Chicken Nuggets with Veggies
These homemade chicken nuggets with veggies are baked, not fried, and packed with cauliflower, carrot, and apple for a nutritious twist. Perfect for babies, toddlers, and the whole family!
Servings: 27 nuggets
Calories: 45kcal
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor
Ingredients
Panade (optional - see notes)
- 1 slice bread, can replace with 40g breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp milk
Nuggets
- 1 cup (100g) Cauliflower Florets roughly chopped
- 1 medium Carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- ½ Apple, cored and roughly chopped
- 500g (1.1lb) Ground Chicken / Chicken Mince
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
Coating (optional)
- 1 Egg, beaten
- 1 cup (60g) Panko Breadcrumbs SEE NOTES
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the bread to a food processor and blitz until it reaches a breadcrumb consistency. Transfer to a small bowl, add the milk, stir to combine, and set aside.
- Add the cauliflower, carrots, and apple to the food processor and blitz until they resemble rice.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, blitzed vegetables, soaked breadcrumbs, and seasoning. Gently mix until just combined. Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and shape them into balls.
- Dip each ball into the whisked egg, then roll in breadcrumbs. Flatten slightly to form nugget shapes.
- Place the nuggets on the lined baking sheet, spray with cooking oil, and bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and cooked through.
Air Fry Option
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil, then arrange the nuggets in a single layer. Air-fry at 200°C (390°F) for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cook in batches if needed.
Video
Notes
The panade (soaked breadcrumbs) helps make the nuggets softer and more tender. This step is optional but recommended for the best texture.
I prefer using panko breadcrumbs for their crispiness, but any type will work. Optional: If you want a more golden finish to your nuggets then before you coat them, spread the breadcrumbs on a tray, spray with oil, and bake on the top shelf for about 10 minutes until golden.
You may wish to skip the coating if serving to a baby—see the Recipe FAQ section for more details.
Nutritional information is a ROUGH guide only, calculated using an online nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
Serving: 1nugget | Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 390IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.3mg