Chick’n Nuggets that are anything but average. These meatless nuggets are packed with flavor, perfectly dippable and no, you won’t even miss the meat.
Raise your hand if you have a secret love for chicken nuggets. Both of mine are definitely raised high. Every now and then I develop a huge craving for my childhood favorite. The last time I ordered them at an actual fast food restaurant I seriously cannot remember.
I do however remember walking the isles in the grocery store, debating whether or not I should give in and buy a bag of frozen chicken nuggets. When I stumbled upon the “better for you” section and discovered Morning Star’s Chick’n Nuggets, I immediately reached for a box or two.
Healthy Chicken Nuggets. Is this for real?
I felt great about having made a better decision, but deep down I was questioning if I had wasted a bunch of money. I couldn’t pop them in the oven fast enough once I got home.
May I just say that I have been buying box after box ever since. I even had a friend taste-test just to make sure I wasn’t imagining that meatless nuggets actually do taste as good as I thought.
It took me a while to perfect the recipe, but I’m finally ready to share my homemade version. If you love chicken nuggets and are looking for a healthier, delicious, and completely made from scratch option, you have come to the right place.
As if chickpeas couldn’t get any more versatile. They won my heart with hummus and have made their way into plenty of salads. And don’t even get me started on roasted chickpeas. Best snack ever.
Chickpeas are so neutral in taste and because they’re so creamy, it makes for some “juicy” nuggets that you can season to your heart’s delight. I used traditional seasonings, but you can add anything you like, really.
If you’re anything like me, you loathe taking out and using your food processor. You’ll be putting it to work for less than 5 minutes and probably spend double the time cleaning it, but these nuggets are so, so worth it. It’s times like these that I am so thankful we invested in one. That thing is simply amazing.
You could even whip up a double batch. The nuggets freeze really well and can be reheated for a quick lunch or snack in no time. Do it!
Yum! I think I know what I’ll be chowing down on today! Sorry, I get a little excited about these….They really are THAT good.
Wishing you all a great start to a new week.
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup oat flour (or substitute any flour you prefer), divided
- 1 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs
- seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning)
- 1. Pour chickpeas into your food processor and pulse until smooth and no chunks remain. Add one egg and pulse until incorporated. Add half a cup of the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder and add to the mixture. Pulse until a ball forms. Mixture should be slightly sticky. If it seems too wet, add another 1 tablespoon of flour from the remaining 1/2 cup.
- 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and shape into nuggets. Place on the baking sheet and put in the fridge. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pour the panko bread crumbs onto another baking sheet and place in the oven. Toast bread crumbs for 4-5 minutes, keeping an eye on them to prevent them from burning.
- Pour remaining flour into a shallow bowl and season liberally with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Slightly beat the second egg in another bowl and pour toasted bread crumbs into a third shallow bowl.
- 3. Remove nuggets from the fridge and coat first in the flour, then dip them in the egg, and finally coat in the bread crumb mixture. Return nuggets to the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 16-20 minutes, turning the nuggets halfway through. Enjoy!
- Nuggets can be stored in the freezer in a ziptop bag for up to 3 weeks and easily reheated in the microwave or oven.
Chicken nuggets are my favorite! I still order them whenever I go to McDonalds! 🙂 This home-made version sounds delicious!
Thanks so much, Gayle! They are the best!
Ummm, this is genius! What a great way to sneak extra veggies into kids favorite foods. They’ll think they’re eating nuggets, while they’re really eating chickpeas. So smart Kathi!
Thanks, Nat. I am trying to trick myself as well ;).
I used to eat the Morningstar chick’n nuggets in college all the time, they were so good! But, I think I’d like your homemade version even better. And I’m so much more likely to have chickpeas on hand than, say, tofu. I can’t wait to try these!!!
They are seriously my favorite, but I’m so glad I figured out how to make my own :). I am so with you – I don’t really like tofu, but chickpeas I adore. Thanks, friend!
Mind blown. Wow, these look amazing, and I can’t even believe these are chickpea-nuggets! I love chickpeas, and these look so unbelievably delicious 🙂
Thank you so much, Denise. Hope you try them sometime – they’re so good!
Wow, these look amazing Kathi! I love idea of healthier chicken nuggets – the chicpeas are such a unique and tasty idea!
Thank you so much, Kelly!
WOW! Really, amazing idea. I too have a love for chicken nuggets, but I do often make them at home…but these…now these are a must try!
Thank you, Karen. These are definitely a fun change. Hope you enjoy!
I am LOVING this, Kathi! Gahh so smart, and they look picture perfect too. Definitely adding these to our menu!
Thank you so much, Alyssa. Hope you love them as much as we did 😉
These sound great. How would you make them vegan?
You can replace eggs with oils. There are other egg replacements as well, look them up and see which one might work, if you don’t want to use oil. I’d think the oil would work best because it would wet the nuggets to hold onto the panko crumbs, just as well as an egg
I am seeing lots of buzz about the aquafaba being substituted for egg whites…..I am wondering if the chickpea juice could just be used?
I’d definitely try the aquafaba (chickpea juice). 3 Tbsp = 1 egg
These sound great. Do you have a vegan version? Thanks
These look great! What’s the texture like?? I mean when you bite into them does it “feel” the same as a chicken nugget? X) lol
I would have to say the texture is pretty spot on.
So excited to make these- thanks for sharing! Do you think they’d hold together as well if I added in some veggies?
These nuggets are so great! My kids absolutely loved them!
I found the dough to be a little hard to work with, so I sprayed my hands with cooking spray and it worked like a charm.
Definitely making these again!
My son hates chickpeas but absolutely loved these. They were wonderfully crunchy. I only changed one thing. Since we don’t eat eggs I substituted a watery flax egg. Will definitely make these again. Thanks for sharing.
Marie,
Did you sub the flax egg for making the breading stick? Or just in the actual mixture? I want to make these, but am trying to figure out how the flax egg would work to dip the nuggets in and coat in flour?
TIA!
the second time i try to make these and still I don’t get a good flavour at all, just taste bland and I am following the recipe as shown, except that used flax egg instead. I don’t know what i’m doing wrong. :p
Sorry, I didn’t see this until now. I’m sure you’ve made them since, but yes I did use the flax egg in the mix as well.
These were awesome! I have an extremely picky three year old and he ate five of these tonight! Thank you!
Why not make them vegan by eliminating the eggs and replacing them with egg substitute? So easy to use flax seed and water or any of the other egg substitute. Egg doesn’t add anything to the flavor and are not nutritious for humans.
These are THE BEST!! I made them yesterday and I will make these for the rest of my life!!! I made mine into patties for sandwiches. Once frozen and reheated in the microwave they are IDENTICAL to the expensive faux chicken patties at the store. Thank you soo much for this recipe!!!
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I will do this thank you! By chance do you know what I would do to make them taste like the buffalo chicken wings?
Thank you!!
Hello! I was wondering if you figured out how add the buffalo flavor to these?