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    Keto Chicken Nuggets Fried or Made In The Air Fryer

    by Joe Duff 62 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    These keto chicken nuggets are the answer to your fast food cravings! They're flavorful and juicy with a crisp almond flour breading that's both low carb and gluten free. You can get them done in as fast as 30 minutes and each serving has just 2.5 NET CARBS! This is definitely one of the best keto chicken recipes you can make.

    An overhead view of keto chicken nuggets on parchment paper filling a skillet. The skillet is on a wood cutting board on a wooden table. There is a dipping sauce to the left in front of the cutting board and a bowl of mixed greens behind it.

    THE BEST KETO CHICKEN NUGGETS

    When it comes to ranking the most nostalgic childhood dinners, chicken nuggets are probably number one on the list. Am I right?!

    With that said, these keto chicken nuggets are a step above your typical frozen or fast-food nuggets.

    First off, they're much healthier and totally low carb – each serving has only 2.5 NET CARBS – but you'd never guess it from how GOOD these chicken nuggets are!

    Not to mention, they're packed with flavor from the inside out.

    From the perfectly spiced chicken, to the crisp and cheesy almond flour breading - this chicken recipe for keto is on another level. 

    Plus, it only takes about 30 minutes to make five servings of these keto chicken nuggets. And you can fry these chicken nuggets in a pan or cook them in the air fryer. Honestly, they might just be one of the best keto air fryer recipes you can make.

    And of course, you can't have chicken nuggets without some fries. So I highly recommend making this keto french fries recipe too! 

    Oh, and both of them go together with this keto cheese sauce for a combination like no other.

    A skillet filled with parchment paper with several keto chicken nuggets on top. One of the chicken nuggets at the front has a bite taken out of it, showing the chicken inside the breading. The skillet is on a wood cutting board on a wooden table. Part of a dipping sauce is in front to the left of the cutting board.

    INGREDIENTS FOR KETO CHICKEN NUGGETS

    As I mentioned, we will be using super common keto friendly ingredients to make this recipe.

    That said, here's what you'll need to make them:

    • 2 Eggs, Whisked
    • 4 Medium-Sized Chicken Breast
    • 1 Cup Almond Flour (more if needed)
    • 2 Tbsps. Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)
    • ½ Teaspoon Salt
    • ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ¼ Teaspoon Paprika
    • ¼ Teaspoon Ground Pepper
    • ½-1 Cup Oil For Frying

    Super simple stuff, right?

    Now, the grated parmesan is optional for this recipe, but you should definitely use it. It will give these keto chicken nuggets a slightly cheesy flavor that makes them irresistibly tasty. 

    Oh, and make sure to pick up some extra chicken if you're going to the store. You can use it to make this low carb chicken bryan next!

    An overhead view of keto chicken nuggets on top of parchment paper in a skillet on a wood cutting board. In front of the cutting board is dipping sauce in a bowl and everything is on a wooden table.

    KETO FRIENDLY FLOURS TO USE & AVOID

    Ok, so to make these chicken nuggets low carb, we will be breading them with almond flour.

    And almond flour is one of the best keto substitutes for regular flour in terms of texture and carb count.

    That being said, there are also a few other keto-friendly alternatives you can use. 

    My top recommendations are walnut flour and sunflower seed flour.

    You can substitute almond flour with either of these at a 1:1 ratio. They'll work just as well and are also really low carb.

    Avoid Using Coconut Flour

    Now, a keto-friendly flour that will not make a good breading for these keto chicken nuggets is coconut flour. 

    It has a more distinct flavor, and that means it will leave your chicken nuggets tasting...well, like coconut.

    More importantly though, is the fact that it is far more absorbent than those other flours and if you use it, your chicken nuggets will most likely have a dry, crumbly breading, if it even turns into a breading at all.

    So, for this recipe, if you do not use almond flour, go with walnut or sunflower seed flour. 

    HOW TO MAKE KETO CHICKEN NUGGETS

    Now, if you've only ever had pre-made chicken nuggets, it might feel a little intimidating to make them from scratch.

