Chicken nuggets are a real kid-pleaser! Adults will enjoy this recipe for a tasty appetizer, too! Serve warm, with your favorite dipping sauces if desired.
these were great! Very tasty and crisp and much better than fried. I used a beaten egg to get the batter to stick rather than melted butter for a lower fat content.
Read MoreI followed the recipe but used unseasoned breadcrumbs. It was a pinch too salty. What I didn't like was that it seemed a bit grainy. Kiddos weren't crazy about them either.
Read More these were great! Very tasty and crisp and much better than fried. I used a beaten egg to get the batter to stick rather than melted butter for a lower fat content.
These chicken nuggets were great and easy to make. PLEASE, EVERYONE: IF YOU ARE GOING TO RATE A RECIPE, PLEASE FIRST FOLLOW IT!!! IT IS SO ANNOYING TO READ REVIEWS (ESPECIALLY POOR ONES) AND SEE THAT THE COOK DIDN'T FOLLOW THE RECIPE AS WRITTEN. It is great to make changes and add your own twist but that shouldn't affect how you rate the recipe.
These were very good and tender! I didn't want to use all of that butter, so I used two beaten eggs mixed with a splash of olive oil. I was running short on Parm so I used half the amount. Served with Honey mustard dressing- very tasty!
I reviewed this one a few years back...still making these today. Do what a reviewer below suggests and use panko crumbs plus bake on a rack. I turn them 3/4 through for even browning. I also add pressed garlic to the butter for extra yummy flavor.
These were great! I used 1 1/2 lbs. chicken tenders cut in half. Used only 1/2 tsp.salt, Since bread crumbs were seasoned, I reduced basil to 1/2 tsp. and also added 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Put all dry ingredients in a plastic baggie and added my chicken,after dunking in butter, in small batches to coat. Used some of the left over crumbs sprinkled on top and drizzled whatever butter I had left over on top of the chicken. I used fresh grated parmesan and they came out wonderful! I used to pan fry my chicken nuggets and it took forever,this is so much faster and easier and the best nuggets I have made so far. Thanks Teresa!
I was pleasantly surprised by these. Great flavor. I made the following changes: (1) instead of butter, I used about 1/2 T. of vinegar and 1/2 c. milk and soaked the chicken pieces in it for about one hour in the fridge; (2) put all of the dry ingredients in a bag and spooned the chicken pieces in, shaking to coat (no mess!); (3) sprayed with cooking spray for a crispier coating; and (4) baked on a wire rack set on a cookie sheet.
These were awesome! A lot better than any frozen or fast food chicken nuggets. I made them for my boyfriend with some corn on the cob as a side. We loved the dinner. I recommend flipping the nuggets about 3/4 of the way, to make sure one side doesn't get too brown.
I make these all the time for the little man of the house - they freeze great! I don't use butter, instead I use egg to coat the chicken - using butter makes them less healthy and also VERY salty. I make up four-five breasts at a time, get about 30 nuggets out of that. I cook them for the whole time (then throw a few in my mouth!) and pop them in a freezer bag. Whenever we want a quick and easy lunch, we pop five of them in the oven at 400 degrees for around ten minutes, easy peezy!! Thanks for an awesome idea and awesome recipe!!
Very delicious! Did not run out of bread crumb mixture. As a matter of fact, I had to make a little more to finish out chicken strips! Next time, I'm gonna have spaghetti sauce as a dip. My husband and I agreed that would go well with the chicken nuggets. lkjohnson
What a great recipe! My whole family loved these nuggets. I did not have too much of the bread crumbs left, but I did use half of the salt, thyme and basil like some of the others suggested!
This was an easy and excellent recipe. Will definitely keep this one (even my five year old stepdaughter liked it). Will try it next time without the butter (dipping it in milk) so that it is lower in fat. Thanks for the great recipe.
