “made with real chicken breast meat.” Does that mean some are made with fake chicken meat? And what else exactly goes into those nuggets? All of those scientific sounding additives on the label must be ok, right? With homemade, you know exactly what’s in these nuggets and you’ll feel good making them for your family.

Homemade chicken nuggets breaded and baked

Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Nuggets:

These have simple ingredients: chicken breast, garlic salt, and pepper, but there is a surprising ingredient that creates the texture of store-bought nuggets that our children love. That special ingredient is potato flakes. You only need 1 Tbsp, but it is the key to the right texture.

For the crust, we use a mixture of parmesan cheese and crushed corn flakes, which produces the best color (without pre-baking the crumbs), great flavor and a crisp texture.

Ingredients for homemade chicken nuggets with chicken breast, potato flakes, corn flakes, parmesan cheese, garlic salt and pepper.

To Substitute the Corn Flakes:

You can use 3/4 cup panko crumbs instead of corn flakes. To get the panko crumbs golden, spray your nuggets with cooking spray before baking and bake for 13 min (turning halfway), then broil nuggets an additional 2 minutes to give them a golden glow.

Can I Substitute the Potato Flakes?

You can substitute 1 Tbsp potato flakes (Instant Mashed Potatoes) with 2 Tbsp bread crumbs and add just enough water for the mixture to feel moist but not wet.

The Best Chicken for Chicken Nuggets:

We love using chicken breast for that classic light-colored center. Well trimmed chicken tenders or even chicken thighs would also work well.

Baked chicken nugget made with chicken breast bitten into showing the tender center

How to Make Chicken Nuggets:

1. Pulse corn flakes in a Food Processor or high powered blender until fine crumbs form (or crush them with a rolling pin). In a shallow bowl, stir together 3/4 cup crumbs and grated parmesan

2. In the bowl of your clean food processor, combine chicken pieces, potato flakes, water, garlic salt, and black pepper. Pulse until chicken is finely chopped.

3. Dip your hands in water to prevent sticking then roll and flatten chicken into small nuggets (using about 1 Tbsp of the meat mixture for each nugget). Roll the nuggets into bread crumbs, pressing gently for crumbs to stick. Bake or freeze at this point (see freezing instructions below).

4. Transfer nuggets to lined baking sheet and bake at 375˚F for 15 min on the middle rack or just until cooked through (and a safe 165˚F on an instant-read thermometer), flipping them halfway.

Step by step tutorial how to make chicken nuggets

How to Freeze Chicken Nuggets:

Chicken nuggets should be frozen before they are baked or they can dry out baking them twice. Once they are breaded, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them a single layer for 1 hour or until firm, then transfer to freezer-safe zip bags and store up to 3 months.

Bake frozen nuggets at 400˚F for 15-18 minutes or just until cooked through with an internal temperature of 165˚F.

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets:

You can bake these in the air fryer. Just like our Air Fryer Chicken Wings, these turn out extra crispy. Place the nuggets on the air fryer basket in a single layer and bake at 400˚F for 8 minutes, turning halfway. Bake just until cooked through and the centers read 165˚F.

Air Fryer Chicken nuggets on baking sheet

More Kid-Friendly Recipes:

These family-friendly recipes are sure to please even the pickiest eaters.

Baked Chicken Nuggets Recipe

4.87 from 140 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Baked Chicken Nuggets. These are crisp on the outside and juicy inside. Freezer Friendly! @natashaskitchen
Our go-to homemade Chicken Nuggets recipe! These are so easy and kid-friendly. Baked chicken nuggets are crisp on the outside and tender inside. 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people (makes about 24 nuggets)
  • 1 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless and cut into pieces
  • 1 Tbsp potato flakes, (Instant mashed potatoes)
  • 1/3 cup cold water
  • 1 tsp garlic salt, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder + 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups corn flakes cereal, (3/4 cup crushed)*
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Pulse 2 1/2 cups corn flakes in a food processor until fine crumbs form (or take a rolling pin to them in a large zip-loc bag). In a shallow bowl, stir together 3/4 cup crumbs and 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan.
  • In the bowl of your clean food processor or high powered blender, combine 1 lb chicken pieces, 1 Tbsp potato flakes, 1/3 cup water, 1 tsp garlic salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Pulse until chicken is finely chopped.
  • With wet hands, roll and flatten chicken into small nugget patties, using about 1 Tbsp of the meat mixture for each nugget. Roll the nugget into bread crumbs, pressing gently for crumbs to adhere. (Freezing Tip: You can freeze them once they are breaded; freeze them flat for 1 hour, then transfer to ziploc bags and store up to 3 months. When ready to bake them, bake frozen nuggets as directed in step 4).
  • Transfer nuggets to lined baking sheet and bake at 375˚F for 15 min on the middle rack or just until cooked through, flipping them over half way through baking. Remove from oven and let nuggets rest a few minutes before serving. P.S. Don't over-bake your nuggets or they will start to get dry.