    But, don't worry, this recipe is simple and comes together super quick– and it's easily twice as delicious.

    In fact, it should only take you about 30 minutes - and that includes the time it takes to cook them!

    With that said, let's dive into the recipe.

    A skillet with parchment paper in it and a bunch of keto chicken nuggets on top. The skillet is on a wooden cutting board on a wood table.

    STEP 1: PREPPING THE CHICKEN

    So to start, chop your chicken breasts into small nugget-shaped pieces - and depending on how big you want them, that could be about 1½ to 2 inches thick. 

    Now, once you've done that, you'll want to place the nuggets in a bowl, and set them aside.

    Then, mix your seasonings – the salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper – in a small bowl until well-combined.

    Lastly in this step, you'll want to sprinkle your seasoning mixture over your chicken, and stir until each piece is completely coated with it.

    STEP 2: MAKING THE BREADING

    So, the next step is preparing the breading and coating your chicken nuggets.

    That said, you'll want to start by cracking the egg into a small bowl, and then you'll want to whisk it until the yolk and white have combined. 

    Now, after you've done that, you'll want to add the egg mixture to your bowl of chicken pieces. Then, you'll want to mix everything up until each the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated in the egg wash.

    Then, after that's taken care of, you'll want to add/combine the almond flour and grated parmesan in a separate bowl to make your breading. 

    Now all that's left to do is to dip the chicken pieces in the breading, and coat evenly.

    STEP 3: FRYING THE CHICKEN NUGGETS

    Now, once you've seasoned and breaded the chicken nuggets appropriately, you can start frying them.

    So, you'll want to heat your oil in a pan over medium-high heat, and fry the nuggets in batches until golden brown and fully cooked - and it should take about 3-5 minutes on each side to do this.

    By the way, it's really important during this step not to overcrowd the pan- you'll risk dropping the temperature of the oil and will end up with greasy chicken nuggets.

    Anyway, once the chicken nuggets are cooked, you can transfer them to a cooling rack or a plate lined with paper towels to get rid of any excess oil.

    Then, just serve on their own, or with some sugar free ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

    A hand holding a dipped keto chicken nugget over a bowl of dipping sauce. Part of a black skillet filled with keto chicken nuggets on a wood cutting board is behind the dipping sauce. The dipping sauce and cutting board is on a wooden table.

    Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

    As I mentioned earlier, it's very easy to make this recipe in your air fryer.

    That said, to make them like this, the first thing you'll want to do is preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 400°F (204°C).

    Then, you'll want to spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray and evenly spread out your chicken nuggets in the basket. And you'll want all of the nuggets laying flat on the bottom of the basket, so you may need to cook them in batches. 

    So, when you have that taken care of, you'll want to cook the chicken nuggets for around 10-12 minutes - or until golden brown and fully cooked. By the way, make sure you flip each keto chicken nugget about half-way through cooking. 

    STORING YOUR KETO CHICKEN NUGGETS

    Now, although these keto chicken nuggets are homemade, you'll be glad to know that they store and reheat just as well as the frozen kind!

    So, to store them in the fridge, you can keep them in an airtight container for about 3-4 days.

    That said, you can also store them in the freezer too, but if you want to prevent them from potentially sticking together, I recommend spacing them out on a covered tray. And you'll want to freeze them for one hour like this, and then transfer them to an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag.

    By the way, to heat them back up, all you have to do is bake them in the oven at 350°F (180°C) until warmed all the way through.

    Also, you can heat them back up in the air fryer.

    Just fry them at 400°F (204°C) for a couple of minutes - or until they're warmed throughout.

    NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

    Once again, this recipe makes 5 servings of low carb keto chicken nuggets, and each serving has just 2.5g NET CARBS!

    However, if you're interested, the full nutritional breakdown for each serving is as follows:

    • 306.6 Calories
    • 16.6g Fat
    • 5.0g Carbs
    • 2.5g Fiber
    • 2.5 NET CARBS
    • 35.4g Protein

    Pretty good macros for chicken nuggets, if I do say so myself!