I wanted to make something like Chicken McNuggets to please the kids. I didn't have a lot of ingredients on-hand or a lot of time to search, so I went with this recipe. I told my wife I'd make her something else for dinner, anticipating the final product would be something like McNuggets. I used the modifications to the recipe that RESALEAPPAREL recommended in his/her 2 Nov. 2006 review (cooked on a cookie rack, used 1 Tbsp vinegar and a cup of milk instead of butter, broiled for last five minutes). I also had to use mostly Ritz cracker crumbs instead of bread crumbs. As soon as I sampled it out of the oven, I stopped preparing the second meal for my wife. These suckers are healthy and good. Turned out moist and delicious. I cut them into 1.5" squared or slightly oblong shapes. Highly recommended.
This recipe is absolutly delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and was very impressed. My picky grandsons even loved it! Thanks for such a simple and delicious recipe!! Will be making agian and agian!
I cut this recipe in half and used two smallish chicken breasts. The breadcrumbs I used were homemade. I did need a touch more butter to coat my pieces. I baked these on a large shallow pan that I coated with foil and placed a wire cookie sheet on. These turned out really nicely-- cooking them on a wire rack made them crispier than they would have been just cooked on the baking sheet. The kids were quite surprized that I could make chicken nuggets at home. The kids ate them but they did not care all the thyme in this recipe. I'll make this again but I'll find some way to lighten this up (like maybe using egg white to coat the chicken instead of all that butter) and use italian seasoning instead of the individual spices that are called for.
Made these along with sweet potato fries (both oven baked). My grandkids BEG for these everytime I cook for them. I used milk to dip the chicken as I didn't want to use all that butter. I served them with ranch dressing, BBQ sauce & honey mustard. They were great! ("dipping" is half of the fun for kids!)
Very tasty healthy alternative to store bought chicken nuggets (which I haven't had since college probably 8 years ago). I decreased the amount of bread crumbs by 1/4cup and increased parm(fresh) by 1/4 cup. Omitted salt, decreased herbs to 1/2 tsp. each and added 1/4 tsp. garlic powder. They baked up pretty crispy maybe because I sprayed them with olive oil spray before baking. Also, I omitted the butter and just marinated them in buttermilk before breading. This made them very tender and juicy! So, with a bunch of changes these were great! I'm sure they would be super with the butter but my fiance is on a diet so that wasn't in the cards last night. Yummy! Will make again! Maybe I'll turn the oven up to 425 next time to brown them more for appearence
Only Four Stars on this one. These were great, 1.5 inch peices make the perfect size nugget. I will however challenge the butter issue. I am not one of those health nuts who care about fat content but I will say the butter made them relatively greasy and the crumbs/parmesan did not want to stay put. In the future I will take the other reviewer's suggestion of using egg, I think that would bind the crumbs a little better. Cooking them on a cooling rack was yet another great suggestion, it worked great. I paired this meal up with baked sweet potato french fries. MMMMM MMMM, I will definitely make this again, and I will play around with different spices too!
I followed the recipe but used unseasoned breadcrumbs. It was a pinch too salty. What I didn't like was that it seemed a bit grainy. Kiddos weren't crazy about them either.
Loved these. I used whole wheat Panko bread crumbs, added some garlic powder, basil, salt, a few other seasonings. Soaked in butter milk (vinegar/milk) for 5 mins before shaking in bread crumb mixture. Baked for 25 mins at 400. SO good!
Place chicken on a wire rack (like the kind you cool cookies on). This allows the bottom of the chicken crisp up as well. I use chicken tenders. I baked 15 minutes at 400, then broil for 5 minutes for extra crispness. Instead of butter if you want to save calories is to add a capful of vinegar to some milk (it is a substitute for buttermilk). This tenderizes the chicken as well and the coating sticks well to it. Then spritz with a light spray of oil and bake. This recipe also works well with Panko or cornflake crumbs. I've used this recipe to oven fry zucchini and mushrooms too. by resaeappparel 11/2/06
Great little recipe. These are really good served cold. We bring them when we're going to spend the day on the boat. Just keep them in the cooler and people can grab a few when they're hungry. Also these are a really good for potlucks. Put them on a platter with a bowl of dip and you're good to go. Even better if you have some in the freezer already! To freeze them just take the rack you baked them on and put the whole thing In the freezer (once it's cooled of course). When they're good and frozen put them in a baggie. That way they'll freeze individually and you don't have a big frozen lump of nuggets.
