These Cheesy Oven Fried Keto Chicken Nuggets are made without grains, low carb, nut free, and baked not fried, served with a zesty, creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce!
Oven Fried Chicken Nuggets
Oven fried is basically the same as baked, but doesn't it sound much better? When you don't want the hassle of frying, you bake, but you still can get the same effect in your oven and less mess as well. These delicious oven fried keto chicken nuggets will make even your kids think that you went through the drive-through!
How to Make Keto Chicken Nuggets
Making a healthier, low carb chicken nugget that will pass the inspection of children is a hard task in and of itself. Using swaps for the traditional flour and/or nut flours that many keto chefs use is also another challenging accommodation to be made. My youngest son has a tree nut and peanut allergy so using almond flour is completely out of the question. This often gets me into a very creative mode when I'm working on a recipe that requires a delicious coating, especially a kid friendly one! Ground flaxseed in combination with grated parmesan and spices and we had magic happen! The kids were impressed and to be honest, so was I! They loved these nuggets!
Although I have no training from a Culinary school I do come from a home of talented cooks. What has inspired me most is watching cooking shows like Rachel Ray, Nigella, and even The Pioneer Woman ( a homeschooling momma like me!) who also had no formal training, yet are quite successful. My plan is to one day go back to school for a degree in Culinary & Nutrition at Johnson & Whales in my hometown of RI. But until then I will continue to be inspired by others who have gone before me that have paved the way and the reputation for all home cooks.
Tools to Make Keto Chicken Nuggets
Food Processor- My Cuisinart food processor has been a staple in my keto kitchen for years, and even before I was keto, I used it regularly. This is the easiest and quickest way to get the chicken ground up fast and smooth. The goal is a nice texture, exactly what the kids know and love about fast food nuggets! You can make it happen at home with a good food processor.
Baking Sheet Pans- I love the handles on these Rachel Ray sheet pans! Multiple sizes for all your baking and cooking needs!
Cookie Scooper- You don't need these to make the perfect sized chicken nugget, but they do make them nice and uniform so the kids will have no idea!
Meal Plan Membership
Our membership is simple. You can subscribe for a month to try it out or you can subscribe for a yearly membership. Each Friday you will get a meal plan that comes to your email. You'll have that early in order to go food shopping before the meal plan begins on Sunday. You will be able to view and print the meal plan and the shopping list. If you don't like a meal, simply delete it and swap it with another meal you like. The shopping list will automatically adjust. It's the best software available out there for a customizable menu plan. Not many other low carb or keto meal plans allow you the option to remove, add, start with a blank menu and create your own if you so wish.
Right now our meal plan membership is 25% OFF!! Use Coupon Code NY2020 at Check Out! Learn More here!
Oven Fried Keto Chicken Nuggets
Keto Cheesy Chicken Nuggets with Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- 2.5 pound chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup ground flaxseed
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- 2 red bell peppers
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place your chicken breasts, garlic powder, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper and cayenne into a food processor and pulse until the meat is ground well.
- Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and stir in the cheese. Set aside.
- Grease a baking sheet.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a shallow bowl combine the flaxseed, Parmesan, salt and parsley.
- Form a tablespoon size ball of the chicken mixture, it will be sticky.
- Drop it into the flax and Parm mixture.
- Roll it around to coat it all over and flatten it to form an oval shape.
- Continue with the rest and place onto the baking pan. Should make 48 nuggets.
- Bake nuggets for 15 minutes then flip them over and bake another 10 minutes.
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper sauce
- Place the peppers on a gas grill on medium high heat. Once one side gets blackened turn to another side until it's all charred.
- Place peppers in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 15-20 minutes.
- Once cooled, scrape off the skin and stem and seeds and place into a blender with the rest of the ingredients.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve with nuggets.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Michèle
Hi from the Netherlands! I've just made these and they turn out fantastic. Great flavor. Crunchy. Thank you so much! Michèle ?
Es*
how much cheese is 2 cups on the internet says 1 cup is between 112 gram and 235 gram............
sorry but this is an example of what happening all the time. I have to take a guess of what the weight is. Flaxseed is the same. 90-110 grams a cup
Es*
In this and many other recipes there is not the option to change the ingredients into metric system...... Is there something to about that??
Ivy
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I tried it tonight and it was a huge hit! My two little kids loved it. The sauce is amazing too. Can you pre made the chicken nuggets and freeze them in the freezer? Thank you!
Brenda
Yes absolutely! So glad you and the kids liked them!
