Homemade Chicken Nuggets (Baked)

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The kids are going to go BONKERS over these Baked Chicken Nuggets. These homemade chicken nuggets are healthier than bagged frozen nuggets, and you control exactly what’s in them. These freeze beautifully and reheat just as fast as store bought so you can have them on hand whenever you need an easy, delicious, and kid-approved meal!

This Homemade Chicken Nugget recipe is going to quickly get put on repeat in your household. First of all, they’re baked – which means no lugging out the deep fryer or dutch oven or even a frying pan, and no messy oil cleanup. But you still get a beautifully golden and crisp outside and a moist, tender inside.

This simple chicken nugget recipe comes together in about 30-40 minutes and is healthier than store bought because you know exactly what’s in them. Plus, they freeze and reheat beautifully. And the best part? My 7-year old, who is a bit of a nugget connoisseur, gave these a double thumbs up! High praise, indeed!

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe

• Healthier than store-bought – You know exactly what ingredients are going into them.
• No deep frying – these baked chicken nuggets turn out perfectly crisp on the outside, without overcooking the chicken bites into little hockey pucks.
• Kid-approved! – My 7 year old picky eater gave these rave reviews, so you know these are top notch.
• Freeze beautifully and reheat fast – These nuggies still have the same convenience you love about frozen grocery store nuggets, and freeze and reheat effortlessly.

Baked Chicken Nugget Recipe Ingredients

This recipe is made with common kitchen ingredients you know and probably have on hand.

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast – cut into 1-inch bite-sized chunks. Try to cut them as evenly as possible so they bake in the same amount of time.
• All-purpose flour  – use cornstarch if you have allergies.
• Seasoned salt (like Lawry’s, Kinder’s, or similar) – divided.
• Eggs – use large eggs to be sure you have enough for coating.
• Seasoned panko breadcrumbs – Make sure to use seasoned here. The seasoned version has paremesan, salt, spices, and herbs already built in.
• Grated Parmesan cheese – This won’t make the coating cheesy, it just helps add flavor, browning, and helps the crumbs stick together while baking.
• Olive oil – or similar neutral cooking oil
• Cooking spray– I like olive oil cooking spray for this, but use what you have. Spraying the nuggets before baking will help them crisp.

Substitutions & Variations for Homemade Chicken Nuggets

• Gluten free option: use cornstarch in the place of all purpose flour and swap the panko breadcrumbs for seasoned gluten free Panko crumbs.
• Make ‘em spicy: add some hot sauce or chili oil to the egg station or mix some cayenne or chili powder in with the flour before breading.
• Add more dried seasonings and spices: use lemon pepper, dried onion, garlic powder, and paprika, in the bread crumbs or flour mixture to amp up the flavor.

How to Make Chicken Nuggets at Home

This is a shortened form of the full directions found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. For how to make homemade chicken nuggets in the air fryer, see the section just below this one.

Step 1

Preheat your oven, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray it with cooking spray.

Step 2

In a medium bowl (or a zip-top bag), mix the flour with 1 teaspoon of the seasoned salt.

In a second bowl, whisk the eggs smooth.

In a third bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and remaining seasoned salt. Stir in the olive oil until the crumbs are evenly coated.

Step 3

Tip: Work in batches if needed to ensure that all the nuggets are entirely coated in each step.

Step 4

Spray the tops of the nuggets generously with cooking spray.

Bake the chicken nuggets for 10 minutes, then flip and finish baking for another 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through to 165°F.

Remove the nuggets from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

If you want to air fry these homemade chicken nuggets instead of baking, follow the instructions above as far as prepping and breading the chicken. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Air fry the nuggets for 6-8 minutes or until the nuggets reach 165°F internally. Work in batches if needed, and don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket.

Tips & Tricks for the Best Baked Chicken Nuggets

• The chicken’s done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer. That’s the safe zone.
• Work in batches if needed to ensure each piece of chicken is evenly coated in breading.
• Don’t skip the egg mixture in the breading process. I tried this recipe without it, and the breading fell right off and left bare spots on the nugget. They were… not pretty.
• Make sure the nuggets are in a single layer on the sheet pan. This will make sure they’re nice and crispy all around after baking.
• Nuggets can be breaded up to one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to cook. Spray with olive oil or cooking spray before baking.

What to Serve with These Easy Homemade Chicken Nuggets

The great thing about chicken nuggets is that they go so well with so many meals. Here are just a few ideas:

• You can use these nuggets to add to a Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, Meatless Baked Ziti for a crunchy protein, or a chicken parmesan casserole.
• Serve these homemade nuggets with some Stovetop Mac and Cheese, Air Fryer French Fries, and Easy Creamy Coleslaw for a complete meal the kids will actually eat. For something green, add some quick sauteed green beans or a fresh fruit salad on the side.
• These make great mini fried chicken sandwiches or chicken parmesan sliders.
• Don’t forget the dips! Ketchup, ranch, honey mustard, BBQ sauce (my Blueberry BBQ is a favorite), and when fall rolls around, I’m all about Maple Cranberry Mustard.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Store any leftover nuggets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, pop them in a 400°F oven for 10–15 minutes. Or, if you’re in a hurry, reheat in the air fryer at 400°F for 3–5 minutes.

Make Homemade Chicken Nuggets for Freezing     

I love freezing leftovers or making a double batch of these baked chicken bites to have on hand later for a quick and easy meal or snack.

Make and bake the nuggets as directed and then let them cool completely. Transfer the cooled nuggets to a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tip: If you want to make sure the nuggets don’t stick together in the freezer, spread them out on a sheet pan and freeze until solid before transferring to a freezer safe bag or container.

Reheating Frozen Nuggets

Add frozen nuggets to your air fryer (do not thaw them first) and reheat at 400°F for 4-6 minutes.  You can also bake them in a preheated 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes until crisp on the outside and heated through.

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