Keto Chicken Nuggets (Crispy, Easy)

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

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My keto chicken nuggets are succulent, tender meat coated in crispy low carb breadcrumbs! This easy recipe is only 2.6g net carbs per portion and takes just 35 minutes.

This low carb chicken nuggets recipe is the answer to all your fast food cravings! Instead of panko or breadcrumbs, I am using a clever keto alternative.

I cover cubed chicken breast in my keto breadcrumbs. This is a super tasty mix of almond flour, ground flax and seasonings. It bakes up unbelievably crispy.

My keto nuggets are so delicious that you'll be wanting to make them on repeat. We make them all the time.

I also use the breadcrumb mix for keto zucchini fries and this cauliflower popcorn.

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Why I Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestion
Storage
More Keto Chicken Recipes
Recipe

Why I Love This Recipe

Quick dinner option - ready in 35 minutes
Family-friendly and kid approved
Keto, gluten free, high protein
A fast food classic, but better: quality ingredients and 100% more flavor!

Ingredients

Here's an overview of what I'm using:

Chicken breast - It's the most tender meat of the chicken and best suited for nuggets. Make sure you remove the skin.
Almond flour - Both regular ground almonds or super fine almond flour work.
Ground flaxseed - I prefer golden flax. It's what makes the coating extra crispy.
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.

Instructions

Making keto chicken nuggets is surprisingly simple. Here are the basic steps.

For detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.

STEP 1

Whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl with a fork.

almond flour, flax and parmesan breading mix

STEP 2

In a second bowl, mix the almond flour, ground flax, garlic powder, parmesan, seasoning and Italian herbs.

STEP 3

Dip each chicken piece in egg, shake off the excess...

rolling chicken pieces in low carb breading

STEP 4

...then dip into the 'breadcrumb' mixture until it is coated everywhere. Place on a baking tray and repeat until all the chicken is used up. Drizzle or spray with olive oil.

Bake in the preheated oven until crisp and the chicken is cooked though, turning the nuggets once the top is golden.

Katrin's Top Tips

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

#2 Coat in batches. Coating 3 - 4 nuggets at a time prevents excessive clumping.

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

Variations

Nut free: Replace the almond flour with coconut flour or with crushed pork rinds. If you use pork rinds, reduce the additional salt as they are salty already.

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

Pro tip: 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.

a chicken nugget piece dunked in ketchup

Recipe FAQs

Can I pan-fry the nuggets?

Yes. To pan-fry keto nuggets, heat 1 centimetre of light olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the nuggets for 3-4 minutes on each side.
Put on kitchen paper before serving to drain off any excess oil before serving.

How do I make keto chicken nuggets in the air fryer?

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

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 container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer: You can freeze chicken nuggets 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 in about 20 minutes.