Keto Chicken Nuggets
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My keto chicken nuggets are crispy, juicy, and made in the oven, air fryer, or stovetop! Ready in 20 minutes, I love how there are only 1 gram of net carbs!
My partner loves chicken nuggets, so developing a low carb version has been high on my list for years.
The trickiest part was creating a coating that could rival traditional chicken nuggets. I initially tested almond flour and eggs, which work well for keto chicken tenders, but the nuggets lacked that signature crunch. I also tried regular keto bread crumbs, but the coating fell off once cooked. It wasn’t until I used a combination of crushed pork rinds and parmesan cheese that things worked well: the nuggets developed a golden, crispy coating that stayed attached while the chicken remained juicy inside.
While I usually bake these nuggets in the oven, I’ve also tested them in the air fryer and deep-fried them in oil, so you can choose whichever method works best for you.
Arman’s tips before starting
Pat the chicken dry before coating. Any excess moisture can make the coating slide off during cooking. I always give the chicken a quick pat with paper towels first so the breading sticks properly.
Keep the chicken pieces a similar size. This helps them cook evenly and prevents some nuggets from drying out while others are still undercooked. I aim for bite-sized pieces that are roughly the same thickness.
Use a wire rack when baking. I tested these directly on a baking sheet and a wire rack, and the rack won every time. It allows the hot air to circulate around the nuggets, giving them a crispier coating.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. The nuggets need a little space around them so they can crisp up. Whenever I’ve crammed too many in at once, they’ve steamed instead of browned.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into low carb chicken nuggets, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breast. I use boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces. Try to keep them roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Crushed pork rinds. My favorite keto breadcrumb substitute. I found this to be the only one that delivered the crunchy texture I wanted. If you don’t have pork rinds, blanched almond flour works, but the nuggets won’t be quite as crispy.
- Parmesan cheese. To add flavor to the batter and promote a golden crust.
- Celery salt. My secret ingredient. It gives the nuggets that subtle fast-food flavor (seriously).
- Salt and black pepper. To taste. Start lightly since the celery salt will be quite flavorful.
- Eggs. To dredge the chicken pieces in.
How to make keto chicken nuggets
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top. In one bowl, whisk the eggs with both salts and pepper. In a second bowl, combine the parmesan and breadcrumbs.
Step 2- Dredge the chicken. Toss the chopped chicken in the egg mixture until fully coated. Add the chicken pieces to the dry ingredients and toss to coat.
Step 3- Bake. Place the breaded chicken on the baking sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden and crispy. Serve warm.
Alternative cooking methods
If you’d rather make your chicken nuggets in the air fryer or over the stovetop, you definitely can. Here’s how:
Air fryer method. A low-carb version of my air fryer chicken nuggets, prepare the nuggets as instructed, and add them to a greased air fryer basket in an even layer. Air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Stovetop method. Prepare the nuggets. Heat a deep skillet with oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the nuggets and cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer the nuggets to a paper towel-lined plate.
What to serve with these
I like serving them alongside keto French fries or zucchini fries. Don’t forget your favorite dipping sauces- we love sugar-free ketchup, sugar-free BBQ sauce, keto honey mustard, or keto ranch dressing.
Keto Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup keto bread crumbs crushed pork rinds
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top. Pat the chicken dry using a paper towel.
- In a mixing bowl, add your celery salt, salt, and pepper, and whisk together with the eggs. Add the chopped chicken and mix well so all the chicken is coated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the parmesan cheese and keto bread crumbs.
- Add the chicken pieces in the dry mix, ensuring all sides are completely coated.
- Place the breaded chicken on the wire rack, ensuring there is room between each nugget. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
- Remove the nuggets from the oven and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
More low carb chicken recipes
Originally updated May 2022
It all looks so good, when I get out of hospital I’m going to try all your best looking looking dish.thank you so much.
Wishing you a speedy recovery, Debbie! I’m thinking of you!
I used 2 cans of drained chicken breast from Costco (14 oz)..mixed everything except coating in a food processor then formed them into nuggets (22-24 g each) I did add some ground cayenne to the egg and chicken mix.. Cooked them for about 14 min, turning halfway through.I’ll be making these again!
This one looks so good and well shaped-like it is frozen bought. I wanna explore it, I mean try to make it.
Couldnt find keto bread crumbs so I would use coconut flour. Would that be okay?
Hi Mario- glad you got my email and good job on finding the crushed pork rinds- it works much better than coconut flour, which can dry things out considerably.
