This Keto Chicken Nuggets recipe is made with simple ingredients found right in your pantry and is the best way to enjoy a quick and easy lunch that fits a low carb or keto diet. These homemade nuggets are made with canned chicken and are made in just a few basic steps and can be cooked in the air fryer, oven, or skillet.
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy Keto Recipes: fans of keto chicken recipes will love these homemade chicken nuggets made with canned chicken
Simple ingredients: made with basic keto ingredients you will likely have in your pantry.
Family approved: your entire family will love these and they are better than any fast food chicken mcnuggets.
🥘 Ingredients
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Please scroll to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe card with full instructions.
Canned chicken: drained well and shredded with a fork.
Part-skim mozzarella cheese: pre-shredded cheese is ok to use in this recipe.
Almond flour: is added to the chicken and egg mixture to aid in binding the ingredients.
Large eggs
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Crushed pork rinds, these are option but add an outer crumb to the chicken nugget giving it crunch and texture.
Cooking spray
🍽 Equipment
Baking sheet
Small cookie scoop or tablespoon
Large bowl
Small shallow bowl
🔪 Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the canned chicken, almond flour, mozzarella cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper (if using) until well incorporated.
- Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop out a portion of the chicken and egg mixture and form into the shape of a nugget.
- Place the ground pork rinds in a small bowl. Dip each chicken nugget into the crushed pork rinds, coating all sides.
Oven method:
- Place the nugget on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Spritz a light coating of cooking spray on top of the nuggets.
- Bake in a 400 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown, flipping the chicken nuggets over half way thru cooking time.
Air Fryer method:
- Place the keto nuggets in the air fryer basket and place in the air fryer. Air fry at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time, until golden.
Pan Fry method:
- Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium heat until hot. Place chicken nuggets in hot oil and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and hot. Transfer cooked nuggets to a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
💭 Top Tips
- Be sure to drain the canned chicken well.
- Before mixing any of the ingredients into the chicken, break the chicken pieces up with a fork or use a food processor to mix everything together.
- If not using pre crushed pork rinds, use a blender or food processor to crush the pork rinds.
- If using the oven method, do not use parchment paper to line the baking sheet. The nuggets do not crisp up as well if you do.
📖 Variations
- Use plain or different flavored pork rinds as the coating (be sure there is no sugars involved in the making of these).
- If pan frying, olive oil can be substituted for avocado oil.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and a dash or two of cayenne pepper for added flavor.
- Substitute 1 tablespoon coconut flour for the almond flour.
- Almond flour can be used to coat the chicken nuggets instead of pork rinds.
🙋 FAQ's
For 6 keto chicken nuggets you will consume 6 grams of net carbs compared to McDonalds 6 pack which is 14 carbs.
I do not recommend using raw meat for this particular keto chicken nugget recipe however you can use cooked shredded chicken in place of the canned chicken.
🍽 Serve with...
Serve these delicious keto chicken nuggets with your favorite dipping sauce. I love to serve these with homemade ranch dressing or chipotle salad dressing.
Storage
Refrigerate: store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days
Freeze: store in a freezer safe airtight container up to 3 months.
Reheat: warm frozen nuggets in the air fryer or oven at 350 degrees for 7 minutes (air fryer) or 15 minutes (oven) until warmed through or warm in the microwave for 30-40 seconds.
Related Recipes
Boneless Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
Sun Dried Tomato Chicken | Skillet Recipe
Chicken Enchilada Casserole - low carb recipe
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📖 Recipe
Keto Chicken Nuggets
Equipment
- Baking Sheet (if oven baking)
- Large skillet (if pan frying)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 12.5 ounce canned chicken drained
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ cup crushed pork rinds
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. In a large mixing bowl, combine the canned chicken, almond flour, mozzarella cheese, egg, onion powder, and garlic powder until well incorporated.
- Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop out a portion and shape into the shape of a nugget.
- Dip each chicken nugget into the crushed pork rinds, coating all sides.
Oven method:
- Place the nugget on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Spritz a light coating of cooking spray on top of the nuggets.Bake in a 400 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown, flipping the chicken nuggets over half way thru cooking time.
Air Fryer method:
- Place the keto nuggets in the air fryer basket and place in the air fryer. Air fry at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time, until golden.
Pan Fry method:
- Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium heat until hot. Place chicken nuggets in hot oil and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and hot. Transfer cooked nuggets to a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
Video
Notes
- Place the nugget on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Spritz a light coating of cooking spray on top of the nuggets.
- Bake in a 400 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown, flipping the chicken nuggets over half way thru cooking time.
- Place the keto nuggets in the air fryer basket and place in the air fryer. Air fry at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time, until golden.
- Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium heat until hot. Place chicken nuggets in hot oil and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and hot. Transfer cooked nuggets to a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
Kristin
I love that this uses canned chicken! I always have a can in my pantry so this is perfect for those nights when I just need to be able to throw something simple together using ingredients I already have. It's so much better and less expensive than McNuggets or other fast food nuggets! And delicious too!
Kristina
I have tried a lot of homemade chicken nugget recipes and this one is by far the best, keto or not. I make them for my kids and they also think they are the best...requesting them almost weekly!
Eileen Kelly
I am a huge fan of chicken nuggets. Using keto ingredients and canned chicken is genius and these keto chicken nuggets are so delicious. I made mine in the air fryer. So crispy, crunchy, and tender.
Gwynn Galvin
I love how easy these nuggets are to make using canned chicken! Such a good shortcut. I made them in my air fryer and they were so easy to make and so delicious too!