Keto Fried Chicken Nuggets (deep fry or air fried)
Every mom knows that a good fried chicken nugget recipe is a must when you have kids at home! My Keto Fried Chicken Nuggets are so easy, delicious, and perfect for lunch or 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 for 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.
They also make a great addition to any appetizer tray or a healthy snack when you need more sustenance.
Note: Keto chicken nuggets are gluten-free. Check the ingredients you use in your kitchen to make sure as I know ingredients can vary between manufacturers.
Step 1: Cut the boneless skinless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs into nugget-sized bites. I used poultry shears, which made 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 for a few minutes.
Step 3: Seasoning makes a huge difference when making chicken nuggets keto-friendly, so don’t be shy with your spices! I add garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to the coconut flour. 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 thoroughly. 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 to stay crisp. Serve warm!
Keto-friendly nugget breading
The breading I use for these nuggets are 100% keto-approved and grain-free. You can use almond flour OR coconut flour. My daughter is very allergic to tree nuts, so we always use coconut flour! If you wish, you could also change up the ingredients of your coating by mixing in Parmesan cheese or 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 keto chicken 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 frozen, they will take a little longer to heat up.
How to cook keto chicken nuggets in the air fryer
- Instead of coconut flour, I would suggest pork panko (crushed pork rinds) for the best results.
- Follow the rest of the recipe regarding seasonings and breading instructions.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees.
- Spray both sides of each nugget with cooking spray
- Being careful not to crowd the nuggets; place a few at a time in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry the nuggets for 5-6 minutes or until the outside is crispy.
- Turn over, spray the other side with cooking spray, and cook until the nuggets are crisp.
- Make sure to check the internal temperature of the keto air fryer nuggets. They should be 165 degrees F. Keep in mind cooking time varies depending on what air fryer you use, how many pieces of chicken you air fry at a time, and the nugget’s size.
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}
- Easy Air Fryer Broccoli
More keto chicken recipes:
- Chicken Lombardy
- Keto Buffalo Chicken Casserole
- Zesty Italian Chicken
- Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken Recipe
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 you are 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.
Video
Notes
- Instead of coconut flour, I would suggest pork panko (crushed pork rinds) for the best results.
- Follow the rest of the recipe regarding seasonings and breading instructions.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees.
- Spray both sides of each nugget with cooking spray
- Being careful not to crowd the nuggets; place a few at a time in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry the nuggets for 5-6 minutes or until the outside is crispy.
- Turn over, spray the other side with cooking spray, and cook until the nuggets are crisp.
- Make sure to check the internal temperature of the keto air fryer nuggets. They should be 165 degrees F. Keep in mind cooking time varies depending on what air fryer you use, how many pieces of chicken you air fry at a time and the nugget's size.
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!
Is the nutritional info for the whole recipe or divided by 5? 15g of carbs is almost the daily total of only 20g allowed..
Excellent recipe!!Great taste.
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it.
Great recipe, just done it, will be using it a lot
Fantastic. So glad you enjoyed it.
Yum!! Can not wait to try these. Do you think you could air fry them? I have trouble standing too long to fry. Thanks for all your delicious and healthy recipes.
Can these be cooked in oven?
You can cook them in the oven. The air fryer is great because it gives the chicken a similar texture as a deep fryer. I have not tried this in the oven so I can’t help with the temp and cook time. Let me know how it turns out!