Perfectly crispy and golden brown, these gluten-free chicken nuggets are perfect for the air fryer but can also be baked in the oven. These homemade chicken nuggets are so easy to make and require only a few simple ingredients. This recipe is sure to be loved by the whole family!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Let's face it, kids love chicken nuggets. Heck, adults do too! Sometimes you just crave that crunchy goodness! But if you're gluten-free, your options are limited when it comes to frozen chicken nuggets and fast food options. So, if you're looking for an easy recipe to make healthy gluten-free chicken nuggets right at home, stop right here!
These nuggets are made with ground chicken or whole chicken breasts, whichever is preferred by you! Aside from that, you only need a few simple ingredients. Plus, these nuggets are also egg-free and can be modified for dairy-free pretty easily as well!
About that ground chicken! Rather than chunks of whole chicken coated in breading, using ground chicken makes these nuggets more like fast food chicken nuggets with soft and tender insides. Which to me, is the best type of chicken nugget!
These homemade air fryer chicken nuggets are the perfect solution for picky eaters, meal prep, or easy dinners! Take a few minutes to make a big batch of these nuggets and you've got several meals worth of nuggets that you can eat now and then save some for later in the freezer.
For another great ground chicken recipe, check out these gluten-free baked chicken meatballs! And these gluten-free chicken tenders are another great air fryer recipe.
Ingredients
- Ground Chicken or Whole Chicken Breast: Ground chicken makes these nuggets simple to make without any special equipment. If you dislike ground chicken, you can also use whole chicken.
- Mashed Potato: This may be a surprising ingredient to you, but just trust me here, it makes for soft and tender chicken nuggets! Use leftover mashed potatoes or make instant mashed potatoes. Either works perfectly.
- Gluten-Free Panko Breadcrumbs: I used 4C brand but I also like Kikkoman or Aleia's if you can find them. Any gluten-free panko will work here. You can also use gluten-free plain breadcrumbs but they may not get as crunchy.
- Parmesan Cheese: Omit if needed for dairy-free. It just adds another layer of flavor!
- Butter: Use avocado oil, olive oil, or dairy-free butter for a dairy-free option.
- Spices: The simple spice mixture includes garlic powder, onion powder, and dried parsley for extra flavor.
Equipment
If you want to use whole chicken breasts for this recipe, you will need a food processor or meat grinder to achieve the right consistency. Otherwise, you'll need to use store-bought ground chicken.
Air frying gives the best results if you really want crispy chicken nuggets, but you can also bake these nuggets in the oven if you don't have an air fryer. If you have a convection setting on your oven, be sure to use it! The constant air circulation will help give these gluten-free nuggets a crunchy exterior.
If you felt so inclined, you can also try deep frying these nuggets.
Instructions for Ground Chicken Nuggets
- Combine ground chicken, mashed potatoes, parmesan cheese, and spices in a large bowl. Mash the mixture with a fork until you reach a uniform consistency.
- Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture and roll it between your hands to form a ball.
- Flatten the chicken into a nugget shape.
- Set the nuggets aside on a baking sheet.
- In another small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with melted butter.
- Gently press each chicken nugget into the breadcrumbs to coat. Set aside.
- At this point, you can cook the chicken nuggets or freeze for later.
- The nuggets can be cooked either in the air fryer or baked in the oven. Cook nuggets to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Chicken Breast Variation
If using whole chicken breast here's what you'll do differently!
- Dice the chicken into large chunks.
- Place the chicken pieces, mashed potatoes, parmesan cheese and spices in a food processor bowl fitted with the blade attachment.
- Pulse to combine and grind up the chicken into a uniform mixture.
- Then proceed to form the nuggets and coat with breadcrumbs.
Pro-Tip: You can use the food processor to quickly combine the mixture if you're if ground chicken as well!
Storage
Store uncooked chicken nuggets in the refrigerator up to one day.
Freeze uncooked nuggets in an airtight container for up to 4 months. The best way to do this is to first place the breaded chicken nuggets in a single layer on a baking sheet, place in the freezer until solid, then transfer the frozen nuggets to a freezer bag for storage.
Leftover nuggets, that have already been cooked, can also be frozen and reheated for about 4-5 minutes in the air fryer.
What to Serve with Chicken Nuggets
These air fryer nuggets can be served in the traditional way with gluten-free french fries and your favorite dipping sauce, like bbq sauce, honey mustard, or even buffalo sauce.
You can even cook the french fries and nuggets at the same time in the air fryer, you'll have the best results with shoestring or fast food type french fries because the fries and nuggets will cook in a similar amount of time.
These nuggets would also be great served with steamed veggies, mashed potatoes, and gravy.
Another great side option would be some gluten-free mac & cheese and fresh fruit!
Please enjoy these gluten-free chicken nuggets! I do hope they become a family favorite! If you make them leave a comment and star-rating below! I'd love to hear from you!
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Recipe
Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Nuggets (Air Fryer)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken, or boneless skinless chicken breast (See Notes.)
- 1 cup mashed potatoes
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter, or oil
Instructions
- Combine ground chicken, mashed potatoes, parmesan cheese, and spices in a large bowl. Mash the mixture with a fork until you reach a uniform consistency.
- Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture and roll it between your hands to form a ball.
- Gently flatten the chicken into a nugget shape.
- Set the nuggets aside on a baking sheet.
- In another small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with melted butter.
- Gently press each chicken nugget into the breadcrumbs to coat. Set aside.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Arrange chicken nuggets in a single layer in your air fryer basket
- Cook the nuggets at 400°F for 12-15 minutes*, flipping once halfway through. The nuggets should be golden brown and crispy with a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) when done. *Keep an eye on them as your air fryer may require a slightly different cook time.
Oven Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F, use convection setting if you have it. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place chicken nuggets in a single layer on the baking tray.
- Bake 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. The nuggets should be golden brown and crispy with a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) when done.
- If the tops of the nuggets aren't as brown as you'd like, you can switch to broil for a few minutes. **Remove the parchment paper before broiling or it may catch fire.
Notes
- Dice the chicken into large chunks.
- Place the chicken pieces, mashed potatoes, parmesan cheese and spices in a food processor bowl fitted with the blade attachment.
- Pulse to combine and grind up the chicken into a uniform mixture.
- Then proceed to form the nuggets and coat with breadcrumbs.
- Store uncooked chicken nuggets in the refrigerator up to one day.
- Freeze uncooked nuggets in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
- Place the breaded chicken nuggets in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Freeze until solid.
- Transfer the frozen nuggets to a freezer bag for storage.
- Leftover nuggets, that have already been cooked, can also be frozen and reheated for about 4-5 minutes in the air fryer.
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