These are fantastic! I used Almond Flour and they baked right up. Great texture and crunch for the nuggets. Next I’ll try using your Keto Breadcrumbs recipe with pork rinds for the nuggets. Thanks so much for this recipe and all the others. Looking forward to trying your Keto Breadcrumbs to make some battered fish very soon.
Sounds delicious Jarrell! So glad you’re enjoyed the keto recipes here 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave some feedback.
Hm for this recipe I cannot find keto bread crumbs. I think they dont sell it.
But almond flour okay!
My kids loves this recipe…
Great!
Thank you! Oh nice- I’ll have to join up one day!
They look properly delicious! I shall be making them!
Thanks so much! I hope you do try it out! 🙂
Arman,
I can’t really comment on BK nuggets or video games (though if you want to talk pizza or knitting I’m all over it) but reading this sparked the memory of those Pachinko parlors in Japan.
When I was stationed in northern Japan I’d walk past seeing the folks zombie-eyed playing constantly. The noise, the bright lights and constant barrage of colors were impressive.
While I don’t know if I’ve ever had a BK nugget, yours look loads better than anything I’ve ever seen outside of a fast food commercial. My sis in law gave me smoked Spanish paprika for Christmas and I like the idea of testing it out in this recipe.
Thanks!
Smoked paprika pizza perhaps? 😉
Wow, being stationed in Japan would have been an amazing experience!
They look really delicious. I do mine almost similar but I also add shredded coconut. I’ll leave this out next time. They look worth a try!
What do you think, if you had actually saved the money, would you have been able to afford a machine on your own at some point?
I tried with coconut but it was too overwhelming- Try this version!
Haha…I probably would have.
I used to LOVE Burger King chicken nuggets! I’ll be trying this soon!
Thank you! They TRUMP McDonalds 😉
Those look so delicious! I’ve never had Burger King nuggets– and the last time I had McDonalds ones, I was probably 18, and really sick, and craving something simple– and I bit into one and it had bones in it. Totally freaked me out. Cured me of that craving.
I’d much prefer to make them at home this days. KL is having a bit of a almond flour shortage.. but as soon as I can get my hands on it, these will be made!
Promise they are delicious! Hope you can find some soon, Michelle! 🙂
I like both Burger King and McDonalds!!!
That is why you’re awesome.
Ahh oh my goodness this reminds me of the time my mom would take my brother and me to the McDonald’s in Kansas that also had a jet ski video game. My brother would play and I would have fun watching and pretending like I was not landlocked in Kansas. My I would always get a filet o’ fish and Reese’s pieces as a treat. HAHA EW.
Wait…How did I miss you were from Kansas? No wonder you look like the wicked witch of the west.
Only lived there for three years, but I think I look more like Toto
Toto? Don’t push it. You look like the glass slipper.
Glass slipper is Cinderella. Dorothy had the red slippers. Get it right.
hahaha Street Fighter. Good choice. Although when it comes to those sorts of fighter/melee games, Mortal Kombat, Tekken and Soul Caliber are where it’s at. Do I sound nerdy right now? I feel like I sound nerdy right now.
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever had Burger King Chicken Nuggets! It was never my first choice of fast food, so I think I’ve only had their fries and chicken sandwiches.
OH YES! FINISH HER. Omg, I want to play it now!
Well, their chicken from their chicken sandwiches taste like this!
I was never a nugget fan growing up – I always went for the McDonalds happy meal with a cheeseburger. I think I’ve only eaten at Burger King like once in my life! Also I’m no longer on speaking terms with Burger King because they took over the location of a beloved local burger joint here in Burlington. I’m not impressed with them.
How dare they go against Queen Chelsea. They must be shattered!
But seriously, why have you NOT moved in with me yet?! We would be such fatties, except NOT because we eat HEALTHIER versions of deliciousness!
Dude. My wish. I’d even bring my own camel toe.
Yum! What a great idea! I used to work at Maccas and practically lived off chicken nuggets for two years. Oh, the shame.
Shame? All the FOOD!
These look insane. I honesty could live off chicken tenders/chicken nuggets every night of the week and be content. PINNING!!!
Not going to lie, I ate these for breakfast. Hope your well buddy!
