Properly crisp and utterly delicious, these keto chicken nuggets are a real treat with all good-for-you ingredients. Oh, and they just so happen to be ideal for meal prepping!
The Best (Baked!) Keto Chicken Nuggets
Nice ‘N Crisp!
Think of these paleo and keto chicken nuggets as bite-sized pieces of heaven. Perfect as a snack, entree, meal… and even fairly terrific in a lovely fresh salad! Oh, and I’m fairly certain even the kiddos will dig them 😉
They’re also baked for a more mess-free and ‘hands-off’ approach. And if that wasn’t enough, they freeze great too!
So feel free to whip up a large batch while meal prepping and keep handy for a rainy day. I like to go ahead and bake the whole batch and store away the leftovers (simply defrost and re-bake until warm).
The Coating
For these keto chicken nuggets, I went for a ‘breading’ for baking rather than a batter (like in our fish tacos or ‘fish ‘n chips’). And I truly do love pork rinds (i.e. chicharrones!) more than anything for it. Plus, they’re the perfect balance between fat and protein with zero carbs (i.e. a keto dream come true!).
So before you freak out, there’s no after taste whatsoever. More like a wonderful crisp texture and amazing flavor. A lot of you ask me for brands, and I’ve loved the new baked variety from Epic (which has 40% less calories btw!). Because they’re not fried in lard, they’re drier and resemble panko crumbs so much.
Other than that, you’ll want to marinate the chicken in sour cream (with a touch of vinegar and spices). Then you’ll do three layers (almond flour, egg and pork rind blend) for the ultimate coating. And if dairy free, full-fat coconut milk actually does an awesome job in lieu of the sour cream.
Tips ‘N Tricks
Honestly not much to it! Simply cut up your chicken into small pieces, generally breast will slice cleaner but I used deboned thighs for extra juicy (and tasty!) results. Whatever works for you is fine!
Just try and marinade the chicken overnight– it’s a game changer. For any poultry dish really, always aim for an overnight marinade for best-tasting results (or at least 2-3 hours).
Other than that, my one advice for mess-free breading application would be to use one hand for dipping in the dry ingredients (i.e. the almond flour and pork rinds mix bowls) and your other hand for dipping in the egg. This way you won’t end up with battered up fingers!
The Ketchup
I seriously love chicken nuggets with ketchup (i.e. I wasn’t giving it up!), so I came across this unsweetened Primal Kitchen ketchup. And I’m just sorry I hadn’t tried it sooner…!
It’s taste is terrific IMO, ingredients are ace (no maltitol guys!!) and the macros are spot on. It is a little less sweet than the sugar-laden variety (obviously?), but you can always mix in a bit of allulose to taste if need be.
But I honestly love it more than the usual as its not ‘sickly sweet’ (and, per usual, not sponsored just happy to recommend!).
The Best (Baked!) Keto Chicken Nuggets
Properly crisp and utterly delicious, these keto chicken nuggets are a real treat with all good-for-you ingredients. Oh, and they just so happen to be ideal for meal prepping!Oh, and if baking with cups rather than grams is your thing, just click on US Cups for an instant conversion.
PREP TIME 20 minsCOOK TIME 20 minsMARINATING TIME 2 hrsTOTAL TIME 40 mins COURSE Entree, MainCUISINE American SERVINGS 4 servingsCALORIES 376 kcal
INGREDIENTS MetricUS Cups 1x2x3x
For the marinade
- 500 g chicken breast or debonned thigh (for extra juicy nuggets!), cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup sour cream or full-fat coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic ran through a press
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- kosher salt to taste
For the ‘breading’
- 1/2-1 cup almond flour as needed (or more pork rinds for a nut-free version)
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 90 g pork rinds crushed*
- 25 g Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- pinch cayenne pepper
- kosher salt to taste
Serving suggestions
- (sugar free!) ketchup **
- our marinara sauce
- chives finely chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Rinse and pat dry your chicken pieces. Set aside.
- In a large bowl suitable for marinating, mix together the sour cream, vinegar, poultry seasoning, garlic, freshly ground black pepper and season to taste. Add in the chicken, cover with cling film and marinate in the fridge for at least two hours (though preferably overnight!).
- Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- You will need three bowls for the three coatings. In bowl 1, place your almond flour (or more crushed pork rinds). In bowl 2, whisk your egg with sour cream. And in bowl 3, mix thoroughly together the crushed pork rinds, Parmesan cheese, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne and season to taste with salt (will vary quite a bit depending on the saltiness of your pork rinds).
- Dip your chicken pieces one at a time in the almond flour, followed by the egg, followed by the pork rinds mixture. Place in the prepared baking tray.
- Bake your chicken nuggets for 20-15 minutes until fully cooked (i.e. no longer pink and the juices run clear). Serve right away (though they’re also surprisingly good cold too!).
- Store in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to three months (they reheat great!).
NOTES
*A lot of you ask me for brands on pork rinds, and I’ve loved the new baked variety from Epic (which has 40% less calories btw!). Because they’re not fried in lard, they’re drier and resemble panko crumbs so much. **I seriously love chicken nuggets with ketchup (i.e. I wasn’t giving it up!), so I came across this unsweetened Primal Kitchen ketchup. And I’m just sorry I hadn’t tried it sooner…! It’s taste is terrific IMO, ingredients are ace (no maltitol guys!!) and the macros are spot on. It is a little less sweet than the sugar-laden variety (obviously?), but you can always mix in a bit of allulose to taste if need be. But I honestly love it more than the usual as its not ‘sickly sweet’ (and, per usual, not sponsored just happy to recommend!).Keep in mind that you can decrease the carb count even further by substituting the almond flour with more pork rinds (or even some whey protein). Though taste and texture was optimal with the flour.
NUTRITION
Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 677mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 1.6mg
