Baked Chicken Nuggets

5 from 2 votes

Crushed cheddar crackers and a hot oven give these homemade chicken nuggets a golden, crunchy crust with no frying involved! They come together in about 30 minutes and freeze beautifully for busy nights.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword baked chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets recipe, homemade chicken nuggets

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 367.9kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

½ cup crushed cheddar cheese Goldfish crackers (start with about 1 cup of whole Goldfish crackers)
½ cup Italian style bread crumbs
2 teaspoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces

Instructions

Heat the oven: Preheat to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix the breading: Place the crushed Goldfish crackers, bread crumbs, brown sugar, and salt in a shallow dish and stir to combine.
Add the oil: Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the crumb mixture and toss until the crumbs are evenly coated and slightly clumpy.
Set up the stations: Pour the flour into a second shallow dish and place the beaten eggs in a third.
Dredge in flour: Turn the chicken pieces in the flour to coat, then shake off any excess.
Dip in egg: Dip the floured chicken into the beaten eggs, letting the excess drip off.
Coat in crumbs: Press each piece into the crumb mixture until fully covered.
Arrange on the pan: Place the breaded chicken on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space between the pieces.
Bake: Bake until crisp and deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. No need to flip.

Notes

Don't skip the oil in the crumbs. It is what browns the coating in a dry oven. Without it the nuggets bake pale and dusty.
Use sprayed foil rather than parchment. The oiled foil crisps the undersides, which is why these do not need flipping.
Shake off the excess at every step. Loose flour and drippy egg add moisture and soften the crust.
Give them space on the pan. Crowding traps steam. Use two trays if you are doubling the batch.
Cracker swaps: Whole grain Goldfish, Parmesan Goldfish, Cheez-Its, Annie's Cheddar Bunnies, or crushed corn flakes all work. Add a pinch of extra salt with corn flakes.
Bread crumb swaps: Plain or panko crumbs work in place of Italian style. With plain crumbs, add ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning and a pinch of garlic powder.
To make tenders instead: Leave the tenderloins whole, bread them the same way, and bake 20 to 25 minutes.
Air fryer: Preheat to 400°F, then cook in batches 7 to 8 minutes, until crispy and 165°F at the center.
Storage and reheating: Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days or freeze baked nuggets up to 2 months. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes from frozen.

Nutrition