I remember those Street Fighter games… I had the biggest crush on Ryu 😛 I was a video game junkie growing up (and I still am), so I spent a tonne of time playing that and basically every other game out there. Heck, I -still- dabble in WoW when I have a spare minute 😉 And I’ve always been about the McD’s chicken nuggets. With extra sweet n sour, obviously.
LOL. I dressed up as Ryu for a party when I was younger and no one knew who I was. My friend went as Chun Li and they thought she was a hooker…
While my chicken nugget eating days are likely over, I do love the spice rub you’ve created for these. I also know several of my friends who could benefit from this recipe, my brother included.
I of course loved the silly Nintendo games like Super Mario Bros and Zelda, and in fact I intend to play some of these classics this weekend. It’s on my list.
Thanks my dear! I love that I just read that you did!
LIES!!! BK absolutely 100% does not trump McD’s! You my friend were confused as a child.
If I was going to play a fighting game at the arcade, my game of choice was Primal Rage. You do know PR, right? It was Street Fighter, but instead of people, there were dinosaurs. You clawed and tail whipped and bit your opponent. And they had epic finishing moves. The best.
Dude. Have you tried the spice coating? I’d eat that by the spoon.
I need to google this Primal Rage right now…
Oh man, when I was a kid I loved McDonalds chicken nuggets! I used to love playing the Tekken games- I was always the capoeira dude with the dreads and, not gonna lie, I was really good.
Haha, oh to be a kid again!
OHHHH I LOVED TEKKEN. I was the girl who had razors in her hands because I thought she had a weapon advantage. Clearly she didn’t.
Who knew chicken nuggets could be turned into something so healthy yet so delicious! Love this recipe!
Thanks Thalia 🙂
These look DELICIOUS! Can’t say I’ve ever been team McDonalds or Burger King, but I do love a good chicken nugget 🙂
That is the best kind of person. thanks heaps Les!
How do you come up with all of these amazing recipes? Totally pinning these!
You’re a gem Lauren! 🙂
Genius! Making these next week FO SHO!
Thanks Nicole! 🙂
As a kid I LOVED McDonald’s chicken nuggets. With the sweet and sour sauce. OMG. Loved. None of the other chains could come close. Haven’t had one in years and probably never will again but hey, fond memories from childhood, before we really knew much about food and what we were eating. Ha.
My sister is obsessed with the sweet and sour sauce…literally 4 sachets per 4 nuggets.
YUM! What a healthy twist on an incredibly unhealthy food!
Thank you Cailee!
Arman, these look amazing! I used to love BK tenders and McDs nuggets when I was younger but actually haven’t had either in years. I’ve definitely been tempted though but now who needs those when I’ve got these?!
Thanks Sonali! THAT’s THE NAME! Tenders! I was wondering what they were called in America (we call your ‘tenders’ nuggets here!)
I’ve done something very similar but not with your spices, so definitely going to try it your way next time I make this!
You need to try this, the spice mix makes it the best ever!
I definitely have always been a video game fanatic, but Street Fighter never caught my attention. But these chicken nuggets caught my attention. You knocked it out of the park with these, Arman! Now all I want is chicken nuggets for breakfast…and lunch…and dinner. I might have to make that happen. As soon as I finish playing video games that is.
Mate, we need to get you on the Street Fighter bandwagon- It’s my all time favourite!
I’ll challenge you to the video games!
Have I ever heard of Street Fighter HAH. Um have you seen the movie (with Jean Claude Van Dam??). And Mortal Kombat… oh I could go on and on. BK chicken nuggets/strips are the jam. Only rivaled by ChickFila, but I consider Chickfila to be essentially untouchable so that is unfair,
YES. Pretty sure my aussie sister Kylie was in it!
Do I get a free pass because we don’t have Chick-fil-A here? (But when I ate it, I was obsessed).
I’m so glad this calls for smoked paprika. I’ve been putting it in everything lately- adds the perfect something extra.
My brother and I used to play the game where you use the claw to pick up the stuffed animal at our local pizza place growing up. It was play-til-you-win and we would seriously play for an hour straight and still not get anything haha.
Haha, that is awesome. I wish I invented one of those machines. I’d be rolling in it!
OMG yes to the Street Fighter throwback- I was a huge tomboy growing up so I was all over that & Power Rangers :)! And I know everyone associates chicken nuggets with McDonalds but if you ask me, the ones at Burger King are miles better! These look delish- I make something similar but with oat flour instead- how un-Paleo of me hah!
It’s totally because they are spicier! Not going to lie, I used Quest chips to coat one version. Not the best…