Notes

*You can use 3/4 cup panko crumbs instead of corn flakes. To get the panko crumbs golden, spray nuggets with cooking spray before baking and bake for 13 min then broil nuggets additional 2 minutes to give them a golden glow.

Nutrition Per Serving

232kcal Calories27g Carbs20g Protein4g Fat1g Saturated Fat51mg Cholesterol707mg Sodium359mg Potassium1g Fiber2g Sugar565IU Vitamin A8.2mg Vitamin C52mg Calcium9mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Baked Chicken Nuggets Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
232
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
4
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Cholesterol
 
51
mg
17
%
Sodium
 
707
mg
31
%
Potassium
 
359
mg
10
%
Carbohydrates
 
27
g
9
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
20
g
40
%
Vitamin A
 
565
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
 
8.2
mg
10
%
Calcium
 
52
mg
5
%
Iron
 
9
mg
50
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken nuggets
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 232
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Note: Recipe initially posted in November 2014. The recipe has been updated with air fryer instructions. 

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the creator behind Natasha's Kitchen (established in 2009), and I share family-friendly, authentic recipes. I am a New York Times Best-Selling cookbook author and a trusted video personality in the culinary world. My husband, Vadim, and I run this blog together, ensuring every recipe we share is thoroughly tested and approved. Our mission is to provide you with delicious, reliable recipes you can count on. Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy you are here.

Read more posts by Natasha

4.87 from 140 votes (30 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  • Laura
    August 30, 2023

    I don’t have corn flakes, but have Special K – would that work?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 30, 2023

      Hi Laura! I haven’t tested that, but I think it could. They are a similar texture.

      Reply

  • Kelly
    July 7, 2023

    I had to comment on these wonderful things. My 2 year old has been refusing to eat meat for the past 6 months, and he actually ate these nuggets!! Make them for your picky kids. They are so yummy and well worth the work! I froze them and air fried them for 10 minutes at 400F (I sprayed them with olive oil spray). Another flawless Natasha’s Kitchen recipe. Thank you!!!!!!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 7, 2023

      Hi Kelly! That’s awesome. These are a hit for young and old. Thank you for the wonderful review.

      Reply

  • Sarah Jane Samia
    March 22, 2023

    Hey! Your recipe seems like the best i’ve read so far, but i have a few questions!
    1- i have no access to cooking spray. van i toast the breadcrumbs/corn flakes in the oven before breading the chicken, so i get the crunch?
    2- my freezer is not very deep, the drawers are quite small, so i can’t freeze them flat before putting them in a ziplock bag.
    Can i layer them in a Tupperware with a paper tower separating the layers?

    Thank you for your work! I can’t wait to try these

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 22, 2023

      Hi Sarah! I am not sure how that would turn out. Without testing that method, it would be hard to advise.

      Reply

  • Nelly
    March 13, 2023

    Great recipe! I’m making a batch now, but want to know if I can make the meat mixture ahead of time and store in fridge? I want to make fresh ones for kids the next day and freeze whatever they don’t eat. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 14, 2023

      Thanks, Nelly for your review. I imagine that will work, I hope your kids will love them!

      Reply

  • Frances
    December 8, 2022

    For the Parmesan, do you use the grated type in the shaker (like the type you sprinkle on pizza) or shredded kind that you can melt?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 8, 2022

      Hi Frances, I used finely grated parmesan from a container (see the image above for reference).

      Reply

  • Ric CampBell
    October 29, 2022

    These were a huge hit at my house! I will break out the fryer and make chicken fingers and they are good but oh, the cleanup. These come together really quickly and I did them in the air fryer. MONEY! I used chicken broth for the water and I mix my favorite BBQ sauce and Ranch dressing for dipping so I don’t have to choose one over the other. Thanks for the Recipe!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 29, 2022

      That’s great! So glad you all loved this recipe.

      Reply

  • Tatiana
    June 23, 2022

    I am wondering if chicken could be replaced with a fish to make fish sticks. Did anybody try it? I need a healthy alternative to store fish sticks for my picky eater.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 23, 2022

      Hi Tatiana, I have not tested that yet but I think it’s a great experiment! If you try that, please share with us how it goes.

