I’m not typically a fan of special “kid-foods” that cater to picky eaters or that are mostly processed and devoid of vitamins. At the same time, kid-size food can be fun every once in a while, especially if the kids help prepare it.
Chicken Parmesan is a classic recipe and an adult favorite. This recipe combines all the big flavors of Chicken Parmesan with the fun size of chicken nuggets for a more sophisticated kid favorite. I like to serve this with homemade pasta sauce instead of ketchup as a dip. This reduces sugar consumption and is a fun variation on a kid favorite recipe.
Chicken Parmesan Nuggets Recipe
The actual credit for this recipe goes to my oldest son who saw me prepping to make my regular chicken parmesan and suggested smaller pieces since most of the kids don’t eat a whole piece anyway.
With his help, this grain-free, dairy-optional recipe was born.
The Parmesan is sprinkled on after the nuggets are cooked.
Allergy notes: If your family is nut free or egg-free, you’ll need a couple modifications to make this recipe work for you. You can use any flour in place of the almond/coconut mixture. Substituting for the eggs is a little more complicated though. The best option I’ve found is to dunk in melted butter or coconut oil in place of the eggs. This doesn’t stick as well as an egg-mixture but it works for those who can’t tolerate eggs.
Don’t like to fry foods?
If you don’t like to fry foods (or just don’t want the mess), you can modify the recipe by preparing steps 1-4, dredging the mixture as you would to fry, and just placing on a well-oiled baking sheet and drizzling with olive oil before baking. Bake at 375°F for about 35 minutes.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan Nuggets
Chicken Parmesan Nuggets Recipe
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 40 nuggets
An Italian take on chicken nuggets and a kid favorite. Chicken nuggets made like traditional chicken Parmesan with a marinara dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 cups tallow or coconut oil for frying
- 3 chicken breasts
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp water
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 TBSP coconut flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Heat tallow or coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Cut the chicken into strips or nuggets.
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with 1 teaspoon of water.
- In another bowl, combine the almond and coconut flours, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and mix well.
- Once the oil is hot, coat the chicken pieces first in the egg mixture and then dredge in the seasoned flour mixture.
- Drop them carefully into the hot oil and cook 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove from pan and keep in oven to keep warm while additional batches are cooking.
- Once all the chicken pieces are cooked, sprinkle with the Parmesan and additional salt and pepper and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
If you would rather bake the chicken, simply place the coated chicken pieces on a well greased baking sheet, drizzle with oil. Bake at 375°F for about 35 minutes or until cooked through. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Courses Main
Cuisine Italian
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 5 nuggets
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 259 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 18.5 g | 28% | |
Saturated Fat 7.9 g | 40% | |
Cholesterol 85 mg | 28% | |
Sodium 326 mg | 14% | |
Total Carbohydrates 8.2 g | 3% | |
Dietary Fiber 2.8 g | 11% | |
Sugars 2.9 g | ||
Protein 14.3 g | 29% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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