These Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa are a great way to make guilt-free homemade food your children will love. Crispy and packed with protein, these nuggets will be a hit in your house.
If you like delicious chicken recipes, try these BBQ Chicken Wings and Breaded Air Fryer Chicken Tenders (VIDEO).
Table Of Contents
Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa Recipe Details
This recipe for Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa is incredibly delicious, freezer-friendly, and jam-packed with nutrients. They also taste amazing!
- TASTE: These chicken nuggets are packed with flavorful veggies, cheeses, and seasonings. They’re healthy and taste amazing!
- TEXTURE: Crispy outside and juicy inside, these Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa are scrumptious.
- TIME: This recipe will take a total of 50 minutes, but you can prep ahead to save time.
- EASE: This simple recipe is so easy to make. And you can freeze extra batches to reheat on busy nights.
What You’ll Need
- For the nuggets- Ground chicken breast, Quinoa, Onion, Carrot, Celery, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella, Garlic, Salt, and Pepper
- For frying- Olive oil
- For the breading- Flour, Eggs, and Panko bread crumbs
How to Make Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa
- Dice the vegetables. Dice the onion, carrot, and celery into fine pieces.
- Saute them. Heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and sauté the diced vegetables until the onion becomes translucent. Set aside and let them cool to room temperature.
- Cook the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa really well, then cook according to the package instructions. Set aside until cooled.
- Puree the sauteed vegetables. In a food processor, blend the sautéed vegetables until they turn into a paste.
- Combine the chicken nugget mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, cooked quinoa, garlic, pureed vegetables, parmesan, mozzarella, salt, and black pepper.
- Form the nuggets. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture and form it into a round nugget.
- Dredge them. Dredge each nugget in the flour and then dip them in the whisked eggs.
- Bread the chicken nuggets. Coat both sides with panko bread crumbs and set them aside on a baking sheet.
- Fry them. Heat 2 inches of olive oil in a cast iron or heavy-bottomed pan and cook each healthy chicken nugget for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Pro Tip: After you coat the nuggets in panko, you can keep them frozen in an airtight container for later if you want to prepare in large batches and cook only when needed.
Recipe Tips
- Grind your own chicken if possible- If you have the ability to do this, then go for it. You will not believe how much better it tastes and your nuggets will be even better with freshly ground meat.
- Chop the vegetables finely– This will help them cook faster and also ensure there are no larger pieces remaining after they are sauteed and pureed. Your nuggets will hold together better, too.
- Let the quinoa and vegetables cool– Because we don’t want the chicken or eggs cooking before we start frying, let these ingredients cool first. This will also make them easier to handle and mold.
- Dredge all the nuggets before you start frying– This is helpful for timing, so you are not going back and forth between dredging and turning your nuggets in the oil, possibly burning them.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute turkey- If you don’t have any ground chicken on hand, you can also use ground turkey in this recipe. The flavors are very similar.
- Add other vegetables- You can use other vegetables in these Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa, like zucchini, peas, or spinach. This is great for adding more veggies to your family meals.
- Make them gluten-free- Using a gluten-free flour and Panko is all you need to change for these to be ready to serve to anyone avoiding gluten.
- Add some heat- If you and your kids love spicy foods, add some cayenne pepper, Sriracha, or your favorite hot sauce to the chicken nugget mixture before dredging and frying.
FAQs
Can these chicken nuggets be made in the oven?
Yes, these Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa can be made in the oven. Place them on a baking sheet and cook them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes.
How can I make these nuggets even healthier?
If you want an even healthier dish, then cook these chicken nuggets in an air fryer. You’ll get all the crispiness you love while using almost no oil. You can also lower-fat cheese.
Serving Suggestions
These Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa can be added to your family’s favorite meals. They’re so versatile, they go well with almost everything. .
- Vegetables: Serve these Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa with Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, or Roasted Air Fryer Vegetables.
- Fries: Crispy Air Fryer French Fries are a classic side with chicken nuggets, or for an even healthier option, serve The BEST Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries or Healthy Air fryer Zucchini Fries.
- Salad: Add some nuggets on top or serve them on the side of this Spinach Pomegranate Salad or Best Broccoli Cranberry Salad.
