Baked Chicken Nuggets are a healthier alternative to the classic fried version and kids will love these homemade nuggets breaded in crushed tortilla chips and rice krispies cereal!
They’re so easy to make! Finish them off with a drizzle of homemade Buffalo sauce or dip them in Maple Mustard Sauce for a punch of flavor!
If you’re a sucker for chicken wings or tenders, you’re going to go crazy for this Homemade Chicken Nuggets recipe! Made with a special coating, these nuggets have lots of crunch without being fried.
Matt and I are big fans of chicken tenders, nuggets, and boneless wings, but we usually only enjoy them when we go out to eat. Or we swing into our favorite fast food place… cough cough… Chick-fil-A!
Of course, that can get pricey, plus those deep-fried tenders pretty high-cal… not ideal. Which is why we love this crispy oven baked recipe! And Evie loves them too!
How To Make Baked Chicken Nuggets:
Baked nuggets are crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and covered in a tangy sauce and zesty spices. Trust me, they’ll make you forget all about the frier!
The secret to the scrumptious texture is the coating! Instead of traditional bread crumbs or batter, these are made with crushed tortilla chips and crispy rice cereal. When ground in a food processor, these two ingredients create a mixture that’s flavorful and wonderfully salty.
The chicken chunks are coated in flour and spices, dredged in an egg wash, then rolled in those tasty crumbs before baking. Last, the chicken is drizzled in that tangy homemade Buffalo sauce. Or you can keep them plain if you want!
- Begin by preheating the oven and lining a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.
- Add the tortillas chips and the rice cereal to a food processor and process into crumbs. Pour into a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a small shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and set aside.
- Add the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to a gallon Ziploc bag, shake to mix and set aside.
- Prepare the boneless skinless chicken breasts by cutting into approximately 24 small chunks that are roughly the same size.
- Add the chicken pieces to the bag with the seasonings and shake to coat the chicken.
- Work in an assembly line to take the floured pieces one by one and dip them in the beaten egg, then coat them in the crumb mixture. Shake off any excess during each step, then place on the baking sheet 1 inch apart and bake.
- While the wings are cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients. When the wings come out of the oven, drizzle the sauce over them. Or choose another one of your favorite dipping sauces!
- Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing, if desired.
How do you make Buffalo sauce?
Technically, Buffalo sauce is just a blend of hot sauce and butter, but this recipe takes it a little further in flavor!
A little butter, some hot sauce, a spoonful of apple cider vinegar, and a hint of honey does the trick! Just whisk it all together and drizzle or dunk!
You can enjoy these any night of the week. In my house, we often make a meal out of these, but they also make hearty, tasty snacks!
If you have kids with ravenous friends, try making a batch or two of this Baked Chicken Nuggets recipe to satisfy hunger. These are also perfect for potlucks or casual get-togethers, plus I have two more words for you: GAME DAY!
And let’s not forget, these Healthy Chicken Nuggets mean way less guilt. If you really want to be good, try adding a handful of tenders to a bowl of greens.
With a drizzle of blue cheese or ranch dressing (low fat, of course), it makes a killer salad! Spend less money and savor more flavor with this recipe. Perfect for any occasion, they’ll definitely become a family favorite!
If you’re making these for the big game, check out my Super Bowl Bingo for some extra family fun! These Baked Chicken Wings and Air Fryer Chicken Wings are delicious too if you prefer bone-in!
More Delicious Game Day Recipes
- Peach Barbecue Little Smokies – Drenched in flavor!
- Buffalo Chicken Dip – Always a favorite at parties!
- Cheesy Bacon BBQ Chicken Dip – So addictive!
- Pretzel Pigs In A Blanket – This twist on a classic in genius!
- Guacamole – You can never have too much of this!
- Cowboy Caviar – A fan favorite!
Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets
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Baked Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 cups corn tortilla chips
- 2 cups crispy rice cereal
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
Buffalo Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- ¼ cup hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.
- Add the tortillas chips and the rice cereal to a food processor and process into crumbs. Pour into a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and set aside.
- Add the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground pepper, and salt to a gallon Ziploc bag, shake to mix and set aside.
- Prepare the chicken by cutting into approximately 24 small chunks that are roughly the same size.
- Add the chicken to the bag with the seasonings and shake to coat.
- Work in an assembly line to take the floured pieces one by one and dip them in the beaten egg, then coat them in the crumb mixture. Shake off any excess during each step, then place on the baking sheet 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
- While the wings are cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients. When the wings come out of the oven, drizzle the sauce over them.
- Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing, if desired.
Notes
- Sauce can be omitted and you can leave nuggets plain and dip them in a different sauce or ketchup.
- Nutritional information is an estimate that does not include the sauce.
Sara says
Chicken wings thats very tasty tried this yesterday came out very well. Thanks for the recipe.
Tanya Schroeder says
I consider myself a real wing connoisseur and these are some of the best wings I’ve seen!