Every mom knows that a good fried chicken nuggets recipe is a must when you have kids at home! My Keto Fried Chicken Nuggets are so easy, delicious, and perfect for lunch or even dinner! Add this to your low carb recipe collection to keep everyone happy!
How To Make Low Carb/Keto Chicken Nuggets
These keto nuggets are a simple and healthier way to please your entire family! They are dredged in a seasoned flour coating, then fried, making them super crispy, which is a must when it comes to chicken nuggets! I use coconut flour for the breading, so these are low carb and 100% keto-friendly, but if you do not like coconut flour, you can surely use almond flour or crushed pork rinds, aka pork panko, to coat your chicken instead.
Step 1: Cut the boneless skinless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs into nugget sized bites. I used poultry shears, which makes the job much easier.
Step 2: Crack 3 eggs in a shallow bowl or dish and add heavy whipping cream. Whisk it up before allowing your chicken to soak a few minutes.
Step 3: Seasoning makes a huge difference when making chicken nuggets keto-friendly, so don’t be shy with your spices! To the coconut flour, I add garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. You can add any other spices if you wish!
Step 4: Make sure that all of the chicken is coated well in the egg and heavy whipping cream mixture. This helps the coconut flour stick better.
Step 5: Dredge each chicken nugget in coconut flour and coat completely. Doing this in batches is easiest. Do not overcrowd your pan.
Step 6: Using a candy thermometer, heat your coconut oil (or avocado oil) to about 335 degrees F before adding the chicken. I deep fry the chicken in four separate batches to make sure the chicken cooks evenly without absorbing too much oil. You want the exterior to be a deep golden brown.
Step 7: Cook your chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Immediately place your fried nuggets on a paper towel or wire rack, so they stay nice and crispy. Serve warm!
Keto-friendly nugget breading
The breading I use for these nuggets is 100% keto-approved and grain-free. You can use almond flour OR coconut flour. My daughter is very allergic to tree nuts, so we use coconut flour almost always! If you wish, you could also change up the ingredients of your coating by mixing in Parmesan cheese or use pork panko instead.
How to freeze nuggets:
Prepare your nuggets as the recipe says and allow nuggets to cool completely. Then, add the chicken nuggets inside a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and remove as much air as possible. You can safely freeze them for up to 3 months.
How to reheat nuggets
Reheating your keto nuggets is simple. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Then lay the nuggets on a baking sheet and bake for 10-20 minutes or until they are warmed through. If they were frozen, they will take a little longer to heat up.
Keto-friendly dipping sauce options:
What to serve with your keto nuggets:
Cheesy Asparagus Casserole Keto Recipe
Southern Green Beans {Keto Friendly/Low Carb}
Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese: Easy, Creamy, & Delicious
Loaded Broccoli {keto/low carb}
How to Make Keto Fried Chicken Nuggets:
Keto Fried Chicken Nuggets {keto/low carb}
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken cut into small pieces
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- enough oil for frying - I used coconut oil, but you can also use lard or avocado oil.
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite-size nuggets.
- In a bowl, combine eggs and heavy whipping cream. Stir until combined.
- In a shallow pan, add chicken nuggets to the egg/heavy whipping cream mixture and set aside.
- On a large plate, add coconut flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix with a fork to combine.
- Individually, dredge each piece of chicken into the flour mixture.
- In a skillet, heat about an inch of coconut oil until it reaches 335°F. I used a candy thermometer to help.
- Drop chicken in hot oil and turn over after 3 minutes and fry on the other side. Each batch took approx 4-5 minutes to cook but could vary depending on the size of your chicken. Do not overcrowd your frying pan as it will reduce the temperature of the oil, and the breading won't stick as well.
- Once each batch is done, remove from the oil, and place nuggets on top of a paper towel or frying rack to absorb excess oil, then fry the next batch until your finished frying all your chicken.
- Serve with homemade sugar-free, low carb bbq sauce.
- Optional: Sprinkle a little extra salt on top of each batch as you put it on the paper towel for added flavor.
