These keto chicken nuggets are crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle, and satisfy the fast food cravings! Ready in just 15 minutes, they can be baked, fried, or made in the air fryer. 2 grams net carbs per serving.
Breaded chicken should be its own food group.
While a classic grilled or air fried chicken breast is delicious, it can sometimes be quite bland. Once you add breading to chicken, it transforms it into something quite magical.
Now, traditional breading uses flour and bread crumbs, but you can easily make a keto version with a few small tweaks. Our favorite keto chicken recipes that use breaded chicken include chicken parmesan, chicken tenders, and chicken nuggets.
Are chicken nuggets ok for keto?
Traditional chicken nuggets are not suitable for a keto diet. They have a carb heavy breading and most commercial nuggets only have a small amount of chicken in them. Inspired by Chik-fil-A’s nuggets, I’ve made a low carb version that tastes even better!
Why this keto chicken nugget recipe will be a family favorite-
- It can be baked, fried, or made in the air fryer.
- It’s made with just 5 ingredients that you probably have on hand right now.
- You can use chicken breast fillets or canned chicken.
What I love about this recipe is how much they taste like actual chicken nuggets! Pair it with some keto French fries or sweet potato fries your favorite condiments (we love ketchup, dipping sauce, and mayonnaise!) for the ultimate family friendly dinner.
How to make keto chicken nuggets
The Ingredients.
- Chicken breast- skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized portions. They do not need to be in a uniform shape.
- Crushed pork rinds- Also known as keto bread crumbs. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use blanched almond flour, for the crispy batter. Avoid using almond meal, as it can be quite heavy, and stick to the chicken.
- Parmesan cheese– finely grated. It will be mixed with the almond flour to create the crispy batter.
- Salt and Pepper- To taste. Start with a smaller portion of salt, as the celery salt gives extra saltiness.
- Celery Salt- A more robust salt. This is the secret ingredient to make these nuggets taste like those delicious Burger King ones.
- Eggs- To dredge the chicken pieces in, before coating them in the dry breading.
The Instructions.
Start by slicing the chicken breast into bite sized nuggets. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, pepper, and celery salt. In a separate bowl, mix the crushed pork rinds and parmesan cheese.
Next, add the chicken pieces in the egg mixture and mix well until all the chicken is coated. Moving quickly, dip the chicken in the breading mix, ensuring all sides of it are covered.
Now, bake the nuggets for 15-17 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Keto chicken nuggets air fryer
Yes! If you have access to an air fryer, use that instead of the oven. Simply prepare the nuggets as instructed, then add them to a greased air fryer basket. Air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Can I use canned chicken?
While chicken breasts are preferred, you can use canned chicken instead. Be sure to choose ones that have no added sauce or sugar in it.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Do not over-bake the chicken nuggets. The coating/batter will not darken too much, so unlike traditional breaded nuggets, won’t show the nuggets being cooked.
- Be sure that each piece of chicken is completely coated in the egg before adding it to the spice/flour mixture. You don’t want to dry out the chicken by only having spices on it.
- Add extra spices to the batter, if you’d prefer. Cayenne pepper or smoked paprika can give them a lovely flavor punch.
Storing, freezing, and reheating instructions
- To store: Leftover nuggets must be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. Do not keep any longer, otherwise there is the risk of the chicken going bad.
- To freeze: Once the nuggets have cooled, place them in a ziplock bag or shallow container. You can then store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating: I do not recommend reheating in the microwave, otherwise, you will lose the crispiness. I recommend either re-heating in the oven, air fryer or even in a non-stick pan.
More keto chicken recipes to try
Frequently Asked Questions
Nuggets from all fast-food restaurants, including Chick-Fil-A, is not suitable for a keto diet. They contain tons of net carbs that can kick you out of ketosis.
There are just 1.5 grams of net carbs in a serving of these nuggets.
You can use coconut flour instead of almond flour/keto bread crumbs. However, you’ll need to halve the amount.
Keto Chicken Nuggets (Baked or Air Fryer!)
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast fillets 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 or almond flour
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- 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 lined tray and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
- Remove the nuggets from the oven and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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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…
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!
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 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!
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!
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!)
YUM! What a healthy twist on an incredibly unhealthy food!
Thank you Cailee!
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.
Genius! Making these next week FO SHO!
Thanks Nicole! 🙂
How do you come up with all of these amazing recipes? Totally pinning these!
You’re a gem Lauren! 🙂
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!
Who knew chicken nuggets could be turned into something so healthy yet so delicious! Love this recipe!
Thanks Thalia 🙂
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.
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…
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!