These dairy-free and egg-free chicken nuggets are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. They're juicy, flavorful, and baked to perfection. Simple enough for weeknight dinners or quick lunch.

Skip the store-bought nuggets and make this recipe instead. There's nothing wrong with convenience food, but these have better taste and texture and come together in under an hour. Just like all of my recipes, they're dairy-free, egg-free, and easy to make gluten-free.

These dairy free chicken nuggets are perfect for toddlers, kids, and big kids too! Who doesn't love dunking a crispy, juicy nugget into ketchup?! Meal prep a double batch, freeze it, and have homemade nuggets ready for busy days.

homemade ground chicken nuggets ingredients

Ingredient notes

Here's what you'll need! No flax egg or milk here. The combination of ground chicken and panko naturally binds the mixture together, so the nuggets hold their shape while staying tender and juicy.

Chicken: Most homemade recipes use boneless, skinless chicken breast to cut into evenly-sized cubes or mixed in a food processor. To keep things quick and easy, I use around 90% lean ground chicken! It makes shaping the nuggets easier and keeps them moist and tender. Ground chicken can vary in fat content by brand. If yours looks especially wet, add an extra tablespoon or two of panko to the meat mixture.
Seasoning: These nuggets use a blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Feel free to adjust based on what you have.
Breadcrumbs: I prefer panko breadcrumbs for a crispier coating, but regular breadcrumbs work too. You can also make your own by pulsing dried or toasted bread in a food processor.
Oil spray: Unlike traditional nuggets, these are baked instead of deep fried. The cooking oil spray is key to a golden, crispy crust without frying.

dairy free and egg free chicken nuggets mixture in mixing bowl

How to make dairy free and eggless chicken nuggets

Find the full recipe for chicken nuggets with ground chicken in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Combine all of the ingredients

In a mixing bowl, gently mix together ground chicken, seasoning, and a quarter of the panko breadcrumbs.

Step 2: Shape the nuggets

Add the remaining panko to a shallow bowl. To make nuggets, scoop a heaping tablespoon of the chicken nugget mixture, shape into an oval or any other shape you prefer. I like using this dinosaur cookie cutter for fun dino nuggets!

Step 3: Bake nuggets in the oven

Arrange the unbaked nuggets on a lined baking sheet, spray with cooking oil, and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

panko breadcrumb coated chicken tenders on baking sheet

Step 4: Serve and enjoy

The most reliable way to know they're done is an internal temperature of 165F. A quick-read thermometer takes the guesswork out! Serve these chicken nuggets with classic sides for an easy, family-friendly meal. Pair them with crispy french fries or air fryer frozen green beans for something simple, or round things out with dairy-free mac and cheese or creamy dairy-free mashed potatoes. They're also great dipped into ketchup, honey mustard, or dairy-free ranch dressing!

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homemade crispy chicken nuggets with ketchup

Jenna's tips and tricks

Wet your hands: Ground chicken is sticky! Slightly damp hands make shaping the nuggets much easier.
Don't overwork the meat: Mix until just combined, overworking the mixture will make the nuggets dense instead of tender.
Make it gluten-free: Swap regular panko for GF panko, that's the only change needed! Ian's and Kikkoman both make great options.
Make it spicy: Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper and ¼ teaspoon chili powder to the meat mixture.
Air fry instead: Cook at 400F for 8-12 minutes!

dairy free and egg free baked chicken nuggets

Storage and freezing instructions

Leftovers: Once cooked and cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes, avoid the microwave or they'll end up sad and soggy.
Freeze cooked chicken nuggets: Let nuggets cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 375F for 12-15 minutes, or in the air fryer at 375F for 6-8 minutes, until hot and crispy.
Freeze uncooked chicken nuggets: After shaping and coating, place nuggets on a lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.

allergy friendly chicken nuggets with green beans and ketchup

More kid friendly recipes

If you're cooking with ground meat often, I've got plenty of nostalgic family favorites to keep in rotation. Try my dairy-free and egg-free meatballs, meatloaf, or chicken meatballs for a simple protein, or go with cozy classics like tater tot casserole, shepherd's pie, and chicken pot pie. For quick weeknight meals, you can't go wrong with ground beef sliders, dairy-free beef stroganoff, homemade hamburger helper, juicy hamburgers, or sloppy joes. Be sure to let me know what you think if you give any of my recipes a try!

Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Chicken Nuggets Recipe

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These dairy-free and egg-free chicken nuggets are crispy on the outside and tender inside, made with ground chicken and simple pantry staples. Baked instead of fried, they're easy to make, naturally eggless, and can be made gluten-free with a simple swap. Perfect for weeknight dinners, lunches, or meal prep.

Servings: 24 nuggets

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup panko bread crumbs divided (GF panko, if needed)
Avocado oil spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of the panko. Mix until just combined. Don't overwork it or the nuggets will turn out dense!
Add the remaining ¾ cup of panko to a shallow bowl. Scoop a heaping tablespoons of the chicken mixture, shape into a nugget, and press firmly into the panko on all sides.
Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the mixture is used. You should get about 20-24 nuggets.
Spray the tops of the nuggets generously with avocado oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through and spraying again, until golden and cooked through (internal temp 165F).
Let nuggets rest for 2-3 minutes before serving with your favorite dipping sauce and sides.

Notes

Yields about 20-24 nuggets, or 4 servings (5-6 nuggets each).

Nutrition

Calories: 38kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 4gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 127mgPotassium: 107mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 21IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.3mg

Jenna Urben

Main Course

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Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Chicken Nuggets

Ingredient notes