    And for the best experience, make sure you pair these chicken nuggets with some Wingstop ranch and these keto french fries. Your whole meal will have under 6g NET CARBS!

    Anyway, I hope you enjoy these keto chicken nuggets as much as I do.

    As always, if you try it, make sure to let me know what you think in the comments below! 

    Print

    Keto Chicken Nuggets Fried or Made In The Air Fryer

    A skillet filled with parchment paper with several keto chicken nuggets on top. One of the chicken nuggets at the front has a bite taken out of it, showing the chicken inside the breading. The skillet is on a wood cutting board on a wooden table. Part of a dipping sauce is in front to the left of the cutting board.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 52 reviews

    These keto chicken nuggets are the answer to your fast food cravings! They're flavorful and juicy with a crisp almond flour breading that's both low carb and gluten free. You can get them done in as fast as 30 minutes and each serving has just 2.5 NET CARBS! This is definitely one of the best keto chicken recipes you can make.

    • Author: I'm Hungry For That
    • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 Minutes
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 5 servings 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Keto Low carb

    Ingredients

    Scale

    2 Eggs, Whisked

    4 Medium-Sized Chicken Breast (800g)

    1 Cup (112g) Almond Flour (more if needed)

    2 Tbsps. (14g) Parmesan Cheese, Grated (Optional)

    ½ Teaspoon Salt

    ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder

    ¼ Teaspoon Paprika

    ¼ Teaspoon Ground Pepper

    ½-1 Cup Oil For Frying

    Instructions

    1. Cut the chicken into small nugget shaped pieces, and add them to a medium-sized bowl. 
    2. Now, mix & combine the spices (salt, garlic, paprika and pepper) together in a small bowl.
    3. Add the spices to the chicken, and stir until all of the pieces of chicken are seasoned with the spices.
    4. Next, whisk the egg in a small bowl until the yolk combines with the white.
    5. Then, add the egg to the chicken, and stir until the chicken is thoroughly coated in the egg mixture.
    6. Now, in a separate medium-sized bowl, combine almond flour and parmesan. 
    7. Dip each chicken piece in the flour cheese mixture until covered fully.
    8. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a pan, and fry the chicken nuggets in batches. Cook the chicken on both sides (about 3 min), until golden and cooked thoroughly in the center.

    Air Fryer Instructions:

    1. Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes at 400°F (204°C). 
    2. Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray and evenly spread out your chicken nuggets in the basket so they lay flat. You may have to cook them in batches.
    3. Cook the chicken nuggets for around 10 to 12 minutes - flipping halfway through.

    Notes

    The scale up function does not change the gram measurements.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 307
    • Fat: 16.6
    • Carbohydrates: 5
    • Fiber: 2.5
    • Protein: 35.4

    Keywords: keto chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets keto, low carb chicken nuggets, keto chicken recipes, best keto chicken nuggets, recipe for keto chicken nuggets, chicken keto, keto chicken recipes, almond flour chicken nuggets, copycat chicken nuggets, keto fast food, keto air fryer, chick nuggets keto, low carb chicken nuggets recipe, gluten free chicken nuggets, gluten free chicken nuggets recipe, chicken recipes keto, keto air fryer recipes, how to make keto chicken nuggets, how to make low carb chicken nuggets,

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barbara Copeland

      June 14, 2021 at 6:56 am

      Can you bake these in oven instead of frying

      Reply
      • I'm Hungry

        June 28, 2021 at 10:40 am

        Yes! Bake at 375°F for about 18 minutes.

        Reply
      • Sylvia A Austin

        August 24, 2021 at 7:13 pm

        You keep saying 5 swevings....but do not say how many is in a serving. Please acknowledge...Ty!

        Reply
        • Brendan Cunningham

          August 27, 2021 at 4:48 pm

          Divide the number of chicken nuggets you have by 5. So for example: if you have 25 chicken nuggets, 5 nuggets in each serving.