What a great dinner! I used cornmeal instead of bread crumbs to make it GF. I also let my chicken marinade in buttermilk for an hour before cooking, this made it tender. Baked on a cooling rack to make them extra crispy. Great, will make them again!
I made a few changes. I used 1 package of whole wheat saltines, crushed with the other seasonings and parmesan cheese. I also marinated the chicken in a roasted garlic store bought marinate. I didn't need any butter or egg because the bread crumbs stuck. I put the cracker crumb mix and chicken in a ziplock and shook till they were covered. I also followed a previous review about putting the nuggets on a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet. It worked great! They were awesome! I would recommend if you reheat these don't do it in the microwave...try the broiler or toasted oven.
Thought the receipe was easy to make...the only thing I would do differently would be to cut down the amount of "bread crumbs". There was no need for an entire cup. Otherwise, I will definately make again!
These were by far the best baked nuggets I have ever made. I took other reviewers advice and added crushed garlic to the melted butter. I also put the nuggets on a cookie drying rack in the oven (on top of a cookie sheet) so all sides were crispy. I find panko crumbs make the best coating. We will definitely be making these again!
We make these all the time (even without any kids!). I dip the chicken pieces in milk instead of butter and it works just fine. Also try spraying some Pam on the nuggets before baking them to crisp them up a little. Also, I don't put the salt in - it's fine without salt.
I only had 2 tbsp of parm left so I just cheddar for the rest. I would probably do less basil and more of thyme and italian seasoning. Also used egg instead of butter and cooked them for an extra 5 mins. I wonder if this recipe would freeze well or not. Has anyone tried it before?
These were a hit. My son requested chicken nuggets for his birthday dinner, so I made these. Everyone (including the grandparents) loved them. Highly recommend this version over the processed store bought kind!
Very good! I used black pepper and old bay instead of thyme and basil to give them an extra kick, and they turned out great! Will definitely make these again.
Wow. These were amazing. My kids, who NEVER like my homemade nuggets, chowed down. Only change I made to the recipe was to use plain bread crumbs with Italian seasoning and skipped the extra seasonings.
A nice start, but lacks in the flavor dept. Swapping buttermilk for the butter worked well for a lower fat (and cheaper, and less messy/greasy) option. Perhaps with the right dunkers (marinara, etc), this would be better. Also opted to bake on a cooling rack so the bottoms could get crispy instead of soggy.
I thought these were ok, but the kids (10, 6, and 2) wolfed these down in two blinks of the eye. This gets a 5 star from me!
Instead of dipping them in butter before breading, use Dijon mustard! Wowzers that's good!
My oldest son loved these! My younger (picky eater) son wouldn't even try one :-( Hubby loved them. I used panko crumbs instead of italian bread crumbs. I added 1 tsp each of old bay, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. I cut up the chicken and let it marinate in buttermilk for about 30 minutes. I skipped the butter, the buttermilk was all it needed. **Tip***Preheat your pan in your oven. This will quickly brown and crisps the nuggets. Turn them about 1/2 way through to brown both sides.****
These were amazing. Followed recipe but I did take someones advice on placing them on a cooling rack on a sheet pan while baking. They were crispy and delicious!
These had a good taste but were on the soggy side. I did broil the pieces on each side, but I didn't do it too long because I didn't want them to dry out. Next time I'll try using a rack placed on a cookie sheet as others have suggested.
Very good. Served with Chef John's honey mustard sauce from this site. I think next time I will substitute poultry seasoning for the thyme. Found that flavor to be a bit off. Also, I soaked in buttermilk (milk/white vinegar) for several hours and omitted butter. Used strips instead of nuggets
I used egg (2, beat lightly) instead of butter. This was a winner with husband and kids.
