Baked Crispy Spicy Chicken Nuggets – the best perfectly crispy, yet tender and juicy chicken nuggets you will ever try! Easy to make and sure to be a hit with your family.
Childhood favorites!
Chicken nuggets were always a favorite of mine as a kid – whether they were from a local drive-thru or the frozen kind, that’s what we had as kids. It was easier for my working mother to have convenience items on hand or take us to get fast food than it was to make things from scratch. I can’t say that I blame her.
And 20-25 years ago – we didn’t know better when it came to what was healthy, processed, “real” or not!
Now we do. So there are no excuses (other than being a tired, overworked mama!) not to learn how to make and enjoy your own chicken nuggets. Especially when they are so easy to make!
Boy did I mow down on these, as well as fries and burgers, as a kid! What were some of your childhood favorites?
Heat – take it or leave it!
I will forewarn you that these nuggets do pack a little heat! No, they are not going to burn your mouth, make you breathe fire out of your nose and ears, or cause tears. I promise. I’m not that crazy about spicy foods, as I do like to taste what I eat! These pack a bit of heat to them. Enough to taste it and feel it slightly.
If you’re not a fan of the heat or want to make a separate batch for the kiddos – then simple omit the hot ingredients! These nuggets will still be scrumptious without them. That is what is so wonderful about cooking – anything can be altered to suit ones needs.
Chicken Nuggets – healthy!
I was craving chicken nuggets this last week. Any kind really; regular, buffalo, baked, fried, garlic, you name it. But I hate to give in to these cravings when I am trying to stick to eating healthier, making better choices about what I put into my body, and so forth.
Fried foods are simply not bikini friendly. Trust me when I say that I wish they were! I would get so friendly – sooo fast! 😀
Like I always try to do – I aimed to enjoy my cravings, but made healthier. I find that if I don’t give into some cravings (you know those cravings that won’t go away?), then they will simply persist until I am 12 fried nuggets and fries in, wondering what I just did. HA!
Let’s be honest – if there is a pile of nuggets in front of you, you’re going to chow down. Am I right? I know I’m not the only one, so let’s not even try to deny it.
Dip Away!
If you’re going to enjoy things like this, then make them healthier so that when you do binge on more than one serving of nuggets, you don’t feel quite as bad.
As far as dips are concerned, I am not picky. I love anything from ketchup to mustard when it comes to fried foods. Ketchup will always be my easy go-to, but I have had these with a blue cheese (or bleu cheese if your fancy) dip and it compliments the heat of the nuggets quite deliciously!
I know that there are some ranch dippers out there. Where are you? I know you dipped your school lunch pizza in ranch. We all did it. It was school lunch pizza after all! OOF!
So dip these delicious bites into whatever dressing, sauce, or dip of your choosing! We all have our own taste preferences. So what is your favorite way to dip??
Helpful Tips:
- If you’re not a fan of the heat, simply omit the hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and chipotle pepper!
- These are baked using regular breadcrumbs. Be careful to not buy the seasoned kind.
- You can sub the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour or flour of your choosing.
- How long the nuggets take to bake will be dependent on how large your nuggets are cut. Be sure to check that the insides are no longer pink and that the internal temperature reaches a safe 165 degrees F.
Here are a few other recipes you may enjoy!
- Easy Crockpot Mexican Style Shredded Chicken
- Crispy Baked Chicken Parmesan Zoodle Bowls
- Baked Spicy Chicken Fingers
- Loaded Skinny Taco Flatbread Pizza
- Lemon Pesto Chicken Avocado Salad
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Baked Crispy Spicy Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients:
- 1.5 lb chicken breast (boneless, skinless, cut into approximately 40 bite-sized pieces)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (regular)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or regular)
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 2 tbsp Franks Hot Sauce (or hot sauce of choosing)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- In a shallow dish, combine: flour, breadcrumbs, chili powder, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Toss to thoroughly combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the hot sauce with the beaten egg.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the hot sauce mix and then into the breadcrumb mix. Firmly press the breading onto each piece and then place onto the baking sheet.
- Using nonstick cooking spray, give the nuggets a generous sweep of the spray. I used olive oil. This will help to crisp them as they bake.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven to flip and allow to bake 8-10 additional minutes. Time will be dependent on how large your nuggets are, so its best to check at 5 minutes. Bake until no longer pink or internal temperature should read 165 degrees F.
- Serve with your favorite sauce!
Notes:
- If you're not a fan of the heat, simply omit the hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, and chipotle pepper!
- These are baked using regular breadcrumbs. Be careful to not buy the seasoned kind.
- You can sub the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour or flour of your choosing.
- How long the nuggets take to bake will be dependent on how large your nuggets are cut. Be sure to check that the insides are no longer pink and that the internal temperature reaches a safe 165 degrees F.
Delicious!
Thank you, Tonya!