          Reply
      • Jonah Williams

        October 03, 2021 at 10:23 pm

        These were awesome! I made them in the air fryer and they came out crispy and fluffy. Really easy prep work and cooked very quick. Tasted just as good as frying in oil! I don't think I will ever use oil again!!
        10 out of 5 stars!! - Jonah

        ★★★★★

        Reply
    2. Barbara Copeland

      June 18, 2021 at 4:09 pm

      I posted my request 4 days ago, l would love to make these chicken nuggets but l would also like to know if l can bake them in the oven instead of oil and l don’t own a Air Fryer

      Reply
      • Brendan Cunningham

        June 25, 2021 at 10:44 am

        Yes you can bake them in the oven! I'd do 375°F for about 20 minutes.

        Reply
    3. Gabby

      August 11, 2021 at 4:53 pm

      The breading on these is so good!! My kids really loved them!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Heather

      August 12, 2021 at 9:20 am

      Such a quick meal that turns out great everytime!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Jenny

      September 30, 2021 at 6:14 pm

      These chicken nuggets are so good!! They were crispy and the breading stayed on perfect in the air fryer.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Becca

      October 07, 2021 at 4:25 pm

      Incredible chicken nuggets for keto!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Ava

      October 08, 2021 at 1:51 pm

      Me and my kids loved these! Will be making them many more times.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Christine

      October 09, 2021 at 9:42 pm

      My kids devoured these nuggets!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Lisa

      October 11, 2021 at 8:51 pm

      They come out perfect every time!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. Natalie

      October 14, 2021 at 6:46 pm

      These chicken nuggets are very very good. They have a great flavor and turned out perfect in the air fryer. My kids liked them as much as me!!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Taylor

      October 16, 2021 at 4:04 pm

      Very crispy chicken nuggets with the perfect crisp.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Kristina

      October 17, 2021 at 9:25 pm

      I made the chicken nuggets and put them in a salad. Super good!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    13. Shirley

      October 21, 2021 at 6:09 pm

      My kids really liked these and I'm glad they turned out so well in the air fryer. Going to make these for us a bunch!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    14. Juliet

      October 22, 2021 at 4:25 pm

      Fast and easy recipe to make that tasted top notch.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. Charolette

      October 26, 2021 at 6:53 pm

      The cheese is such an underrated addition to the breading. It is sooo yummy!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    16. Miranda

      October 27, 2021 at 6:59 pm

      Wow these nuggets were good in the air fryer. My kids devoured them after school!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    17. Natalie

      October 28, 2021 at 5:50 pm

      Unbelievable meal with your keto french fries! Nostalgic af

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    18. Marcy D.

      October 29, 2021 at 3:42 pm

      Delish chicken nuggets! Never thought to use cheese in a breading, loved it!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    19. Jamie

      October 30, 2021 at 6:01 pm

      Had them with some barbecue sauce and they were wonderful.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    20. Sarah B.

      November 01, 2021 at 6:46 pm

      Fooled my kids into thinking these were chicken nuggets from the store, they super good!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    21. Keith

      November 02, 2021 at 7:02 pm

      Huge fan of this recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    22. Gabriella

      November 03, 2021 at 6:01 pm

      Best healthy chicken nuggets I have ever made! All my kids loved them!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    23. Megan

      November 04, 2021 at 7:43 pm

      These were too good I am going to make them every week!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    24. Samantha

      November 05, 2021 at 9:13 am

      My niece loves these!! So glad I have a meal we both enjoy 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    25. Matthew

      November 06, 2021 at 3:22 pm

      I didn't think keto chicken nuggets could be this good. I recommend making this recipe if you have not done so already.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    26. Karolyn

      November 08, 2021 at 2:25 pm

      They fry well and the breading stays on.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    27. Terrance

      November 09, 2021 at 2:19 pm

      The cheese in the breading really adds a delicious flavor to the nuggets! Thanks for the recipe!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    28. Jennifer

      November 11, 2021 at 7:30 am

      Finally have a keto recipe that I can make that my kids will eat!! This recipe has made dinners so much easier, thanks!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    29. Garett

      November 11, 2021 at 11:26 pm

      Absolutely awesome Recipe guys!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    30. Paula. L.

