I didn’t grow up eating fast food, so I’ve never really been a chicken nugget person, but the other day, out of the blue, I got a massive craving for them. So I thought, “Challenge accepted! I’m going to make some homemade chicken nuggets.” Well, let me just say, I might be a nugget person now because these Homemade Chicken Nuggets are so flavorful and so juicy, that I just couldn’t stop. And the best part is, they’re actually easy to make!
“Best baked nuggets I’ve made! I usually don’t want chicken nuggets enough to go to the trouble of making them but these were excellent. My kids all enjoyed them too, and they aren’t easy to please. I’ll definitely make again!”
Katie
Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Nuggets
I use one (yes, one) boneless skinless chicken breast for this recipe, which makes around 24 nuggets. I cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, coat them in plain Greek yogurt, then toss them with seasoned breadcrumbs before baking in the oven. The yogurt helps the seasoned breading cling to every little piece, so the breading ACTUALLY stays intact. These chicken nuggets are crisp and golden on the outside, juicy and tender in the middle, and are genuinely hard to stop eating.🤤
And I know what you’re thinking…yogurt to make chicken nuggets?! Weird, right? But it works. Buttermilk is a common ingredient in baked and fried chicken, but I didn’t have any on hand, and I didn’t want to buy any just for this recipe (even though you can freeze extra buttermilk for later). Instead, I used an ingredient that’s already in my refrigerator: plain Greek yogurt. Like buttermilk, it’s a cultured milk product that adds extra flavor and helps keep the nuggets tender and moist. Trust me!
Recipe Success Tips
Cut evenly for the best texture. I cut the chicken into similar-size pieces (¾-1-inch pieces) so they all bake in about the same amount of time. Smaller pieces cook fast, so keeping them even helps the nuggets stay juicy instead of ending up with some overcooked and some underdone. Chicken should reach 165°F internally once done.
Bake in a single layer. Don’t pile the nuggets on top of each other. Spacing them out helps the heat hit all sides, which gives you a crispier, more golden coating.
Make them in the air fryer! I tested these in the air fryer, and the directions were the same as our air fryer chicken nuggets. Air fry them in a single layer (cook in batches if needed) for 8 minutes at 400°F, flipping halfway. Flip them carefully with tongs to avoid the breading falling off!
Try different seasoning blends. Homemade chicken nuggets are super easy to change up with different flavors. Swap the seasonings in this recipe for 1½ teaspoons of your favorite blend, like Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, smoked paprika, or a mix of onion and garlic powder, depending on how you want to serve them. Adjust the salt as needed if your chosen seasoning already contains salt.
Make it gluten-free. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make homemade chicken nuggets without any gluten!
Make it dairy-free. I use Greek yogurt in this recipe to help the breading stick, but you can swap in a dairy-free Greek-style yogurt. Adjust the water as you go, since some dairy-free yogurts are thinner than traditional Greek yogurt. Some readers have also successfully swapped the Greek yogurt for equal parts mayo, or made a dairy-free buttermilk (combine ⅓ cup almond milk & 1 tsp lemon juice, let sit for 10 mins before using, omit the added water), which would both make this recipe dairy-free. Let me know if you try it in the comments!
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Homemade Baked Chicken Nuggets
These Homemade Chicken Nuggets are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, easy to make, AND make a delicious meal or snack!
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place a wire cooling rack, or two, over a baking sheet to hold the nuggets as they bake.
In a wide shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 5 cranks of a pepper mill). Stir these ingredients together until evenly combined. Drizzle the oil over the breadcrumb mixture, then stir until the breadcrumbs are coated in oil. The breadcrumbs should look like damp sand.
In a separate small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, salt, and water until smooth. You want the yogurt to be a similar consistency to buttermilk or heavy cream. It should be thick enough to coat the chicken.
Trim any excess fat from the chicken breast, then cut it into small, ¾-1-inch pieces. For a 2/3 lb. chicken breast you should get about 22-24 pieces.
Dip each piece of chicken into the yogurt slurry, then roll it in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture until the chicken piece is fully coated. Place each coated nugget onto the wire cooling rack on the baking sheet.
Once all of the chicken pieces are fully coated, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until the breading is browned on the edges.
Remove the chicken nuggets from the oven and let cool for 3-5 minutes, then serve with your favorite dip.
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Notes
*A neutral oil is any cooking oil that does not carry a heavy flavor. You have the flexibility here to use the oil that best fits your diet or budget. I used Grapeseed oil today, but you could use canola, light olive oil, safflower, sesame, or any other light oil.**If you have plain regular-style yogurt (not Greek style), that can be used too. You’ll just need to add less water when thinning it out. ***My chicken breast weighed approximately 2/3 lb., which made me about 24 nuggets. Your yield will vary depending on the size of the breast. I’ve set the serving size at six nuggets per serving, assuming you’ll be eating something on the side.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Nuggets step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients and preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Make the breading: Combine 1 cup plain breadcrumbs, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Stir these together well.
Add the oil: Then drizzle 2 Tbsp of any neutral oil over the breadcrumb mixture.
Stir until all the breadcrumbs are coated in the oil. It should look like damp sand, as shown in my photo here.
Make the yogurt mix: In a separate bowl, combine ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt with 3 Tbsp water and ⅛ tsp salt. Stir until smooth. It should be about the consistency of buttermilk or heavy cream. You can use plain “regular” yogurt here or even dairy-free Greek-style yogurt, you’ll just add less water to thin it out just a tad.
Prep the chicken: Trim any excess fat from one boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2/3 lb.). Cut the chicken breast into small ¾-1-inch pieces. You should get about 22-24 pieces.
Bread the chicken nuggets: Dip each piece of chicken into the yogurt slurry until it’s coated, then right after you dip it in the yogurt, roll it in the breading mixture until it’s completely coated. Once each piece is coated, place it onto a wire cooling rack that is sitting on top of a baking sheet.
Once they’re all coated and on the wire rack, they’re ready to bake! Throw away any leftover breading and yogurt because they are contaminated with raw chicken.
Bake in the oven: Bake the chicken nuggets in your preheated 425ºF oven for 23-25 minutes, or until the edges have turned golden brown. Let them cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.
Here’s a close-up of the baked nuggets so you can see their color. They don’t change a LOT, they just get slightly darker and a little more brown on the edges.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these homemade nuggets with my favorite dips. Ranch is always great, but I also love ketchup (as shown in the photos), my homemade honey mustard sauce, or a tangy remoulade sauce! Fresh vegetables are also an awesome side because they’re just as good dipped into the sauces too. For a full meal, I’d go with our air fryer French fries and some coleslaw on the side (for a fast food-style dinner at home!)
Storage & Reheating
I ate my leftover nuggets the day after I made them and enjoyed them quite a bit, but I will say that they’re no longer crispy. They are every bit as tender, juicy, and flavorful though! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, though they’ll get much softer the longer they’re stored. Reheat them in the air fryer or oven at 375ºF until heated through.
As for freezing, the breading can absorb moisture, so these may not stay quite as crisp after thawing and reheating. If you do want to freeze them, let them cool, then flash freeze the baked nuggets before storing them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Love Crispy Comfort Foods? Try These Next:
Our Chicken Schnitzel recipe turns a few ingredients I always have to hand into a golden, crispy dinner with plenty of crunch and a squeeze of fresh lemon!
Chicken Croquettes are crisp and golden on the outside with a creamy, savory filling that feels like pure homemade comfort food.
I must say, my Homemade Fish Sticks are so much better than the frozen kind, with a crispy coating and flaky, tender fish inside.
These Air Fryer Fried Shrimp give you all the fried-shrimp appeal without the deep-frying mess!
