Crispy Keto Chicken Nuggets

Name: Keto Chicken Nuggets
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 4 skinless chicken breast (600g); ½ cup almond flour (50g); ½ cup ground flaxseed (55g); 1 cup shredded parmesan freshly grated is best (90g); 2 eggs (large); tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp salt or to taste; ¼ tsp cracked black pepper; Optional 2 tsp Italian seasoning; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Jump to Recipe Cookbooks Meal Plan

These keto chicken nuggets have succulent, tender meat and a tasty crisp coating! A fast food classic made healthy, gluten free and low carb. Only 2.6g net carbs per generous portion.

This low carb chicken nuggets recipe is the answer to all your fast food cravings!

The nuggets are juicy on the inside and covered in a super crispy almond flour coating. They actually taste BETTER than any other chicken nuggets I have ever tried, from McNuggets to my Grandma's chicken nuggets (sorry, Gran 😍).

My entire family loves this recipe. It is ready in just over 30 minutes, satisfying and filling. And at 2.6g net carbs per serving it is keto-friendly, too.

In fact, it is one of our Friday night favourites.

The secret? My tried and tested almond flour "keto breadcrumbs". I make keto zucchini fries with these and even cauliflower popcorn. They are packed with flavor and taste just as good as traditional breadcrumb or panko coating.

Jump to:

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Recipe Variations
Instructions
Expert tips
Recipe FAQs
Serving suggestion
Storage
Related recipes
Recipe

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

Easy and quick recipe
Tastes just as good as traditional chicken nuggets
Nutritious and healthy - high in protein and fiber
Naturally gluten-free
Low carb and keto - 2.6g per serving

Ingredients

Chicken breast - It's the most tender meat of the chicken and best suited for nuggets. Make sure you remove the skin. Chicken thighs could also be an option.
Almond flour - Both regular ground almonds or super fine almond flour work.
Ground flaxseed - You can use regular or golden flax. Make sure it's fresh! I always keep ground flax in an airtight container in the freezer to ensure it does not oxidise and go bitter.
Parmesan cheese - I grate it freshly just before using.
Eggs
Spices - Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning (you could also add onion powder and paprika).
Olive oil - For drizzling or spraying.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Recipe Variations

Brine the chicken for extra tender meat: Put the chicken pieces into a bowl with 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Brine for 10 minutes to 1 hour. Then pat dry and proceed with the recipe.

Nut free: Replace the almond flour with coconut flour or with crushed pork rinds. If you use pork rinds, the carb count will reduce even further.

Dairy-free coating: Simply replace the parmesan with more almond flour or nutritional yeast. Or, use a dairy-free cheese of your choice.

Instructions

Making keto chicken nuggets is surprisingly simple. For detailed instruction, scroll down to the recipe card.

Here are the basic steps.

Step 1: Whisk the eggs with a fork and place in one shallow bowl.

almond flour, flax and parmesan breading mix

Step 2: In the second bowl, mix the almond flour, ground flax, garlic powder, parmesan, seasoning and optional Italian herbs.

Step 3: Dip each chicken piece in egg, shake off the excess then dip into the ‘breadcrumb’ mixture until it is coated everywhere.

rolling chicken pieces in low carb breading

Step 4: Place on baking tray and repeat until all the chicken is used up. Drizzle or spray with olive oil. Bake until crisp and the chicken is cooked though, turning the nuggets once the top is golden.

Expert tips

My kids love chicken nuggets, which is why I have made this recipe many times.

Here is how to make the recipe perfectly:

Cut the chicken into 3 cm cubes. Stick to this size! The nuggets need to be small enough to cook inside without burning the coating.

Coat in batches. Coating 3 - 4 nuggets at a time will prevent too much clumping.

Cool before serving. Let the keto nuggets cool slightly before serving. This will make the coating even crispier.

a chicken nugget piece dunked in ketchup

Recipe FAQs

Can I pan-fry chicken nuggets?

Yes. To pan-fry chicken nuggets, heat 1 cm of light olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the nuggets for 3-4 minutes on each side.
Check with a knife that the meat inside is no longer pink and the juices run clear. Put on kitchen paper before serving to drain off any excess oil before serving.

How do I make these in the air fryer?

Pre-heat the air fryer to 200 Celsius / 400 Fahrenheit. Air fry the nuggets for 12-15 minutes. Leave space between the pieces so the air can circulate. You'll need to fry the nuggets in 2 batches.

Are regular chicken nuggets low carb?

Regular chicken nuggets are not low carb. This is because the coating is made with flour or breadcrumbs. Some even contain added sugars which extend the shelf life.

Are Chicken McNuggets keto?

McDonald's Chicken McNuggets are not keto friendly. The coating is high in starch and contains dextrose, which spikes blood sugar levels.

Serving suggestion

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. We like sugar free ketchup, this sugar Free BBQ Sauce or my super simple keto mayonnaise.

My family likes to eat chicken nuggets as a main course with a green crisp salad.

Sometimes I also serve a side of air fryer radishes, keto onion rings or air fryer turnip fries.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight tupperware in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer: You can freeze chicken nuggets both cooked and uncooked for up to 3 months. For this, put the nuggets on a tray lined with parchment paper. Once frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag. This way they don't stick together.

To reheat: Reheat fridge cold nuggets in the oven to re-crisp the batter. Reheat previously frozen nuggets straight from the freezer. There is no need to thaw them first. If they have been previously baked, this will take about 20 minutes. Uncooked frozen nuggets will take a little longer.

Here are more keto chicken recipes to try: