Allergy-Friendly Chicken Nuggets

Avoid the top allergens with this kid-friendly, healthy, homemade recipe for allergy-friendly chicken nuggets. Sharon Selby’s gluten-free chicken nuggets recipe has options to replace the breading with what will work for your family and replace the eggs to make them egg-free.

Chicken Nuggets to Fit Your Family

Growing up I used to love my mother’s homemade chicken schnitzels, better known as “nuggets” for many. I would come home from school and ask, “What’s for dinner?” I’d just melt when she would tell me, “schnitzels.”

I’d hover over her as she would shallow fry each piece and I would help by being the Chief Quality Control Officer, eating one after another, trying to find some non-existent fault in them just to snag another piece.

Now 30 years later my kids do the same. However, due to allergies and intolerances, I’ve had to get creative with options that would suit what works for my family’s specific needs.

To make gluten-free chicken nuggets, I replaced the white breadcrumbs with allergy-friendly, nutritious alternatives so you could choose what works best for your family.

For my youngest son, due to his previous egg allergy, I discovered I could replace the egg for dredging with melted coconut oil or olive oil. These are just as easy to make egg-free chicken nuggets, and they taste just as delicious.

Allergy-Friendly Chicken Nuggets Recipe

These allergy-friendly chicken nuggets have options that you can pick and choose, and swap to fit the needs of whoever you’re feeding. The best part? The kids will gobble them up just the same!

Ingredient Options

This recipe allows for a few swaps depending on your or your family’s food sensitivities or preferences.

Chicken

When making homemade nuggets for those with food allergies, try to source organic, free-range chicken.

I find the best parts for nuggets are the tenderloins (the little fillets attached to the breasts). Tenderloins are already the perfect size for chicken nuggets, saving heaps of time slicing perfect chicken pieces.

You can buy them already cut up, but you’ll pay a lot more than when you work with a whole chicken, which goes much farther – especially if you like to make your own bone broth.

You can also use thigh meat, which is more nutritious. Just make sure to cut it into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.

Egg-Free or Eggs

If eggs are tolerated, using them for dredging the chicken is okay. Otherwise, it works equally as well to use 1/2 cup of any of these non-egg binders before dipping in gluten-free breading:

• melted coconut oil
• organic sunflower oil
• extra virgin olive oil

Gluten-free Bread Crumb Options

Since wheat gluten is irritating for many people, I opted to remove bread crumbs altogether to make gluten-free chicken nuggets. They are just as delicious and healthier, too. Use any of these options that work for your family to coat the nuggets:

• rice crumbs
• quinoa flakes
• almond meal

Fat Options to Fry

I usually use sunflower oil or extra virgin olive oil to fry the nuggets. Any good quality fat will work, so use whatever oil works best for your dietary needs.

Another option is to skip frying altogether and to bake them. Baked chicken nuggets are an easy way to have a more hands-off cooking experience. Frying gives them more crunch, but they still taste great fresh out of the oven.

Herbs and Spices

• garlic powder
• onion powder
• paprika
• dried parsley
• sea salt
• ground black pepper

How to Make Chicken Nuggets

Slice the chicken breasts into thin 5 cm long pieces and set aside.

Break the eggs into a bowl and use a whisk to mix them up until they’re well combined. For egg-free chicken nuggets, add your oil of choice to a bowl and set it aside.

In a shallow bowl or plate, mix together the rice crumbs or quinoa flakes. Add the spices and seasoning, give it a good mix with your hands, and set aside with the other bowls.

In batches, dip the chicken strips into the egg or oil. I do a handful at a time to make the process a little bit quicker.

Next, individually coat each chicken slice in the flavored crumb mixture on both sides so they are evenly coated. Then set them aside on another plate or on the baking tray if you’re making baked chicken nuggets.

Repeat with all of the chicken pieces until each is coated and ready to cook.

For Fried Chicken Nuggets

To fry the chicken nuggets, heat the oil or fat of your choice in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat.

Cook in batches and for about 3 minutes each. Fry them until they are golden brown, and the chicken is cooked through.Then use a fork or tongs to remove the nuggets from the pan, and drain on paper towels.

For Baked Chicken Nuggets

To make baked chicken nuggets, preheat the oven to 190C or 375F. Before coating the chicken pieces, line a baking tray with unbleached parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Then, pop them into the oven and let them cook for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden and cooked through.

Eat and Store

Serve these allergy-friendly chicken nuggets with sweet potato fries and steamed veggies. Or, try my kids’ favorite: with homemade tomato pasta sauce and penne pasta.

My boys will also eat these straight from the fridge – they taste just as good! They’re also a perfect protein addition to school lunch boxes or picnics.

I’ll often make a double batch of this recipe and freeze half of the ready-made uncooked nuggets for a quick mid-week dinner.

The cooked nuggets will stay fresh for three days in the fridge, and the uncooked prepared nuggets will keep well for three months in the freezer. But trust me, it’s unlikely these nuggets will ever get the chance to reach the freezer!