      November 12, 2021 at 9:52 am

      Had the nuggets with some ketchup and I felt like I picked up an order of fast food but felt better knowing how much healthier the meal was.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    31. Valerie

      November 14, 2021 at 9:07 pm

      Best chicken nuggets I've tried making.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    32. Rita

      November 16, 2021 at 8:23 pm

      When I fry chicken it typically doesn't;t turn out well but this was very good!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    33. Catelyn

      November 18, 2021 at 9:12 am

      Me and both of my picky eater kids loved them!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    34. Danny

      November 20, 2021 at 3:00 pm

      I make these a bunch and they are awesome baked, fried, and air fried!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    35. Katie M

      November 22, 2021 at 4:27 pm

      Favorite recipe right now!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    36. Audrey

      November 29, 2021 at 9:56 am

      These chicken nuggets are my kids favorite thing right now! Thanks for the healthy and delicious recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    37. Christina

      November 30, 2021 at 3:34 pm

      I used the breading ingredients to make keto chicken cutlets and my family said they were the best cutlets that they've had!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    38. Waley

      December 01, 2021 at 4:22 pm

      Crispy crispy crispy

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    39. Randy

      December 20, 2021 at 5:55 pm

      The flavor is great and breading stays on well.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    40. Sally

      January 01, 2022 at 4:07 pm

      Went amazing with some sugar free ketchup ahhh my fav combo

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    41. Ash

      January 02, 2022 at 2:10 pm

      My entire family loved these!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    42. Lynn

      January 04, 2022 at 1:34 pm

      Only keto recipe I can get my kids to eat. This has made dinner sooo easy!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    43. Rose

      January 05, 2022 at 11:51 am

      Above and beyond the best breading I have had on keto chicken nuggets.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    44. Victoria

      January 12, 2022 at 12:00 pm

      Best chicken nuggets my kids even said that they were as good as their favorite frozen kind.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    45. Kelly G

      January 14, 2022 at 2:20 pm

      Super delish nuggets!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    46. Rachel

      January 18, 2022 at 5:02 pm

      I used whole chicken breasts to make breaded chicken cutlets and they came out perfect!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    47. Amanda

      January 21, 2022 at 10:51 pm

      Delicious!! Nothing like these keto chicken nuggets they are just awesome!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    48. Morgan

      January 25, 2022 at 1:02 pm

      I cannot get over that these have 2 carbs they taste so much like actual breaded chicken.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    49. Melanie

      January 29, 2022 at 1:59 pm

      My son really like these and we air fried them.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    50. Jackie

      February 15, 2022 at 4:42 pm

      I wasn't sure about the parmesan cheese in the breading but it worked out great and the added taste was delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Sami

        May 05, 2022 at 11:17 pm

        I have an airfryer that has a basket that rotates during cooking. Can I use that? Should I freeze nuggets before cooking so they hold together? If so, what would the cooking directions be? I'm so excited to try this for my son who is on a strict medical keto diet for epilepsy.

        Reply
        • Brendan Cunningham

          May 08, 2022 at 1:33 pm

          Yes that should work great! If you freeze them just add a few minutes to the cooking time.

          Reply
    51. Donna P.

      March 01, 2022 at 9:49 am

      I have made this in the oven, air fryer, and fried and every way was great.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    52. Tammy

      March 15, 2022 at 10:08 am

      Seriously delicious keto nuggets. My son loved them too with some ranch dressing. Very good recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    53. Patricia

      August 01, 2022 at 6:33 pm

      I main these today- AWESOME!
      Just I browned the nuggets in the oil, then when brown on the outside- and probably still raw on the inside.., I baked them an additional 7 minutes. Also, the almond flour burns quickly in the oil... so I only used the frying part to crisp the outside. My hubby loves them- the chicken nugget fiend that he is! Thank you for sharing this recipe

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    54. Susan Taylor

      March 02, 2023 at 12:41 pm

      THANK YOU for adding the weights into the list of ingredients. I find it so much easier to cook when I can weigh the ingredients. I will be making these soon!

      Reply
      • Brendan Cunningham

        March 02, 2023 at 1:37 pm

        You're welcome! We hope you like the recipe!

        Reply

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