Keto Chicken Nuggets (With Video)

These keto chicken nuggets are so legit that you won't believe they have just 1 CARB! They're perfectly crunchy, flavorful, and literally taste like the chicken nuggets from McDonald's. But they're low carb and keto friendly, of course.

The Best Keto Chicken Nuggets

Keto fast food that actually tastes like regular fast food can be hard to come by. But these keto chicken nuggets change that!

I'm not going to lie, McDonald's chicken nuggets are one of my favorite things to get, but they're far from healthy and definitely not low carb. 

So I wanted to replicate the nuggets from McDonald's, and I was blown away by how good they turned out. Seriously, I can't stop making them, and I have a feeling that I'm going to get you hooked too. 

These low carb chicken nuggets are crispy and crunchy with a flavorful breading that has a spot on texture. I'm not kidding when I say that they are just as good as "real" chicken nuggets. 

It's crazy that you can eat 10 of them for just 1 CARB! And good thing because it'll be hard to eat only 10. 

Oh, and to make this recipe even healthier, you can either bake or air fry the chicken, and they'll turn out as good as deep frying.

Also, this may sound a bit weird - but trust me it's totally delicious - I highly recommend dipping these low carb nuggets into my keto alfredo sauce recipe. They're honestly a match made in heaven!

By the way, I know I said that keto fast food could be hard to come by. But if you want some hidden gems, check out my keto McDonald's and keto Chick-Fil-A lists after you make this recipe, of course.

Ingredients You'll Need

Something else to love about this keto recipe is that it requires all common ingredients. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you have all of the seasonings on hand already!

Here's everything you'll need:

• 14 Oz chicken breast, cubed
• ½ Scoop Unflavored whey protein powder
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Cups pork rinds, crushed
• ¼ Cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Heaping teaspoon Garlic Salt
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• Pinch of Chile powder
• Pinch of black pepper

Pretty common stuff if you're following a low carb diet right?!

Oh, and just so you know you can use pretty much every single ingredient to make this air fryer chicken breast, this chicken bacon ranch casserole, or this keto chicken thighs recipe. So you can give those keto chicken recipes a try next!

And don't be afraid to stock up on the pork rinds. For one, I think you'll want to make this recipe pretty frequently. Also, you can use them to make my keto mozzarella sticks!

How To Make Keto Chicken Nuggets

Now let's get down to the details. The process to make low carb chicken nuggets is as easy as it gets with this recipe.

All it takes is a little mixing, breading, then letting the oven or air fryer take care of crisping them to perfection.

So let's not waste any more time and get right into the recipe!

STEP 1: MAKING THE BREADING

Before anything else, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).

Now we'll start by making the breading. First, add the pork rinds to a large ziplock bag and crush them up by either using your hands or you can put them in a food processor. 

Regardless of what method you use, you'll want to crush or blend them until the pork rinds turn into a bread crumb consistency. And once they do, add them to a medium bowl.

Next, add the parmesan cheese, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and a pinch of black pepper to the bowl. Then mix everything until they combine and set the breading aside.

STEP 2: PREP WORK

The next thing you'll do is add the eggs to a bowl and whisk them until the yolks combine with the whites, then set aside.

Then add the protein powder to a bowl. The protein powder will take the place of flour in this recipe, and it's actually what gives these keto chicken nuggets such a legit consistency. And I like to use the unflavored whey protein by Isopure.

Now, dice the chicken up into bite-sized pieces, which will be about 30-40 nuggets. 

STEP 3: BREADING THE CHICKEN

By now, you'll have all of the components for this recipe. So set up an assembly line with the chicken, protein powder, egg wash, and breading.

First, dip the chicken nugget pieces in the protein powder and make sure to coat both sides thoroughly. 

Next, immediately transfer it to the bowl of egg wash. Oh, and use two hands - wet and dry - to make this entire process smoother. 

Then move the chicken from the egg into the bowl of breading and cover the nuggets entirely with the breading mixture.

And once they're breaded, transfer the chicken nuggets onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 

STEP 4: BAKING THE CHICKEN NUGGETS

Ok, after all of the chicken is breaded and on the baking sheet, put it in the oven for about 12-15 minutes.

Give them a check at about 12 minutes and see how they're cooking. You'll want the nuggets to be nice and crispy.

Then when they're done, take them out of the oven, let them cool, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!

How To Make Keto Chicken Nuggets In The Air Fryer

If you want to make keto chicken nuggets air fryer style, turn the air fryer to 400°F. 

Then spray the air fryer basket with baking spray and put as many nuggets as you can in the air fryer basket. You'll want to make sure they are lying flat and have a little space between each other. 

Now air fry for about 7-8 minutes and flip the chicken nuggets halfway through air frying. Then you'll end up with delicious crispy and crunchy keto chicken nuggets. Enjoy!

How To Store Keto Chicken Nuggets

As I mentioned, this recipe will make about 30-40 nuggets or about 4 servings. So they're perfect for a family dinner. And if you have kids, they'll love them and have no idea they're keto low carb! 

Then if you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. And they're delicious leftovers, so this makes for a great meal prep recipe for the keto diet.

And if you really want to meal prep, you can freeze them. It's like having Tyson frozen chicken nuggets, but they're keto! To freeze, put them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. You can then store them like this for up to 3 months.

How To Reheat These Chicken Nuggets

So, if you have leftovers and want to reheat them, the best two ways are the same cooking options as above. The first option is to put them in the oven at 350°F on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 8-10 minutes or until warm.

The other option is to put them in the air fryer at 400°F for about 3-5 minutes until warm. And if starting from frozen, just add a few minutes to the reheating time.

More Keto Chicken Recipes

• Keto chicken stir fry
• Baked chicken legs
• Chicken tenders without breading
• Chicken sausage recipe
• Chicken tenderloins 

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