- Sauces: What would nuggets be without dipping sauces? Try this Homemade BBQ Sauce, Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce, or Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.
Make These Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare all the components ahead of time and then combine and cook. Or you can freeze extra batches of them after dredging and breading, so you only cook what you need.
Storing: Store these Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Freeze: Once cooled, place the chicken nuggets in a ziplock bag or airtight container in the freezer. They will last for about 1 month. Reheat them in the oven or an air fryer to keep them crispy.
More Tasty Chicken Dishes!
- Cast Iron Chicken Breast with Potatoes
- Chipotle Chicken Bowl
- Chicken Pesto Pizza
- Chicken Meatball Soup
- Chicken Fritters with Zucchini
Full Recipe Instructions
Healthy Chicken Nuggets with Quinoa
This tutorial for How to Make Chicken Nuggets with Ground Chicken is a great way to make guilt-free homemade food your children will love.
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Servings: 10
Calories: 257kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 small onion diced finely
- 1 small carrot diced finely
- 1 stalk celery diced finely
- olive oil for frying
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 lb ground chicken breast
- 1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 clove garlic pressed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 cup flour
- 4 eggs wisked together
- Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Dice the onion, carrot, and celery into fine pieces.
- Heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium and sauté the diced vegetables until the onion becomes translucent. Set aside and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Rinse the quinoa really well, then cook according to the package instructions and set aside until cooled.
- In a food processor, blend the sautéed vegetables until they turn into a paste.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, cooked quinoa, garlic, pureed vegetables, parmesan, mozzarella, salt, and black pepper.
- Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the ground chicken mixture and form it into a round nugget.
- Dredge each nugget into the flour, then dip into the whisked eggs.
- Coat both sides with panko bread crumbs and set aside on a baking sheet.
- Heat 2 inches of olive oil in a cast iron or heavy-bottomed pan and cook each nugget for about 3-4 minutes on each side.
Notes
Two Freezing methods
- Before frying: Once the chicken nuggets are dredged in the panko breadcrumbs, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer and freeze for about 2-3 hours. Then transfer into a gallon-sized zip-lock bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
- After frying: Once they are fried, let them cool completely. Then transfer to a gallon-sized zip-lock bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 5nuggets | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 512mg | Potassium: 455mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 1230IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 1.6mg
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo of it and tag me on Instagram @simplyhomecooked or use the hashtag #simplyhomecooked so I can see it and feature it!
This recipe was originally posted on June 3, 2015, but we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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Conchita vw says
Came out great! My 2-year granddaughter loves these patties and yes it took me longer to make than time stated and breading part is messy. I added an extra carrot and I didn’t find it necessary to puree veggies after I sautéed them. I also mixed in some steamed broccoli into the chicken quinoa mixture. After patties cool, I like to individual wrap each cutlet in parchment paper and freeze them. 😊
Dina says
I am so glad your granddaughter loved these chicken nuggets!
V says
What’s the best way to reheat once cooked and frozen? I baked at 375 for 30 mins and worked great!
Maroula Spagnuolo says
These are great.
Nice flavour, my kids ate them!!
I used 2 eggs whisked with milk instead of just 4 eggs.
Thanks for the recipe
Dina says
I am so happy to hear that you all enjoyed these chicken nuggets! Thank you for the kind feedback 🙂
Katie says
Hi Dina,
I’d love to make these in the air fryer for my kids. What temp and for how long do I turn it on for? (If you’ve tried)
Thank you
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Katie 🙂 I have never tried making these chicken nuggets in an air fryer so I am not sure about the time and temperature. You want to make sure you don’t just warm them up but fully cook them since it is raw meat in this recipe. If you do give it a try please let me know. Hope that helps 🙂
Josh says
I baked them at 375 for 15 minutes per side. I sprayed parchment paper with olive oil, put the nuggets on the parchment paper, and then sprayed the tops of the nuggets with olive oil. Came out nice and moist, browned and crunchy! I going to try the recipe again, but this time mix all the ingredients on the food processor to 1) break down the shredded cheese even smaller and 2) get a more uniform blend of all the ingredients. The recipe netted me 60 nuggets.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the feedback, Josh. I will have to try your baking method next time I make these chicken nuggets at home!
