Baked Fried Chicken

I love this because baked keto chicken nuggets because the almond flour coating mimics a chicken nugget without the mess of deep frying. We love fried chicken occasionally, but it uses so much oil and covers my stovetop in grease, so we do this more often.  These baked gluten-free chicken nuggets are seasoned so grown ups enjoy them as well.

This simple crunchy chicken can easily be made ahead of time, which means less hands on time for you during the dinner rush!

Use leftovers in lunches, or chop and add to a nice green salad for a protein-filled crunch. 

DAIRY-FREE KETO BAKED ‘FRIED’ CHICKEN NUGGETS

Course: Dinner, main
Cuisine: dairy free, GAPS Diet, Gluten Free, keto, Paleo, SCD
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 585 kcal
Author: Cara Comini
These baked 'fried' nuggets have all the crunch and flavor of a traditional chicken nugget, without any gross food additives or oils full of trans fats. While fried chicken is delicious, it can also be time consuming and messy. This meal is perfect for week nights and can even be prepared ahead of time and leftovers are really good the next day or two as well!
Print

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or tenders, nutrition calculated with thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces or thin strips
  • 2 eggs
  • 1.5 cups almond flour If allergic, other nut flours can be used too.
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil to grease pan optional, use parchment if omitting

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375* F

  2. Grease two 9x13 pans, or one cookie sheet with shallow sides OR line with parchment paper.

  3. Gently mix eggs in a shallow bowl with a fork or whisk. 

  4. Combine almond flour, parsley, salt, paprika, and pepper in another shallow bowl. Alternative: Mix above dry ingredients in a gallon ziplock for ‘shake and bake’ method.

  5. Dip chicken pieces in beaten eggs, in batches, and then remove and place in the almond flour mixture. When transferring from the egg to the almond flour mixture, hold the chicken above the egg bowl for a moment to allow excess to drip off.

  6. Press egg-drenched chicken into almond flour mixture. Shake and bake method: Shake about 1 cup of egg-covered chicken in a gallon zip top bag (do not press out air) until evenly coated. 

  7. Place coated chicken on the prepared pans or cookie sheet close together but not overlapping. They can be touching in some places. Repeat the egg and almond flour steps with the remaining chicken.  

  8. Bake for 20-35 minutes. Lighter meat and smaller pieces will cook faster, darker meat and larger pieces will take longer to cook. Chicken is done when it feels firm and not squishy when pressed, or when cut into if it is not pink any more and juices run clear.

  9. Serve while hot! Leftovers are delicious too, reheated (pan frying in a little ghee is delicious) or cold. 

Recipe Notes

Net carbs: 5 per serving

To prepare ahead of time: Cover baking tray and keep in the refrigerator after placing prepared chicken nuggets onto the baking tray, but before baking, for up to 24 hours.  When it's time to bake, pull the chicken out and rest on the counter to warm up slightly as the oven preheats.  Then bake as directed. 

Nutrition Facts
DAIRY-FREE KETO BAKED ‘FRIED’ CHICKEN NUGGETS
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 585 Calories from Fat 342
% Daily Value*
Fat 38g58%
Saturated Fat 10g50%
Cholesterol 256mg85%
Sodium 510mg21%
Potassium 584mg17%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 4g16%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 54g108%
Vitamin A 235IU5%
Vitamin C 0.7mg1%
Calcium 120mg12%
Iron 3.8mg21%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dips!

For many kids, the most important part of a meal is the process of dipping ;) To keep the dips low carb as well, yellow mustard is the perfect condiment for this chicken nugget recipe.  Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing is a winner too, for both the kids and those who are young at heart.

Serving Suggestions:

This baked chicken nugget recipe goes deliciously with these other recipes.

Keto Family Class

This recipe is one of the hundreds of recipes that are part of my Keto Family Class: The class includes ketogenic friendly gluten-free recipes that the whole family will enjoy.

 

Learn how to heal leaky gut

60-page ebook of all my best GAPS Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) articles all in one place.

Powered by ConvertKit
Please follow and like us: