Name: Low Carb Baked Chicken Nuggets
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 907 g ground chicken, 2 lbs; 2 large eggs; 33 g grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup; 56 g shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup; 3/4 tsp garlic powder; 3/4 tsp onion powder; 3/4 tsp paprika; 2 tsp salt; 50 g grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup; 3 tbsp potato starch, or tapioca/corn starch; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp dried parsley; 1 spray olive oil spray, for greasing tops; 60 g ketchup, 1/4 cup; 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp sriracha sauce

Step By Step

Instructions

Getting Everything Ready
Set Up Your Pan and Crunchy Coating
Start by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper so nothing sticks and the bottoms can crisp up nicely. Grab a shallow bowl and whisk together the grated parmesan cheese, potato starch (or your tapioca or corn starch), paprika, and dried parsley until well blended for your coating. Set that aside within arm's reach.
1 3/4 oz grated Parmesan cheese3 tbsp potato starch1/2 tsp paprika1/2 tsp dried parsleyLarge baking sheetParchment paperShallow bowlWhisk
Bring the Chicken Mixture Together
In a large bowl, toss in the ground chicken, eggs, 1/3 cup grated parmesan, shredded mozzarella, garlic powder, onion powder, the rest of the paprika, and salt. Use your hands to gently fold everything together just until evenly combined. Try not to overmix here, because working the meat too much compacts the proteins and can leave your nuggets dense instead of juicy.
2 lb ground chicken2 large eggs1 3/4 oz grated Parmesan cheese2 oz shredded mozzarella3/4 tsp garlic powder3/4 tsp onion powder1/2 tsp paprika2 tsp saltLarge bowl
Cooking the Nuggets
Shape, Coat, and Bake to Golden Perfection
Toss small portions of the chicken mixture right into your prepared coating. Roll each piece around gently to get full coverage, then pat them into flat little ovals. Lay each oval onto your parchment-lined baking sheet, pressing down lightly to give them plenty of pan contact. Give the tops a light mist of olive oil. Slide them in to bake for 15 minutes, pull the sheet out to carefully flip each nugget, and let them bake for another 10 minutes. Double-check that your thickest nugget hits an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Keep in mind they’ll shrink down just a bit as the fat renders.
1 spray olive oil sprayLarge baking sheetInstant-read thermometer
Serving Time
Stir Up the Dip and Enjoy
While those nuggets are wrapping up in the oven, whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and Sriracha in a small bowl until completely smooth. Dish up this zippy, spicy ketchup dip right alongside the hot, freshly baked chicken nuggets.
2 1/8 oz ketchup1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce1 tsp sriracha sauceSmall bowlWhisk

You'll want to mix your ground chicken with the melted mozzarella and Parmesan right before shaping out your nuggets. Press them into neat little ovals, roll them evenly through that Parmesan-and-starch blend, and arrange them straight onto parchment paper for baking.

Blasting them in a 425°F oven gets that exterior gorgeously golden-brown without dealing with any messy shallow frying. Just make sure to probe the thickest nugget with a thermometer; ground chicken always needs to reach an internal 165°F (74°C) before you serve it up. The cheese packs in plenty of natural moisture, but pulling the nuggets out the minute they hit temp is the real secret to keeping them super tender.