Mariam says
Best chicken nugget recipe out. I’d eat these over any other chicken nuggets out there. Dina, thank you so much for all the delicious recipes.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for taking the time to write such kind feedback, Mariam! I’m so happy you enjoyed these chicken nuggets!
Karen Mahinay Ello says
I tried Josh’s recommendation for baking after failing the stovetop method and turned out so great!
Your recipe is delicious and a great way to sneak in lots of veggies. I used oats flour instead of regular, and used my leftover fajita veggies (roasted peppers, corn, eggplant, carrots) on top of the carrots and onions. So great! Tagged you on IG, too! Thanks for sharing!
simplyhomecooked says
So happy you loved this recipe Karen! Thank you for your feedback 🙂 Glad that you were able to bake these chicken nuggets. If you have any questions about the stovetop method feel free to ask and I will try to help you 🙂 Yes this recipe helps sneak in some of those veggies lol 🙂 Thank you for tagging me 🙂
Jayme says
Quick question – where does the garlic clove come into play? Thanks!!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Jayme, thanks for catching that. I just fixed that missing part. The garlic comes in at step 5 🙂
Teresa says
What about freezing? Before cooking or after?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Teresa, I freeze them after they are cooked.
Teresa says
I actually have been freezing them not cooked and frying directly from the freezer and they come out magnificent. These are amazing! I used to have an unhealthy relationship with McDonalds chicken nuggets (cringes) until I found out I was allergic to wheat and after many tried and failed attempts at other recipes THIS is even better than McDonald’s! My 11 month old daughter loves them too. Thanks for making my nugget dreams come true ????
simplyhomecooked says
Teresa I’m so glad you found a healthier substitute for chicken nuggets. That’s awesome that your little one likes them
to 🙂
rocio says
Es delicioso y saludable, perfecto para los niños, mis hijos lo disfrutan mucho. Gracias por compartir!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Rico!
Stephanie says
These are soo good!! I love the flavor of cooked veggies and the texture quinoa gives in this recipe. Instead of ground chicken, I food processed chicken cutlets… has a better texture in my opinion. Trying out fun and healthy food ideas my nephew (he’s only 9 months old, so planning ahead ????). This recipe wil definitely be a staple for him and for us adults!
simplyhomecooked says
Wow Stephanie I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the quinoa chicken nuggets! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind review.
Donna says
I baked the nuggets by laying crumpled foil on a cookie sheet and spraying it with Oil spray. I baked in a 500 degree oven for 30 minutes turning half way through. When they come out of the oven let them sit for 5 minutes because they need to release from the foil. If you try to take them off too early then the nuggets stick to the foil. Hope this helps is someone is trying to bake. Next time I may try spraying parchment paper and see if they work this way as well. D
simplyhomecooked says
Hello Donna, thank you for letting me know how they turned out baked. I’m surprised they stuck to the foil. Maybe try nonstick foil?
Alina says
What temp would you recommend to preheat the oven if these were to be baked?? And for how long?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Alina, if you bake them, you should probably add either butter or olive oil to the bread crumbs before dredging the nuggets in it. Adding grease to the bread crumbs will give them a nice golden color, otherwise they will be very white. I’ve never tried the baking method for this recipe but I think 370 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes should be enough. Please let me know how they turn out in the oven, I’m really curious to know 🙂
Inna says
These nuggets are SO good! Best part is that they’re so healthy!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Inna 🙂 Glad you enjoyed them!
plasterers bristol says
Yummy, this sounds so good. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Simon
simplyhomecooked says
You’re welcome Simon 🙂
Katy | Her Cup of Joy says
Wow these look so simple and delicious, plus they have some many ingredients that are healthy for you. I will need to try these sometime soon!
simplyhomecooked says
These are definitely a healthier take on chicken nuggets 😉 My 2 year old nephew really likes them. I think your daughter might like them as well 🙂
Anna says
This is so interesting! Will it be just as good baked? I always feel terrible buying chicken nuggets 🙁
simplyhomecooked says
It would work just fine to bake them, they just won’t be as golden in color. I know, I love chicken nuggets too, but store bought ones have so many fillers 🙁