Easy Keto Chicken Nuggets – Clean Keto Lifestyle



Easy Keto Chicken Nuggets are the perfect family-friendly lunch, dinner, appetizer, or party snack! They are crispy, juicy, and only take 20 minutes to make. These low-carb chicken nuggets are also grain-free and gluten-free!


Top down shot of a basket full of twenty baked chicken nuggets with a side of barbeque sauce

Keto Chicken Nuggets are the ultimate crowd pleaser! Everyone of all ages loves homemade chicken nuggets. 

They are handheld, perfect for dipping, and so darn tasty!

Traditional chicken nuggets have a wheat flour-based breading, which contains a significant amount of carbs.

To get that same crispy breading without all of the carbs, we are using a magical combination of pork rinds and Parmesan cheese.

The result is a crispy, juicy, and delicious chicken nugget recipe that we are thrilled to be sharing with you!

Why You Will Love These Keto Chicken Nuggets!

  • Quick: These keto nuggets take just 20 minutes to make and only require a few simple steps.
  • Versatile: Once you master the basic recipe, you can experiment with different seasonings and sauces.
  • Gluten-free: These baked homemade chicken nuggets are made with pork rinds, which makes them both grain-free and gluten-free.
Hand dipping a chicken nugget into the BBQ sauce surrounded by ten chicken nuggets in a basket

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Ingredients For Keto Nuggets

Overhead shot of Ingredients to make easy keto chicken nuggets

Here are the ingredients for these low carb chicken nuggets:

  • Ground chicken: The base of the nuggets. You can find ground chicken at your local grocery store in the meat section.
  • Pork rinds: For that wonderful low-carb crispy coating. We use the plain version for this recipe, but feel free to experiment with other flavors.
  • Whey protein isolate: Our secret ingredient! This protein powder balances out the heaviness and creates a lighter, crispy coating.
  • Parmesan: You can use pre-grated or freshly grated Parmesan in this recipe. Just make sure it is real Parmesan and not the imitation version.
  • Seasonings: Garlic powderonion powder and cayenne.
  • Eggs: To help the coating stick to the keto nuggets.
Close up shot of a pile of ten freshly oven baked chicken nuggets next to a small bowl of BBQ dipping sauce

How to Make Keto Chicken Nuggets

The full instructions are detailed in the recipe card at the end of this post.

But first, here are some really helpful step-by-step pictures so you can see how low carb chicken nuggets are made.

Spoiler Alert – It is only 3 steps!

Step #1. Form the Nuggets

In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, parmesan, and 1 egg.

Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and form into a nugget shape. Like the picture below.

You should get around 24 homemade chicken nuggets from the mixture.

Ground chicken in a glass bowl next to six unbaked chicken nuggets

Step #2. Dredge the Nuggets

In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining egg and the whey protein isolate.

In a separate medium-sized shallow dish, add the crushed pork rinds.

Dip the keto nuggets into the egg mixture, then dredge in the pork rinds to coat the nuggets evenly, then place them on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.

Repeat the process for all of the chicken nuggets.

Coated unbaked chicken nuggets lined up in three rows on a wire rack fitted in a baking sheet

Step #3. Bake the Nuggets

Bake at 375°F for about 13-15 minutes or until the inside temperature reaches 165°F.

Serve while hot and with your favorite dipping sauce. We like Primal Kitchen’s BBQ Sauce.

Twenty-four baked chicken nuggets in a wire basked with a side of barbeque sauce

Recipe Notes and Tips

  • Crush your pork rindsCrush them by hand (keep them in the bag and use a rolling pin to smash them) or by food processor. Also, opt for the plain flavor and read the nutrition facts before you buy them to make sure there is no added sugar.
  • Prepare your baking sheet. Line your baking sheet with foil (for easy clean up) and fit it with a wire rack. Using a wire rack ensure all sides of the nuggets are cooked evenly. If you don’t have a wire rack, flip the nuggets halfway during the baking time. Make sure to lightly grease the wire rack or foil before adding the nuggets to they don’t stick.
  • Can omit the whey protein. If you don’t have whey protein isolate, you can omit it from the chicken nugget recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make homemade chicken nuggets ahead of time?

These chicken fingers are best served straight away so that they are nice and crispy.

You can form the ground chicken into the nugget shapes ahead of time and store covered in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Don’t cook the nuggets until you are ready to serve for best results.

Can you use a different meat?

You can definitely substitute ground turkey or ground pork and still have wonderful, low carb chicken nuggets.

The taste will change slightly, but will still be delicious!

Can you make them in the air fryer?

Yes, you can! Follow Steps #1 & #2 above and then set your air fryer to 375°F. 

Grease the air fryer basket with a little oil and arrange the coated keto chicken nuggets in a single layer. Fry for 13-15 minutes until golden brown, flipping halfway through.

Fry them in batches if they don’t all fit in your air fryer basket in a single layer.

Can I make low carb chicken nuggets spicy?

Yep, you sure can. I recommend adding an extra dash or two of cayenne pepper to the ground chicken mixture. You can also add in some red pepper flakes to turn up the heat.

Twenty-four baked chicken nuggets in a wire basked with a side of barbeque sauce

More Keto Chicken Recipes

If you’d like more delicious chicken recipes that are perfectly keto, then check out these favorites:

We Can’t Wait To See You Try It!

We love seeing our recipes come to life!! We can’t wait to see how you make these and loving seeing each person’s unique spin on it! Tag us on Instagram @cleanketolifestyle or use the hashtag #CKLrecipe!

oven baked keto chicken nuggets

Keto Chicken Nuggets

Keto Chicken Nuggets are the perfect family-friendly lunch, dinner, appetizer, or party snack! They are crispy, juicy, and only take 20 minutes to make. These low-carb chicken nuggets are also grain-free and gluten-free!

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 308kcal

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil and fit it with a wire rack. (See notes below if you don’t have a wire rack.)

  • In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, parmesan, and 1 egg.
  • Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and form into a nugget shape. Place it on a large plate and repeat. You should get around 24 nuggets.

  • In a separate bowl, mix together mix together the remaining egg and the whey protein isolate.

  • In another medium-sized shallow dish, add the crushed pork rinds.
  • One at a time, dip the nuggets into the egg mixture and then dredge in the pork rinds to coat the nuggets fully.
  • Place the nuggets onto the wire rack in a single layer and bake for 13-15 minutes, until the inside temperature reaches 165°F.

Notes

  • Crush your pork rindsCrush them by hand (keep them in the bag and use a rolling pin to smash them) or by food processor. Also, opt for the plain flavor and read the nutrition facts before you buy them to make sure there is no added sugar.
  • Prepare your baking sheet. Line your baking sheet with foil (for easy clean up) and fit it with a wire rack. Using a wire rack ensure all sides of the nuggets are cooked evenly. If you don’t have a wire rack, flip the nuggets halfway during the baking time. Make sure to lightly grease the wire rack or foil before adding the nuggets to they don’t stick.
  • Can omit the whey protein. If you don’t have whey protein isolate, you can omit it from the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 207mg | Sodium: 980mg | Potassium: 643mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 296IU | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 2mg

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