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This healthy cornflake chicken nuggets recipe satisfies your fast food cravings without the guilt. My crispy cornflake nuggets are baked in the oven or air fryer for a low calorie healthy recipe. Gluten-free and macro-friendly!

It’s time for homemade fast food. But healthy and high protein!

These are oven baked healthy chicken nuggets with cornflakes – tender inside and super crispy outside!

Healthy chicken nuggets with cornflakes
Why do we all love chicken nuggets?
Why are these cornflake chicken nuggets healthy?
Ingredients
How to make cornflake chicken nuggets
How to store cornflake chicken nuggets
How to serve healthy homemade nuggets
More healthy recipes with chicken
Healthy Cornflake Chicken Nuggets Recipe

Healthy chicken nuggets with cornflakes

Trust me… If you’ve never tried cornflakes chicken before, make this recipe and you won’t regret it. Chicken nuggets with cornflakes may be the best nuggets EVER – and let me tell you why.

First, cornflakes make chicken incredibly crunchy, a way crispier than breadcrumbs. Second, (sugar-free) cornflakes are a healthier alternative to breadcrumbs. And last but not least, cornflake chicken suits well to a gluten-free diet, because corn has no gluten!

healthy homemade nuggets with cornflakes

Why do we all love chicken nuggets?

Chicken nuggets are one of the most addictive foods. I still remember the time I ate a 50-nugget box all by myself at McDonald’s (besides my crispy McBacon, of course).

But why does everyone love nuggets, actually?

Curious to learn more, I made my research and, besides a lot of trash, I stumbled across a couple of good points.

First and foremost, they are addictive: crispy outside and tender inside, they taste simply delicious. Second, you can dip nuggets in any sauce and they will still taste so good.

Third and most interesting (kind of a joke), chicken nuggets contain tryptophan which causes the body to produce serotonin, a chemical that makes you feel happy. This one is surprisingly funny!

Why are these cornflake chicken nuggets healthy?

Besides their taste, my cornflake chicken nuggets are also so healthy! They are perfect for when you crave junk food but also want to stick to your diet and macros.

Still can’t believe this? Here are reasons why this cornflake chicken nuggets recipe is so healthy and good for you.

These are air fried or oven baked chicken nuggets with cornflakes. We don’t fry our nuggets here!
My cornflake chicken nuggets are low fat and packed with protein. Perfect for a macro friendly meal!
Cornflakes and chickpea flour (no worries, you can use any flour you want) make this recipe gluten-free.
Last but not least, we have seen that chicken nuggets contain tryptophan, which releases serotonin (this is kind of a joke, but what I want to say is that eating good food puts us in a good mood).

Ingredients

My cornflake chicken nuggets recipe is very simple. You only need chicken, flour, cornflakes, an egg and some spices to make healthy chicken nuggets at home!

Here’s an overview of all the ingredients, plus some additional details.

Boneless chicken breast
Flour (I use chickpea flour, but any flour works)
Cornflakes (for healthier chicken nuggets, I recommend sugar-free cornflakes)
Salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder and garlic powder
Egg

ingredients for cornflake chicken nuggets

How to make cornflake chicken nuggets

This healthy cornflake chicken nuggets recipe is so easy that it comes together in just 20 minutes.

Here’s how to make healthy chicken nuggets with cornflakes.

Start by cutting the chicken breast into chunks of around 4 cm (1 1/2 inches).
Prepare 3 separate bowls – add flour, salt and spices in the first, beat egg in the second and crush cornflakes in the third.
Coat each chicken chunk first in flour, then egg, then cornflakes, pressing firmly and turning to coat on both sides. Line over a parchment paper covered baking tray.
Spray chicken nuggets with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil. Bake in hot oven or hot air fryer for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

How to store cornflake chicken nuggets

Leftover chicken nuggets can be stored in an airtight food container in the fridge for 5 days. To reheat, place the homemade nuggets on a baking sheet and pop in hot oven for a couple of minutes, until warm and crispy.

For a longer storage, you can also freeze your healthy chicken nuggets as follows.

Let nuggets cool at room temperature.
Line cooled nuggets over a cookie sheet and freeze first, so that they don’t stick together.
When cornflake chicken bites are completely frozen, transfer to a zipper-lock freezer bag for up to 1 month.
Before serving, reheat frozen homemade chicken nuggets in hot oven for a couple of minutes. No thawing required!

How to serve healthy homemade nuggets

Here are some ideas on how to serve these healthy homemade chicken nuggets.

Pair your cornflake chicken with a salad or your favorite vegetables.
Use these nuggets as a filling for your wraps (tip: include a yogurt sauce and avocado).
Make a healthier homemade McChicken!
Dip in a selection of sauces.
Side with potatoes (I love oven baked sweet potato wedges).

More healthy recipes with chicken

Looking for new healthy – tasty – ways to eat chicken? Here are two of my favorite pasta recipes with chicken!

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