Notes
Nutrition
More Keto Recipe Ideas
I know you are going to love my easy keto fried chicken recipe, but you’ll want more variety in your meal plan. Check out our complete list of amazing recipes in my Keto Recipe Index. You can see a few more of my favorite kid-friendly keto recipes linked below!
Linda says
Calories ,fat carbs?
Kasey says
I did not include that info for this recipe as it was impossible to figure out with so much left over oil from frying, the breading, and the egg wash.
Anita says
Will this work in an air fryer?
Kasey says
I haven’t tried it, but it would probably work.
Dawn says
Hi. Did u try it in air fryer? Ty
Kasey says
No, I did not.
Stephanie says
There is no measurement on the HWC. Is it 1/4 cup?
Kasey says
Yes. Sorry! I am updating the recipe now. Thanks!
Jenelle says
If you marinate the chicken in pickle juice it tastes just like chik-fil-a!
Tammy Vogelgesang says
Yesssss!!
Paula says
I absolutely love these — thank you so much for the recipe. I must make these once a week – they are so easy and I always have all the ingredients.
Kasey says
You are so very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
Kasey says
I’m not sure what you are asking. Besides dipping it in the egg mixture then the flour before frying I didn’t do anything else.
Betsy Rodecap says
Kasey ~ I feel the need to tell you how much I appreciate your generosity.
Going keto 6 months ago changed my kitchen completely. Without your lovely recipes and guidance, I am not sure that I could have maintained this lifestyle.
Having your recipes at my fingertips makes it safe for small children to walk past me while eating a sugar-laden chocolate chip cookie (mostly.) lol
I now have a nice arsenal of “specialties” to allow my husband and me to eat healthy, tasty food. (Being a supportive spouse, my always-thin husband eats keto with me; he’s even lost some weight, darn him!) Getting off the sugars is hard, but there is reward when my grown son remarks that he has never seen me so thin – and he’s right. I currently weigh less than when I became pregnant with him 48 years ago!
I owe my renewed health to you. Thank you and may Our Creator continue to bless you and yours.
Betsy
Kasey says
Besty, I am speechless. Thank you so very much for taking the time to comment with such encouraging and supportive kind words. I can’t tell you how much it means to me. I am so proud of you and your hard work! May God bless you and your family.
Angie Lynn says
Could you use steak and do steak fingers?
Kasey says
I’ve only tested this recipe with chicken but it sounds good.
Rebecca says
Can you use almond flour instead of coconut flour
Kasey says
I’ve only tested it as is, but I’m sure almond flour would work just fine. Another great option is crushed pork rinds. I tried that last time I made them and it was delish!
Sam says
I was going to do pork rinds but my husband convinced me they would just make a soggy mess.
Dave says
Sam, Your husband is wrong if you do this in an air or deep fryer. Pork rinds make less mess (pre-coat with beaten egg) and don’t stick to a fry basket!
Danielle says
Can you use another oil besides Coconut oil? I don’t like the coconut flavor it gives when using it in recipes.
Kasey says
There are other keto friendly oils you could try like avocado oil or lard, but I’ve only tested it as is.
Tammy Vogelgesang says
Danielle, just get some refined coconut oil. It has zero flavor!! You can usually find this at Walmart and/or TJMaxx, Marshall’s, and Ross for a fraction of the price!
Stacey Burton says
Do these have a coconut flavor to them?
Carolyn Johnson says
Can this be baked in the oven?
Kasey says
I have only tried as is. Let me know how it turns outs.
Christen says
Do you have the nutritional break down?
.Kasey says
I did not include that info for this recipe as it was impossible to figure out with so much left over oil from frying, the breading, and the egg wash.
Dian Corbett says
Being highly allergic to all nuts, it was particularly happy to see a keto recipe that I don’t have to wonder what to do for a substitute. l’m very new to keto and really appreciate this.
.Kasey says
You’re so welcome! My oldest daughter has a severe nut allergy so I always use coconut flour.
Donna Cooper says
Is the nutritional info for the whole recipe or divided by 5? 15g of carbs is almost the daily total of only 20g allowed..