      Reply

  • Janie stinson
    June 14, 2022

    This is a similar recipe that I made about 35 years ago when buying ground chicken was cheap and I could make a cookie sheet full for $.99 and my kids would devour the whole thing. I thought to add the potato flakes to help absorb the moisture that normally cooked out. I used shake and bake as the coating. I would also make burger sized patties and make a sandwich. Glad to see someone else did the same thing thing.

    Reply

  • Chrissy
    June 5, 2022

    My first time making home made chicken nuggets and they were a hit. My son is a picky eater (loves chicken nuggets) and he really liked these. For sure I’ll be making these again; much healthier!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      June 5, 2022

      Thanks for sharing that with u, Chrissy! Good to know that the recipe is a huge hit with your family!

      Reply

  • ken
    February 6, 2022

    Hi Natasha,
    I’ve made these 3 times now. First with white meal..great flavor just a little dry, Second with dark meat, Love dark meat but it just didn’t seem to work. The third time I used white meat but added about 1 tsp of coconut oil..Came out perfect..just a suggestion

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 7, 2022

      Thank you for your comments and suggestion, Ken. Also, overbaking the nuggets will make it dry.

      Reply

  • Jeanie
    January 11, 2022

    Hi Natasha, this recipe looks so yummy. Would it work if I omit the Parmesan cheese? My son has a dairy allergy.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      January 11, 2022

      Hi Jeanie, yes that would work with just a crumb coating without the cheese.

      Reply

  • Deb
    October 10, 2021

    These baked chicken nuggets are the best! So much flavor..tenderness..crunch and healthy. Everyone loved them..thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 10, 2021

      I’m happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Deb! Thank you for your review.

      Reply

  • Patty Mac
    June 9, 2021

    Why can’t you just use the chix pieces that you are actually cutting into nugget size instead of pulsing them into ground chicken?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 10, 2021

      Hi Patty! That will work too but it may take longer to reach the done temp. I hope you try and love this recipe!

      Reply

  • Megan
    May 26, 2021

    I wonder how these would do reheating the next day. I was thinking about bringing them for lunch but only have a microwave at work.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 26, 2021

      Hi Megan, yes, these reheat well. Keep in mind, the more times you reheat them, they can get dryer each time.

      Reply

  • Dimple
    May 6, 2021

    If I make these the day before may I store them in an air tight container and then bake the next day? Or do I have to freeze them?

    And if they are cold in the fridge would you suggest I just add a couple of minutes to the baking time?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 7, 2021

      Hi, you could make them ahead and refrigerate overnight. Coming out of the fridge, they might need maybe a minute longer and they should be good to go.

      Reply

  • Dimple
    May 5, 2021

    Hi Natasha, Can I make these just 1 day in advance and place in the fridge wrapped air tight and then bake the next day? If so, do I need to add a couple of minutes to the baking time?

    I do not want to make them too in advance and freeze but I just do not want to be scrambling last minute for the party and want to just pop them in the oven.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 5, 2021

      I prefer to freeze them before they are baked since this will omit the reheating part essential making the nuggets dry from baking twice. We haven’t noticed anything major, just be sure to store them properly.

      Reply

  • Elijah
    March 26, 2021

    I substituted the water with homemade seasoned chicken broth and they came out fantastic!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 27, 2021

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Elijah!

      Reply

  • Nousa
    March 19, 2021

    Hi Natasha, I don’t have any potatoes flak and I will use breadcrumbs instead as your advice. Do I use 1/3 cup of water as in your recipe plus more water for the breadcrumbs?
    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      March 20, 2021

      Hi Nousa, you will probably need less water if using bread crumbs. Add just enough water for the meat to feel moist but not wet.

      Reply

  • Karrie
    March 1, 2021

    I had to look at the recipe again to make sure I didn’t miss anything as I felt these were eh in the flavor department which is very unusual for one of your recipes. Maybe I was expecting too much from a simple chicken nugget, haha! Next time I will definitely add more salt to see if it helps bring out some flavor…

    Reply

    • Natasha
      March 2, 2021

      Hi Karrie, It may be under-seasoning the chicken. If you scale the amount of chicken up in the recipe, be sure to add more seasoning accordingly.

      Reply

  • PHYLLIS COOPER
    February 27, 2021

    Can these be frozen and if so, how long?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 27, 2021

      Hi Phyllis, Please see this section in the recipe How to Freeze Chicken Nuggets as it would have the info you need. I hope that helps.

      Reply

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