Super Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets with Garlic and Parmesan. Breaded in panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and baked until golden brown and crispy. This easy Chicken Nuggets recipe is wonderful as an appetizer or for dinner, and much healthier than take-out or frozen!
If you love making healthier crispy chicken at home, give my Baked Chicken Tenders and my Oven Fried Chicken Thighs a try!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox! You will also receive other new recipes in your inbox weekly!
Baked Chicken Nuggets with Garlic and Parmesan
These chicken nuggets are amazing. Perfectly golden brown, tender on the inside and extra crunchy on the outside. Just how I like my chicken nuggets.
They are baked, not fried, and are still super crispy on the outside. They are breaded in panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Similar to my Crispy Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders but way more pop-able.
The trick to getting these nuggets crispy is the panko breadcrumb. Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style breadcrumbs that are lighter and flakier than typical breadcrumbs.
Baking these nuggets also makes them a lot healthier. I use high heat (I set the oven to 400 degrees) to get them nice and crispy.
Kids and adults alike love these chicken nuggets. Skip store-bought frozen chicken nuggets or fast food and give these a try!
What you’ll need to make this recipe
- Chicken: I prefer lean chicken breasts for this recipe, however, boneless skinless chicken thighs are another great option!
- Flour: This is the first ingredient for breading the chicken. I used plain, all-purpose flour. The egg and breadcrumbs stick to it really well!
- Egg: Egg is an essential ingredient for breading baked chicken nuggets. It binds the breadcrumbs to the chicken and keeps it from crumbling off.
- Breadcrumbs: For extra crunch, I finished breading the chicken with panko breadcrumbs. They crisp us so well in the oven!
- Parmesan: For a little tangy, cheesy flavor I added grated parmesan cheese. It also gets nice and crispy when it’s baked in the oven.
- Garlic powder: I love garlic in just about every savory dish! A little garlic powder makes these chicken nuggets taste incredible!
- Garnish: Extra parmesan cheese and parsley finish this dish beautifully. This step is optional but I highly recommend it!
How to make Baked Chicken Nuggets
- Preheat the oven: Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Bread the chicken: Starting with the flour and ending with breadcrumbs, dip the chicken into the flour, egg, and Parmesan breadcrumbs.
- Place the chicken on a baking tray: Line the chicken tenders on a baking sheet covered with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Bake! Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until fully cooked.
- Turn them over: Flip halfway through cooking.
- Garnish: Take out of the oven and top with extra Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for garnish.
Tips for Success
- The best way to bread these baked chicken nuggets is to keep one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry. This helps from getting the dreaded breading hands.
- I use this baking method / breading for most of my crispy chicken recipes. It’s a great way to get tender chicken with a crispy coating. If you love these nuggets, check out my Easy Honey Garlic Sesame Chicken and my Super Sticky Asian Chicken Bites which use the same breading method.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days,
- Reheat in the oven or air fryer until heated through and crispy. You can also reheat them in the microwave but the breading won’t turn out as crispy.
What to serve with Chicken Nuggets
- French Fries
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Loaded Mexican Fries
- Pasta
- Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Potatoes
- Risotto
- Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Salad
- Spicy Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts
Dips
- Barbecue Sauce
- Homemade Ranch Dip
- Ketchup
- Garlic Mayonnaise
- Spicy Mayo
- Blue Cheese Dressing
How long should Chicken Nuggets be in the oven?
Bake homemade chicken nuggets for 15-20 minutes at 400°F. Check the internal temperature reaches 160-165°F, or that it’s no longer pink in the middle before consuming.
Are baked chicken nuggets unhealthy?
Store-bought frozen chicken nuggets are often filled with unnecessary ingredients and aren’t very healthy even if they’re baked instead of fried. Homemade baked chicken nuggets have simple ingredients and are a much better, healthier choice!
How do you know when chicken nuggets are done in the oven?
The best way to tell when baked chicken nuggets are done is with a meat thermometer. When the internal temperature of the chicken reaches between 160-165°F, is no longer pink inside, and the breading is golden and crispy, then you’ll know the chicken nuggets are ready to eat.
Here are more delicious chicken recipes to try!
- Easy Chicken Marsala
- The BEST Chicken Parmesan
- Easy Chicken Shawarma
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
- Easy One Pan Bourbon Chicken
- Easy Thai Chicken Satay
Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cubed (about 1 pound)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- extra Parmesan cheese for garnish, if desired
- chopped parsley, for garnish, if desired
- Bourbon Barbecue Sauce, for dipping, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Add flour to a shallow dish.
- Add egg to a shallow bowl and whisk, set aside.
- Add breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese to a shallow bowl and mix to combine.
- Starting with the flour and ending with breadcrumbs, dip the chicken into the flour, egg and Parmesan breadcrumbs.
- Line the chicken tenders on a baking sheet covered with a silicone baking mat.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until fully cooked. Flip halfway through cooking.
- Take out of the oven and top with extra Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for garnish.
- Serve with a side of your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
I'd love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don't forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Jenna
These look yummy, and now I want some chicken nuggets and it’s only 9:13am in the morning. 🙂
Kelley
Thanks Jenna!
Gayle
These chicken nuggets look fantastic, Kelley! I love the parmesan flavor. Sounds delish1
Keri
These look great and so much healthier than fast food or store bought chicken nuggets!
Maya
These look so delicious Kelley! I love coating chicken in panko but I don’t think I’ve ever tried making nuggets before, what a great idea!
Kathy
My daughter will love these. Making them for her tomorrow night.
Sues
I just bought 2 pounds of panko (they were on crazy good sale at BJs!) and think I need to add these chicken nuggets to my meal plan!
Kelly
These chicken nuggets look perfect, Kelley! We adore using panko crumbs and I can just imagine how amazing these would be with your bourbon bbq sauce! Love these!
Dani
These look delicious, and so simple! My kind of recipe!
Sarah
Oh, gosh. I am seriously wishing I could just grab ALL of those gorgeous nuggets straight outta my screen! These look beyond phenomenal, Kelley! Love how crispy they look and the addition of Parmesan cheese! Adding this one to the dinner menu! 🙂
karen
Chicken nuggets are always a go at my house! Love that you’ve added the parmesan, makes it SO yummy! These look fantastic, mmmmmmmmmm!