Name: Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 lb (560 g) boneless skinless chicken breast; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (optional); 1 large egg; 1 tbsp water; 1 cup plain breadcrumbs; 1/3 to 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan; 1/2 to 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp paprika (optional); 1 tbsp olive oil; Oil or nonstick spray for the rack

The box of frozen nuggets can stay in the store, because baked chicken nuggets come together from 1 1/4 pounds of chicken breast and a single cup of breadcrumbs. These baked chicken nuggets get an egg dip, a Parmesan crumb coat, and a hot oven, and that’s the whole method.

What I care about most is the crumb mix. A spoonful of olive oil gets rubbed into it until it looks like damp sand.

The pieces go on a wire rack set over a sheet pan, so the oven heat can get underneath them too. I keep every piece close to the same size, about 2 inches, so they all finish together.

Then it’s 400°F, the top rack, and a quick check for pink in the middle.

↓ Jump to the recipe

How long do baked chicken nuggets take at 400°F?

Baked chicken nuggets cut into about 2-inch pieces take 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F on a wire rack set in a sheet pan, or up to 20 to 25 minutes on a flat greased sheet. They’re done when the middle shows no pink and reads 165°F.

Why It Works

A wire rack lifts the nuggets off the pan so hot air reaches the bottom as well as the top. AnitaCooks bakes on a rack on the top oven shelf at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes.
One egg beaten with 1 tbsp of water makes a thin, even coat that the crumbs grab onto, without a thick, eggy layer under the crust.
A tablespoon of olive oil rubbed into the breadcrumbs gives the coating some fat of its own, so it can turn golden in a short bake without being fried.

I keep one hand for the egg and the other for the crumbs. That way my crumb hand stays dry, and the crumbs don’t clump into wet lumps on my fingers.

Reasons to Make These Baked Chicken Nuggets

They’re made from chicken breast, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and spices you probably already have.
No pot of oil and no frying. The oven does the browning.
About 15 to 20 minutes in the oven, once the chicken is coated.
The dipping sauces are already in the fridge door, ketchup, honey mustard, or BBQ sauce.

Grab These Ingredients

1 1/4 lb (560 g) boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
1 large egg
1 tbsp water
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/3 to 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/2 to 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp paprika (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
Oil or nonstick spray for the rack

Ingredient Notes and Swaps

Chicken breast is what all three sources use. Go boneless and skinless.

Trim off any tough white bits and cut it into pieces about 2 inches across. Small, thin scraps cook much faster than the rest, so I fold them together or save them for another meal.

Plain breadcrumbs are the base. The 1-cup amount here is for plain crumbs, and I haven’t tested a swap.

The Parmesan should be finely grated so it blends into the crumbs instead of sitting on them in shreds. The range here is 1/3 to 1/2 cup, and anywhere in it works.

The egg and water are the glue. Beat them together until there are no streaks of clear white left, because a stringy dip clings in some spots and slides off in others.

The vinegar or lemon juice is optional, and it only needs 15 minutes with the salt and pepper.

Step-by-Step Directions

Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the top position. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed sheet pan and grease it, or grease two baking sheets, until every surface has a thin, even sheen.
Cut the chicken. Slice the chicken breast into pieces about 2 inches across, keeping them as close in size as you can. Stop and look at the board. Any pieces much smaller or thinner than the rest should be pressed together or set aside.
Season and rest. Toss the chicken with the salt, pepper, and vinegar or lemon juice, if using. Let it sit for 15 minutes while you set up the coating, until the pieces look lightly glossy and the seasoning has spread evenly.
Beat the egg. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with 1 tbsp of water. Keep whisking with a fork until the mixture is one even yellow color and runs off the fork in a smooth stream, with no strings of white.
Mix the crumbs. In a second shallow dish, stir the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, basil, and paprika. Drizzle in the olive oil and rub it through with your fingertips until the crumbs look like damp sand and hold a loose clump.
Coat the chicken. Working a few pieces at a time, dip each one in the egg and let the extra drip off. Then press it into the crumbs on every side, until no bare spots of chicken show through the coating.
Space them out. Set the coated pieces on the rack or greased sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between each one. Crowded nuggets steam against each other, so use the second pan if they don’t fit with a clear gap.
Bake until golden. Bake on the top rack for 15 to 20 minutes on a wire rack, or 20 to 25 on a flat sheet. They’re done when the coating is golden and the middle of a cut piece has no pink and reads 165°F.
Serve right away. Move the baked chicken nuggets to a plate while the crust is still crisp, and set out small bowls of ketchup, honey mustard, or BBQ sauce. Serve them hot, while the coating crackles when you bite in.

Tips

Yummy Kitchen Recipe coats each piece in flour first, then dips it in egg with 2 tbsp of oil, then the crumbs. It’s an extra dish to wash, but it’s an option.
The Stay At Home Chef dips the chicken in 1/2 cup of melted butter instead of egg. If you’d like a richer coating, that’s the version to try.
Don’t skip the gap between pieces. The coating needs room around it to crisp, and the second pan is worth washing.
I don’t measure the Parmesan exactly. Somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 cup goes in, and I don’t worry about which end of that range I land on.
Raw chicken juices travel. Wash the cutting board, knife, and egg bowl in hot soapy water once the nuggets are in the oven.

Storing and Reheating

None of the three sources give fridge times or reheating directions, so I go by the general kitchen convention for cooked chicken. Get leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours, in a covered container, and eat them within 3 to 4 days.

To reheat, I spread them out on a rack in a hot oven until they’re steaming in the middle. The microwave warms them too, but the coating turns soft.

The Stay At Home Chef’s video shows freezing the nuggets to bake later, but it gives no times or temperatures for it. I’m not going to make up numbers for that, so I bake these fresh.

On the Side

Ketchup, honey mustard, or BBQ sauce for dipping, set out in small bowls so everyone can choose.
Carrot and cucumber sticks, which are crunchy and cold next to the hot nuggets and easy for little hands.
Oven fries or roasted potato wedges, for a full plate that kids recognize right away.
A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette, for the grown-ups at the table.

Special Equipment

A rimmed sheet pan with a wire rack that sits inside it, which lets heat reach the underside of every nugget.
Two shallow dishes, one for the egg and one for the crumbs, wide enough to roll a piece in.
A sharp knife and a cutting board you can wash in hot soapy water right away.
An instant-read thermometer to check one of the thickest pieces for 165°F.

Questions I Get About Baked Chicken Nuggets

Do you have to flip baked chicken nuggets? None of the recipes I checked flip them. On a wire rack the heat reaches the underside, so I leave them alone while they bake.

Can I use panko instead of breadcrumbs? This recipe is built on 1 cup of plain breadcrumbs. I haven’t tested panko here, so I can’t give you numbers for it.

What temperature should chicken nuggets reach inside? 165°F, the USDA safe minimum for chicken. Check one of the thickest pieces, and the middle should show no pink.

What sauce goes with homemade chicken nuggets? Ketchup, honey mustard, and BBQ sauce are the easy ones. Pick whatever your family already dips into.

More Recipes You’ll Like