Baked Chicken Nuggets Recipe

These easy Baked Chicken Nuggets with a coating of Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs are a healthy dinner kids and adults will both love.

In less than 30 days, I am moving out of my house and my stuff is moving to Colorado (thanks to my amazing dad who is flying out here and driving a moving truck back).

Boots and I will follow about a month after that when the school year finishes (eek! That’s coming up so fast!).

That all means that packing is in full swing in my house! Boxes, packing tape, and permanent markers are strewn about, there’s a growing pile of stuff to donate to Goodwill underneath my desk, and I am trying to eat my way through my kitchen.

I’ve been trying to come up with fun recipes that will use up the things I already have in my freezer and pantry without having to buy more ingredients outside of my weekly fresh produce.

It was a lot easier when I had more options to choose from, but the choices are dwindling by the day (which is the whole goal, it just adds an extra challenge to meal planning).

I’m thinking I’ll be living off of Trader Joe’s chicken sausage and frozen broccoli soon, but it just so happened that baked chicken nuggets fit the bill this week!

I had frozen chicken breasts in my freezer and everything else on-hand, and it gave me the perfect excuse to use up some of the honey barbecue sauce (my very favorite condiment!), ketchup, and honey mustard I had in my fridge.

How to Make Baked Chicken Nuggets

These are so quick to throw together, especially if you have everything set up before you start dipping your fingers in things!

Salt and pepper the chicken, dip each piece in the whole wheat flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs & Parmesan mixture.

Set them all on a baking sheet and bake! That’s all there is to it.

I absolutely love using silicone baking sheets in recipes like this because they make cleanup so much easier. No baked-on breadcrumbs on the baking sheet!

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Recipe Substitutions in Baked Chicken Nuggets

I always get questions about substitutions, so here’s my two cents on a few for this recipe.

Can I Use All-Purpose Flour?

Yes, you can use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but you’ll be missing out on the health benefits of whole wheat flour. They are minimal since you’re using so little of it, but little things add up!

Can I Use A Different Kind of Cheese?

Yes, you can use a different kind of cheese, but it will probably melt differently in the mixture and it may not stick to the chicken as well.

Can I Use Different Breadcrumbs?

Yes, you can use any sort of breadcrumbs (Panko, whole wheat, gluten-free) that you’d like, but don’t forget to add some Italian seasoning and garlic powder!

Chicken nuggets are one of my favorite snack foods, and this one is not only kid-friendly, but it’s also way healthier than the frozen processed versions in the store!

Perfect for movie night, watching the game, and especially wonderful for dipping! I recommend honey barbecue sauce. 😉

Now, who wants to come over for chicken sausage and broccoli?