Better-for-You Chicken Nuggets

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Better-for-You Chicken Nuggets

By

Nicole Keshishian | KALEJUNKIE®

Crispy, juicy copycat Chick-fil-A style chicken nuggets made healthier — breaded with almond flour and breadcrumbs and finished in the air fryer or oven. Served with a sweet-tangy dipping sauce you won't want to skip.

Yield

4

Time

27 minutes

Rating

—

Ingredients

2 lb (about 900 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 large eggs

3 tbsp dill pickle juice

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup Italian herb breadcrumbs

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Cooking spray or oil spray (for air fryer or baking sheet)

Dipping sauce:

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp barbecue sauce

4 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt

Instructions

Step 1

Prepare chicken: Cut the boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite-size nugget pieces (about 1–1.5-inch pieces).

Step 2

Make the egg wash: In a bowl whisk together 2 eggs and 3 tablespoons dill pickle juice until combined.

Step 3

Make the dry coating: In a separate bowl combine 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup Italian herb breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Step 4

Coat the chicken: Dip each chicken piece first into the egg + pickle juice mixture, then press into the dry coating, pressing the mixture into crevices so each piece is well coated. Repeat until all pieces are coated.

Step 5

Air fryer method: Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Spray the basket with cooking spray and arrange nuggets in a single even layer (do not overcrowd; work in batches if needed). Air fry for 12 minutes, flipping the nuggets halfway through the cook time, until golden and cooked through.

Step 6

Oven method: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and lightly spray. Arrange nuggets in a single layer and bake on the middle rack for 6 minutes, flip each nugget, then bake another 6 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Step 7

Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, and 1/2 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt. Taste and adjust seasoning or sweetness as desired.

Step 8

Serve: Serve the nuggets hot with the dipping sauce and enjoy.

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Better-for-You Chicken Nuggets

By

Nicole Keshishian | KALEJUNKIE®

Crispy, juicy copycat Chick-fil-A style chicken nuggets made healthier — breaded with almond flour and breadcrumbs and finished in the air fryer or oven. Served with a sweet-tangy dipping sauce you won't want to skip.

Yield

4

Time

27 minutes

Rating

—

Ingredients

2 lb (about 900 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 large eggs

3 tbsp dill pickle juice

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup Italian herb breadcrumbs

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Cooking spray or oil spray (for air fryer or baking sheet)

Dipping sauce:

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp barbecue sauce

4 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt

Instructions

Step 1

Prepare chicken: Cut the boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite-size nugget pieces (about 1–1.5-inch pieces).

Step 2

Make the egg wash: In a bowl whisk together 2 eggs and 3 tablespoons dill pickle juice until combined.

Step 3

Make the dry coating: In a separate bowl combine 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup Italian herb breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Step 4

Coat the chicken: Dip each chicken piece first into the egg + pickle juice mixture, then press into the dry coating, pressing the mixture into crevices so each piece is well coated. Repeat until all pieces are coated.

Step 5

Air fryer method: Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Spray the basket with cooking spray and arrange nuggets in a single even layer (do not overcrowd; work in batches if needed). Air fry for 12 minutes, flipping the nuggets halfway through the cook time, until golden and cooked through.

Step 6

Oven method: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and lightly spray. Arrange nuggets in a single layer and bake on the middle rack for 6 minutes, flip each nugget, then bake another 6 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Step 7

Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, and 1/2 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt. Taste and adjust seasoning or sweetness as desired.

Step 8

Serve: Serve the nuggets hot with the dipping sauce and enjoy.

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By Jenn Louis

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By Kendra Vaculin

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By Neelam Batra

This flavorful Indian chicken dish features bone-in drumsticks and thighs in a rich, spicy curry sauce made with chiles, garlic, ginger, and more.

1 hr 30 min

More from Appetizers

View All →

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By Andrea Nguyen

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1 hr 45 min

Stone Fruit Caprese

By Ali Slagle

A standout caprese starts with great fruit. You need ripe tomatoes to weep juices, which then mingle with grassy olive oil and milky cheese to make your dressing. Basil adds freshness, black pepper and flakes of sea salt add crunch, and that’s it, a perfect combination. But if the stone fruit options are looking better than the tomatoes at the market, you can use them instead. They’re similar in flavor to tomatoes, but need cajoling to relinquish their juices. By letting sliced fruit macerate with salt, sugar and lemon juice, their fruitiness becomes more electric and their juices pool on the plate. Start with fruit you can smell and pair it with equally quality ingredients. Caprese is more about shopping than cooking.

20 min

Instant Pot Mini Frittatas

By Food Network Kitchen

Make a quick and delicious brunch appetizer or snack with your Instant Pot®.

Herby Feta and Yogurt Dip With Sumac

By Yossy Arefi

This tangy and creamy dip is the perfect appetizer for a warm summer evening outside, and it makes a nice condiment for grilled meats and veggies, too. Fresh green herbs brighten up the salty feta, and sumac gives it another layer of flavor and a gorgeous pop of color. Choose a feta in brine over vacuum-packed, if you’ve got the option. Feta varies a lot in salt content, so you won’t see a measured amount of salt here; just taste the dip and add a bit if you think it needs it.

5 min

Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders

By Fitwaffle | Eloise Head

Crispy cornflake-coated chicken tenders tossed in a sweet, sticky honey-garlic sauce. Ready in about 20 minutes, these air-fried tenders are juicy, crunchy and perfect for a quick weeknight meal or snack.

20 min

Shrimp Dumplings With Saffron Shallot Sauce

By Korsha Wilson

Aushak and mantoo (or mantu), dumplings found in Afghan cuisine, are often filled with soft cooked leeks and onion or ground beef, but this shrimp-filled iteration is the product of the chef Shamim Popal’s journey from Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates and, eventually, Washington, D.C. After opening a French creperie in 2003, Mrs. Popal decided to share dishes inspired by her upbringing in Afghanistan at Lapis, a restaurant in the city’s Adams Morgan neighborhood. A filling, yet light appetizer, these are meant to be prepared by and for a group, which makes light work and speaks to Mrs. Popal’s own memories of making aushak in Kabul with family.

1 hr 30 min