Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets aren't just for kids! They make a quick and easy lunch or dinner that we all love. These gluten-free and paleo chicken nuggets are crispy and delicious and can easily be made ahead and frozen. Perfect for meal prep!

A plate of healthy baked chicken nuggets with a bowl of dipping sauce beside them.

The last time I ate chicken nuggets I was probably a teenager. And why (WHY?) haven't I had them since? They're every bit as good as I remember them being. I feel like a fool for waiting so long to reacquaint myself with my childhood favorite lunch.

The chicken nuggets I remember from when I was a kid came in a package stored in the freezer. They were easy enough for 7-year-old me to pull out the package, put a few (several dozen) onto a baking tray and pop in the oven. I've got a batch of these healthy baked chicken nuggets in my freezer right now cause somedays 40-year-old me still needs an easy to make lunch.

What's awesome about these healthy baked chicken nuggets

  • Crispy on the outside and tender meat inside = delicious.
  • They're super easy to make. Not as easy as opening a pre-made bag, but 100% worth the few extra steps.
  • They are made with all good for you ingredients.
  • Paleo + gluten-free chicken nuggets.
  • Freezer friendly so you can make a big batch and cook them as you want them.

A bowl of chicken pieces in the egg wash being made into paleo chicken nuggets.

Gluten-free chicken nuggets ingredients

The nice thing about making homemade chicken nuggets is that you control exactly what goes into them. There are no scary or hard to pronounce ingredients. There are 4 things you'll need to make these:

  1. Chicken. I cut up chicken breasts but you could easily substitute chicken tenders. Boneless thighs give these nuggets even more flavor.
  2. Egg. This is what helps the breading stick. If there is an egg allergy in your family, a little oil or some milk works, too.
  3. Starch. I opt for tapioca starch as it's paleo and grain-free. Potato starch, cornstarch, and rice flour all work just as well.
  4. Spices. Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper give the chicken nuggets the right amount of flavor. Cayenne is nice if you want to add a hint of heat.

To make these nuggets, all you have to do is dip the chicken in the egg, then in starch mixed with spices, then bake them. So easy!

A bowl with seasoned tapioca starch and a few chicken pieces in it being made into gluten free chicken nuggets.

How to freeze homemade chicken nuggets

There are few better things than coming home starving and remembering that you're a domestic rockstar and have dinner waiting for you to pull out of the freezer and pop into the oven. These healthy nuggets are the best for meal prep.

  1. Make the chicken nuggets (but don't bake them.)
  2. Pop the nuggets (on the baking sheet) into your freezer.
  3. Let them freeze then put them into a resealable plastic bag.
  4. When you're ready to eat them, put them back on a tray and into your oven. Add about 15 extra minutes to the baking time.

That's it! It's super easy to make a big batch and save some for later.

A close up of crispy baked chicken nuggets.

Dipping sauce ideas

It's hard to go wrong with classic nugget dips like ketchup, BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, or mustard. My childhood favorite was an equal parts mix of honey and mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip!) which we creatively called Honey Mayo Sauce. Here are a few other ideas to kick it up a notch:

What to serve with homemade chicken nuggets

When lunch or dinner needs to be on the table stat, I will often keep the side easy and quick roast (ie: at 500 degrees) some broccoli or cauliflower tossed in a little oil and salt. Here are a few other simple ideas:

Healthy grain free chicken nuggets piled on a plate with a tiny bit of parsley on top and dipping sauce at the side.

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A plate of healthy baked chicken nuggets with a bowl of dipping sauce beside them.

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

  • Author: Kristen Stevens
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: North American

★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews
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Description

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets aren't just for kids! They make a quick and easy lunch or dinner that we all love. These gluten-free and paleo chicken nuggets are crispy and delicious and can easily be made ahead and frozen. Perfect for meal prep!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup tapioca starch
  • 2 teaspoons each: garlic powder and onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon each: salt and pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 chicken breasts, cut into nugget-sized pieces
  • 2 teaspoons of oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 420 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk together the tapioca starch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the egg in another medium-sized bowl.
  3. Drop all the chicken pieces into the bowl with the egg. One at a time pull them out and drop them in the bowl with the tapioca starch, making sure that each piece is completely covered before placing it onto the prepared baking sheet. (Keep one hand for pulling the chicken out of the egg and the other for coating it in the starch.)
  4. Drizzle the oil over the chicken nuggets then put them in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, broiling the last 5 minutes to brown the tops.