Katherine Maben
just made these again. I didn't realize we were out of flax, so I used crushed pork rinds instead. turned out great!
Brenda
Great, thanks for sharing that change!
Jen
Silly question...but can you just use ground chicken breast from the meat dept and add the spices? Would it still be 2.5lbs? Thanks!
Brenda
You probably could though I've not tried it, I would say use the same amount.
Carol Verge
Silly question. Why do the nuggets look different on your website than the one you posted to FaceBook? They look way better on Facebook. Thank you for a yummy looking nugget. Can't wait to try this.
Brenda
The video was just made and the lighting is different and these are my photos which I took back when the recipe was first published on my blog back in 2015. lighting not as good.
Claudia S.
Can ground pork rinds be used instead of the flax seed?
Brenda
Yes I think that would work.
Dorlis Grote
Okay, I am only 1 person age 79, do not need 48 nuggets, maybe onley 6 for myself and 8 mfor my 4mcats mas mthey insist on having what I am having. does this magic plan of yours re do recipes by 1/2 or 1/4? don't want to end up eating same thing for a week.
Laura
I am in the same situation. I was thinking that the nugggets I don't need right away I could freeze. The sauce might not freeze well but I wasn't interested in that anyway.
Brenda
Yes in the meal planner you are actually able to select the servings you want and it cuts down the recipes for you as well as adjusts the shopping list.
Dan
Hey Brenda how long do you think the sauce will keep in fridge?
Thanks
Brenda
up to 3 days
Melanie Hawthorne
Have you ever tried freezing the sauce? Do you think it will freeze okay?
Laura
I am so happy to have found your site! My husband is gluten free, my son is allergic to tree nuts, peanuts, and coconut, and three months ago I eliminated added sugar from my diet. Coming up with new recipes has been a challenge. What brand of flax seed and alternative flours do you use? Most of the alternative flours that I have seen in the grocery store are processed in facilities that also process tree nuts. Thanks for your help.
Brenda
That challenging for sure! Too bad you can't use coconut flour which although my son has a tree nut allergy the doctor says he is ok to use and we've been using it with no issues for him. I typically use Bob's Red Mill for most of my gluten free flours, coconut flour and flaxseed meal.
Cynthia Hall
Can u tell me what the nutrition information for just the Chicken Nuggets? They look wonderful!
Kristi Rimkus
Who doesn't love chicken nuggets, and I love your red pepper sauce. The whole plate looks delicious. I've linked to your recipe on my healthy recipe roundup over on my blog this weekend, and can't wait to give it a try.
Brenda
thanks!
Anita
Oh, I really like this combination! I think I'd polish the whole plate off myself!
Erin@TexanerinBaking
That's a great goal to have! And these nuggets look magical. Chicken nuggets are one of my favorites but the ingredients are scary. Not these, though. 🙂
Angie
These chicken nuggets look amazing, perfect for an after school snack! I love that sauce too, yummy!
Cookin Canuck
My boys are a bit obsessed with Chopped. About once a month they ask my husband and I to pick out some ingredients so they can battle each other. It's always fun to see what they come up with! These nuggets sound fantastic and I'm thinking that sauce would be good over almost anything.
Aggie
These look so good Brenda!! My kids would devour them. And that sauce...that is all me!! YUM.
Amanda @ The Kitcheneer
I love that you want to go to Culinary school! And a fine one at that! 🙂 Love this recipe and that you used flax seed! I love using it instead of traditional breading too, to save on carbs 🙂
Martha@A Family Feast
I think this is a recipe the whole family will love! Looks delicious - and good luck in the challenge!
Colleen (Souffle Bombay)
The sauce sounds so good! This contest is fun!!! I can't wait to see how it shakes out!
Ginny McMeans
Those are probably the best chicken nuggets in existence!
Angela
Any sub for the flax? I read it is high in phytoestrogens and am trying to avoid using it unless absolutely necessary.
Brenda
bread crumbs but then it wouldn't be grain free.
Kathi
What about crushed pork rinds? That might work in place of flaxmeal.
Robin
What about almond flour or hazelnut flour? I was going to say coconut flour, but I'm not sure how it would bake.
Brenda
I cant' use any nut flours as my youngest has a tree nut allergy but I do think either would work. I would not recommend coconut flour here.
The Food Hunter
I am loving the sauce on this one.
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic
I could seriously feel good about serving those nuggets to my boys. The sauce is all mine, though!
Stephanie @ Back for Seconds
I don't know what sounds better, the chicken or the sauce! Mmmmmmm