Yum!! The entire family loved this one! I served it with Ranch dressing for dipping. The only part I didn't like was how long it took me to get the nuggets breaded, but I'll solve that next time by making several batches at once and freezing for a quick meal later. Thanks for the great recipe!
Perfect nuggets for my one year old! I saved a baggie full to keep in the freezer for quick lunches. I thought they tasted great as well! I made a sauce of mayo, dijon mustard, and honey. mmm.
i would make nuggets a little smaller. used fresh bread crumbs and dried herbs from my garden -- delicious! may also use some egg in teh butter to see if the bread crumbs stick better and maybe brown more
dipped in egg instead of butter, cooked on rack (as recommended by others) and used a little panko to crisp things up.....BIG HIT with the KIDS!! That's the most chicken I've seen my kids eat in a long time!! Nice recipe!!
This was delicious and fast. I made the recipe exactly as is except for the bread crumbs, I substituted panko crumbs because thats all we have in the house (panko crumbs make a delicious breading). My son thought this was the best chicken he ever had and said "Wow these chicken tenders don't even need ketchup." :) (and that says a lot from him.) I also always bake "breaded" meats on wire rack as this helps to avoid soggy bottoms. Thanks so much for this recipe. It is a keeper! Oh and by the time you are done you probably will have used only about a tablespoon of butter on all of the chicken so don't substitute it, just use it. It really makes the tenders, well, tender! :)
This is the bomb! The chicken was so tender and it had a great flavor. I'll be cooking this many more times.
This is REALLY good! I was in a pinch for dinner and these were a hit with the grown ups and the kids. I followed the suggestion of one of the reviewers and cooked them on a cookie rack to ensure that they were crispy all over
Tried the recipe 'as is,' and they were flavorful and tender but not crispy or brown. Plus, they were swimming in oil. I had a ton of crumb mixture leftover even though I double coated them, thinking I did something wrong. Next time I'll put them on a rack to see if the crispness improves.
These were really good and best of all- EASY. Plus, I had everything on-hand which is always a plus. Unfortunately, the kids wouldn't touch them. I think this could be 5 stars if you reduced the seasonings just a bit. It was right at the line for my husband and me and I think that's what pushed the kids over on these. I like the "bones" of this recipe though, and will make it again down the road, just with a tad less of the spices. I always bake any chicken I want to crisp on a cooling rack and I lightly sprayed with a mist of oil. They had a great crunch.
Fantastic-I used panko bread crumbs and turned them halfway through the cooking time as they got too brown on the bottom if I didn't. These were a hit with the whole family.
This is so easy and yummy. It literally took me 20 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cook time. I likely will try to make it healthier and reduce the butter content next time but this recipe is plain and simply a winner!
My kids finally ate something! I reduced the salt, basil and thyme to 1/2 tsp each becuz my kids like more bland food and offered ketchup, ranch like one mom suggested and applesauce for dipping. Even with the seasoning reductions it was flavorful enough for the adults. Thank you for this recipe.
Even my pickiest eater loved these Chicken Nuggets. Im sure they will be a regular on our table from now on.
This was an amazing recipe for me to use! My children are gluten free casein free and this recipe was perfect to alter to their needs! They were so happy that they could finally have their "McDonalds" dinner!
Yummy. My husband declares these the best chicken nuggets he's ever had. I didn't have Italian seasoned breadcrumbs on hand, so I used plain and added 1 T of an Italian seasoning mix to the bread crumbs before adding the other seasonings. I also substituted 2 beaten eggs for the butter for extra sticking power. The results were fantastic. Tastes even better cold from the refrigerator the next day. Another "next day" suggestion that's slightly higher in fat content: my husband and I also found that these also taste great if you fry them in oil, turning once so that both sides get nice and crispy and somewhat browned.
I expected these to be really good from all the other reviews, but I just found them to be ok.
This is great! I am always looking for toddler friendly recipes, and this one is a regular in our house. We like to accompany the chicken with some BBQ sauce and honey mustard for dipping. You can serve with cooked veggies, or fresh veggies with ranch dip to make the perfect (easy) "Finger Food" meal! Thanks for posting!
