Keto Chicken Nuggets
Bite-size chicken in a crunchy parmesan and pork rind crust, baked or air-fried until golden. Kids like them, and they’re gluten-free.
Nutrition per serving
about 8 nuggets- Net carbs
- 1.9g
- Calories
- 415kcal
- Protein
- 54g
- Fat
- 20g
- Total carbs
- 2.9 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Nut-free: Extra pork rinds replace the almond flour, so the nuggets are safe for school-lunch nut rules and just as crunchy.
- Use the extra crushed pork rinds in the coating in place of the almond flour.
Dairy-free: More pork rinds and a spoonful of nutritional yeast replace the parmesan, keeping the savory, cheesy flavor without any dairy.
- Mix the extra pork rinds and nutritional yeast into the coating instead of the parmesan. Serve with a dairy-free dip such as sugar-free BBQ sauce.
Egg-free (mustard binder): A thin layer of mustard holds the crumbs on instead of beaten egg. You barely taste it after baking, and the coating sticks well.
- Toss the chicken pieces in the thinned mustard until lightly and evenly coated, then press into the crumbs as written.
- Chicken
- Coating
- Chicken
- Coating
- Chicken
- Coating
- Also add
- Chicken
- Coating
Estimated cost $10.75 for 4 servings ($2.69 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Set an oven-safe wire rack in a parchment-lined sheet pan and brush the rack lightly with oil.
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Pat the chicken pieces dry and season with the salt and pepper.
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Beat the egg in a bowl. In a shallow dish, mix the crushed pork rinds (pork rind panko), parmesan, almond flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder.
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Toss the chicken in the egg. Working a few pieces at a time, roll them in the crumb mixture, pressing so the coating sticks, and set them on the rack with space between.
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Drizzle or spray the tops with the remaining oil. Bake 15–18 minutes, flipping halfway, until deep golden and the largest nugget reads 165°F (74°C) in the center. In an air fryer, cook at 400°F (200°C) for 10–12 minutes.
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Cool 2–3 minutes so the crust firms up. Serve with ranch, sugar-free BBQ sauce or sugar-free ketchup.
Tips for success
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Use one hand for the egg and the other for the crumbs, so your fingers don’t end up breaded. - Freeze breaded, uncooked nuggets on a tray, then bag them. Bake from frozen at 400°F (200°C), adding 5–8 minutes.
- Boneless thighs make even juicier nuggets. Cook them to at least 165°F (74°C), the same as breast.
Nice to have, not needed
- An air fryer gives the crunchiest nuggets — the oven method on a rack works nearly as well.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 2 months
Reheat: Air fryer or oven at 400°F (200°C) for 6–8 minutes, until crisp and hot; from frozen, add 4–5 minutes.
Prep tip: Freeze cooked nuggets in a single layer on a tray before bagging so they don’t stick together.
Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze cooked nuggets up to 2 months. Reheat in an air fryer or 400°F (200°C) oven for 6–8 minutes.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosNut-free
DietExtra pork rinds replace the almond flour, so the nuggets are safe for school-lunch nut rules and just as crunchy.
- almond flour → extra pork rinds
1.3 g net · 412 kcal · 57 g protein · 18 g fat · ≈$2.78 per serving (−0.6 g net carbs vs the original)
Dairy-free
DietMore pork rinds and a spoonful of nutritional yeast replace the parmesan, keeping the savory, cheesy flavor without any dairy.
- parmesan → extra pork rinds
- + 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1.9 g net · 424 kcal · 56 g protein · 20 g fat · ≈$2.68 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
Egg-free (mustard binder)
DietA thin layer of mustard holds the crumbs on instead of beaten egg. You barely taste it after baking, and the coating sticks well.
- egg → yellow or Dijon mustard
1.9 g net · 402 kcal · 52 g protein · 19 g fat · ≈$2.67 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
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