Crunchy baked chicken nuggets are made with a cornflake coating for nuggets that are crispy outside and tender inside. This recipe is perfect for weeknights and can be made in just 30 minutes.
These crunchy baked homemade chicken nuggets are crispy outside and tender inside. The cornflakes in the coating help to make the nuggets nice and crunchy.
This recipe is perfect for quick lunches or busy weeknights because it can be made in just 30 minutes. It’s also any easy recipe to customize and is a hit with adults and kids alike!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Boneless skinless chicken breast: I recommend trimming of excess fat before using the chicken breast.
- Cornflake cereal: The cornflakes help to give the nuggets their crunchy texture and takes the place of other coatings like panko bread crumbs or plain breadcrumbs to make crispy nuggets.
- Parmesan cheese: The cheese adds flavor, but you can omit it if you would like to make the nuggets dairy-free.
- Kosher salt: Use half of the amount of salt if using table salt.
- Paprika: Paprika or smoked paprika work well.
How to make baked chicken nuggets
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400F and set a cooling rack in a large baking sheet.
Step 2: Place cornstarch in a shallow dish.
Step 3: Add the beaten eggs to a separate bowl.
Step 4: Stir together crushed cornflakes, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper in a third medium bowl.
Step 5: Coat chicken piece in cornstarch and then dip in egg.
Step 6: Coat in cornflake mixture. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Step 7: Place the coated pieces of chicken on the cooling rack atop the baking pan in a single layer.
Step 8: Lightly spray the top of the nuggets with canola oil spray.
Step 9: Bake nuggets for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
Recipe Tips!
- Crushing the cornflakes: When crushing cereal, I like to place the cereal in a rimmed baking sheet and crush with a rolling pin.
- Cornflake size matters! It’s important to finely crush the cereal so that you get a nice crunchy coating for the outside of the chicken nuggets.
- Seasonings: You can vary the seasonings in the coating. Feel free to add spices, like a pinch of cayenne pepper, or use spices to suit your tastes.
Serving suggestions
Serve the chicken nuggets with dipping sauces like barbecue sauce, ketchup, honey mustard, ranch sweet and sour, or your favorite dipping sauces.
The nuggets go well with sides like oven roasted potato wedges, fries, sweet potato fries, parmesan potatoes. Add some fresh veggies like broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower or serve with salads like shirazi salad to round out the meal.
Storage
Store any leftover chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The nuggets will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored.
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Baked Chicken Nugget Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 ½ cups cornflakes crushed
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1” pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and set an oven-safe wire rack in a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Place cornstarch in a shallow dish.3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Add the beaten eggs to a second shallow dish.2 large eggs
- Stir together crushed cornflakes, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper in a third shallow dish.2 ½ cups cornflakes, ½ cup grated parmesan, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Coat chicken piece in cornstarch, then dip in egg, then coat in cornflake mixture. Repeat with remaining chicken.1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- Transfer to the cooling rack atop the baking sheet.
- Lightly spray the top of the nuggets with canola oil spray.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
Notes
- Boneless skinless chicken breast: I recommend trimming of excess fat before using the chicken breast.
- Parmesan cheese: The cheese adds flavor, but you can omit it if you would like to make the nuggets dairy-free.
- Kosher salt: Use half of the amount of salt if using table salt. You can vary the seasonings in the coating.
- Feel free to add or subtract spices to suit your tastes.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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