Hubby loved it. Instead of the thyme and basil I used 1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning! Next time will try adding a good pinch of garlic powder. Thanks for sharing...
Great recipe! I love the fact that it's baked and not fried. Has very good flavor.
They were ok, kinda of boring to be honest. Will not be making again, nothing special....
These were delicious! I baked them on a baking stone, which makes it near impossible to dry out chicken. They were moist and tasty!
This was excellent! I made them into bite size popcorn chicken. The flavor was so good that I didn’t feel the need to dip them in any kind of sauce! Also, I be it would be really yummy on top of a salad!
My kids must be too used to the Purdue processed kind-- they took one bite and said 'yuck.' They were really tough, even after marinating in buttermilk. Any other suggestions? Hmph.
I used panko breadcrumbs the second time I made it and it turned this recipe from average to amazing. I added a little pepper, thyme and oregano and skipped the basil.
We love these in our house! I've made them with both butter and a skim milk buttermilk substitute which both turned out great. Now, instead of buying processed chicken nuggets from the store, I make a ton of these every 4-6 weeks and then freeze them. Pop them in the oven for a quick heat up and they're ready to go!
I could not get the breading to crisp. I did 15 min at 400 and then broiled for 5 minutes, and used a baking rack over a cookie pan...a few of the pieces got a bit crispy but the breading was soft on most of the nuggets. That said, my hubby and stepkids still loved these, so I'd make them again. Even w/o crispy breading, the flavor is great. I cut the butter down to 4 TBSP and added a clove of minced garlic. I used Italian Herb breadcrumbs instead of seasoning them myself. Fast and easy! We used BBQ, ranch, and homemade honey mustard dipping sauces (although hubby says these are flavorful enough to not require any dip!). These are easy and since they require ingredients I always have on hand, I'm sure we'll have them again.
My mom has made this recipe for years and now that I'm out on my own I decided to give it a go myself. They came out just as good as my mom's and my boyfriend absolutely loved them! I took the advice in the reviews and used an egg instead of butter as well as cooked half of them on a cookie rack (couldn't fit too racks on my cookie sheet)The ones from the rack seemed slightly crispier but there wasn't really any big difference. Will definitly be making this one again!!
Super fast and easy to make and the taste is WONDERFUL!!!! Our 1 yr old loved them alot along with garlic mashed potatoes. The spices combined wonderfully and had great flavor! This is a great recipe if you need something quick and easy to fix that's kid friendly!!!!!! Thanks Teresa...this is a definate keeper!
well i so rarely hear my 5 year old rave about my food, that this definately deserves 5 stars just for that! I wanted to cook them on a rack, but i didn't have enough room ( used 5 breasts) so i placed them on greased foil ( after spraying nuggets lightly with oil) and flipped halfway. i also broiled for a couple minutes just to darken the colour a bit but it probably wasn't necessary. i did not use butter to get the crumbs to stick, as i was concerned about them falling off, so i did the traditional method of flour, beaten egg, and crumbs. worked like a charm! these were crunchy, juicy, and flavourful. i did find the crumb mixture a little salty when i tasted it, so i added about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of bran! not only did it add health benefits, but it tasted absolutely wonderful! i will be adding bran to my breadings from now on! i also added a little garlic powder.
Very good! I cooked them on a metal rack and they turned out perfect. I was really surprised that my 2 yr old didn't like them. I'll have to try and make them again in a few weeks and see if he changes his mind :)
My family loved it, but commented on there being too strong a cheese flavor. Next time I will try using onny 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, but there will be a next time!
These were great and so easy to make. So much better than store-bought, processed nuggets! I think I might add a little garlic next time for extra flavor.
Yum. Make sure the chicken is well thawed or the butter freezes to the chicken and the crumbs dont stick! I used Ritz crackers instead of bread crumbs and added oregano and basil instead of thyme. Served to company with mashed potatoes and glazed carrots. Everyone wanted seconds!
