December 21st, 2024
Recipes
Drive Thru Style Chicken Nuggets
Valentina P
- Difficulty
•
- Time 30" plus chilling time
The best crispy chicken nugget recipe made with an air fryer or baked in the oven! These homemade gluten-free chicken nuggets taste even better than the drive-thru kind, thanks to the naturally juicy ground chicken thigh inside.
How To MakeDiet Type: Classic
Shopping List
-
For the Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste For the Breading
- 1 cup plantain chips (about 45 grams, Note 1)
- 1 cup gluten-free pretzels (about 45 grams, Note 1)
- 1 cup almond flour crackers (about 45 grams, Note 1)
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- high-heat cooking oil spray
Instructions
- Step 1: Trim the excess fat from the chicken thighs and roughly chop them. Place the raw chicken in a food processor along with the egg, 1/2 tablespoon mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse the chicken mixture until the large chicken pieces are well broken down into a chunky, sticky mix. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Step 2: Meanwhile, combine the breading ingredients (except the cooking spray) in a food processor or blender and pulse until it reaches a fine breadcrumb consistency. You should have about 2 cups worth of crumbs. Spread the crumbs on a plate.
- Step 3: Remove the chilled chicken from the fridge and roll it into about 14 nugget-sized balls. Coat the chicken balls on all sides in the crumbs and press each down lightly with your hands to a make a nugget shape. Place the finished nuggets on a clean plate. See images for reference.
- Step 4: Air Fryer Option: Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the nuggets in a single layer in the basket (you may need to make more than one batch). Spray generously with the cooking oil and air fry 18 minutes total. After the first 9 minutes, flip the nuggets over with tongs and spray them again with cooking oil. Continue cooking until the full 18 minutes have passed and the nuggets are cooked all the way through. Oven Option: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the nuggets in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Spray with some cooking oil and bake for 18 to 20 minutes total, or until cooked through. Flip the nuggets oven after the first 9 minutes.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Don't have all three? Use just one or two of the ingredients listed, enough to equal 3 cups total. For the almond crackers, we love using Simple Mills.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. There’s no extra cost to you. We only endorse things we’ve personally used and highly recommend.
Dig it? Leave a review
Your feedback helps us offer better suggestions for you.
What you should eat next
Drive Thru Style Chicken Nuggets
PT30M 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs 1 egg 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup plantain chips (about 45 grams, Note 1) 1 cup gluten-free pretzels (about 45 grams, Note 1) 1 cup almond flour crackers (about 45 grams, Note 1) 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon cayenne high-heat cooking oil spray Gluten Free Paleo Low-Carb 4 Servings
Ingredients:
