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air fried chicken nuggets chickfila

Healthy Chicken Nuggets (Baked and Air Fried)

Move over fast food nuggets, because Healthy Chicken Nuggets are here! These mouth watering nuggets can be made in either the oven or an air fryer. They’re made complete with copycat Chick-fil-A sauce!

Prep: 15Cook: 15Total: 30 minutes
Yield 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Chicken Nuggets

  • 3 large chicken breasts
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp pickle juice
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/3 cup very finely crushed crackers (you can also use breadcrumbs, but I used Simple Mills almond flour crackers in a food processor)
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Chick-Fil-A Dipping Sauce

  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1/2 tsp salt 
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. If baking, preheat oven to 450F and line baking sheet with aluminum foil and oil well. If air-frying, preheat air frier to 400F.
  2. Cut chicken breasts into nugget size bites.
  3. Whisk together eggs and pickled juice.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cracker crumbs, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  5. Dip each chicken nugget into the egg mixture, then into the flour mixture, being sure to coat both sides and pressing the mixture on to cover all surfaces. Repeat with remaining chicken.

TO BAKE:

  1. Line nuggets on foiled + greased baking sheet. Bake for 5-6 minutes, then flip, and bake for another 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and internal temp reaches 165F.

TO AIR FRY:

  1. Once preheated to 400F, spray basket with nonstick spray. Place in chicken nuggets, in an even layer, not stacking on top of each other. 
  2. Fry for 9-11 minutes, turning once halfway through. Chicken should reach internal temp of 165F.
Author: Erin MorrisseyCategory: lunch, dinnerMethod: bake, air-fryCuisine: AmericanDiet: Gluten Free