My kids love these and I like them too. You can reheat them the next day on a wire rack in the oven. I simplified the recipe, using only Italian bread crumbs, shelf-stable parmessan, and salt. No need for the extra spices. I put the chicken in an scrambled egg wash before dredging in the dry ingredients. Then I spray the nuggets with cooking spray before baking. Less fat, but crisps up nicely.
I've been looking for a way to make chicken that my 3 yr old son would eat. We have a winner! I read many other reviews and decided to substitute the butter for 1c milk and 1tbsp vinegar and soak chicken for 1 hr. I also put the chicken on a cookie rack. Next time I will probably cut the basil and add some garlic salt. Great recipe, thanks for sharing!
Finally! A recipe that both of my stepkids -- who have completely opposite tastes when it comes to non-dessert foot -- BOTH like, and that is not unhealthy! I made this recipe exactly as written except that I used skim milk for dipping the chicken, rather than butter, to make it a little healthier. Turned out great! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
As far as baking chicken nuggets goes, these are top notch! I used shredded Parmesan b/c it's all I had on hand, but the fresh grated (the green can scares me!) is the best stuff to use. There is no doubt these are not the same as fried, but this is the next best thing when keeping healthy eating in mind-let's face it, you can't truly duplicate that which is fried. I seasoned the chicken before breading, and I used egg/milk to get the crumbs/cheese to stick. Also melted a little butter prior to adding the chicken to the pan and flipped halfway through cooking. Thanks!
I used beaten egg instead of butter before breading and brushed them with olive oil before baking them on a sheet pan with a wire rack.
I baked on rack to crisp bottom of nuggets. next time cut back on salt. Serve with Mustard sauce under "Sauces"
These were the best nuggets EVER!! I used most of the tips on the review section like putting the crumbs in a ziploc bag to evenly coat the chicken and also added crushed garlic to the butter. I didnt have a cookie cooling rack co I made my own by twisting aluminum foil and making it into a rack.
I followed the recipe for the most part and it was pretty good but next time I think I will drizzle butter over them but other than that it is pretty tasty!
These were good! We used plain bread crumbs and left out the herbs. Wish I would have made more!
Tasty and flavourful, these chicken bits were a big hit with my husband. I think I'll cut down on the basil next time as mentioned by previous reviewers.
My husband and I had these for dinner last week and we both thought they were delicious! I made some without the parmesan cheese and some with, and the ones with the cheese were better than the ones without. I will never try another nugget recipe again!
my two year old loves these and so does my husband. do not over cook!!!
My four year old daughter loved these chicken nuggets! I will be making these often.
I love these chicken nuggets! The only chicken nuggets I will feed to my kids. My 2 year old can eat 10 with out any sauce!
Terrific recipe! I cut up the chicken, put it in a ziploc baggie and covered it with Franks Red Hot sauce for an hour. Then I used panko bread crumbs. Family really enjoyed it. I also used the cooling rack- great idea!
just made it last night, I was going to get a bag of Tyson strips, but didn't want to pay $9 for 26 oz. and Chicken Breast was $1.77/lb. As others have said, there is a lot of salt with the butter and parmasean cheese, so I would cut the salt in half. I might also try to use an egg instead of butter next time to take out some of the fat. I turned the nuggets over about halfway through and they became crispy on both sides. Make the nuggets yourself and save a fortune, for about $5 and my prep time, I was able to make almost twice as many nuggets as in the Tyson bag.
These do taste a lot like the frozen kind, but they were a nice change from fried chicken. I halved the amount of Parmesan, thyme, and basil after reading other reviews. I was glad I did because they were still herby, but not overwhelming. I had no problem with them crisping up at this temp or straight on the sheet. Also placed aluminum foil on my baking sheet for easier clean up.
This was delicious! we didnt have the basil on hand so we skipped it. They were so good! this will not serve six, maybe 3-4, depending on your appetite. two of us managed to eat the whole batch in one night, they were that good. super easy to make.
I used a few eggs instead of butter, and no salt, thyme or basil. There was enough seasoning in the Italian Breadcrumbs. Delicous.
