This Whole30 chicken nuggets recipe is inspired by the method used at Chick-Fil-A for super tender and flavorful nuggets with a creamy, smoky, lightly sweet dipping sauce that takes this all over the edge. These paleo chicken nuggets are crispy and tender and just perfect. A favorite Whole30 chicken recipe!
We’re chicken nugget lovers. Except not the little pressed and breaded pellets from fast food places: real chicken cut into little pieces, tossed in some sort of coating, fried up quickly in the cast-iron skillet, and dipped in my favorite Whole30 dump ranch dressing.
Naw, girl. For a truly awesome Whole30 chicken recipe, I had to upgrade.
I was inspired by the bizarre but super effective process Chick-Fil-A follows to produce super tender and flavorful chicken nuggets. Pickle juice, toss in sugar (Pass), and then fry in a pressure cooker (Also pass). So, OK, really, I just marinated the chicken in pickle juice and tossed it all in a coconut flour-spiked mixture, then pan-fried the nuggets really quickly so keep things tender and delish. The result?
Hea-ven.
They were just what I wanted: tender and flavorful and just the teeny tiniest bit sweet from the coconut flour. I whipped up a Chick-Fil-A sauce inspired dip from my Whole30 ketchup recipe, my Whole30 immersion blender mayo, and a touch of liquid smoke for some smoky BBQ sauce depth, and dipped to my little heart’s content.
Why this Whole30 chicken recipe is so good:
- They’re super easy to make, just make sure you give them plenty of time to marinate in that pickle juice.Â
- This Whole30 chicken recipe produces the most tender and flavorful chicken with just the slightest sweetness from the coconut flour.
- The dipping sauce is so epic: slightly sweet, creamy, and smoky, hitting all the flavor home runs!
Tips
- To make the dipping sauce, make sure you have Whole30 ketchup and Whole30 mayonnaise on hand, but I have recipes on my site that make those super easy to keep around.Â
- Don’t skip marinating the chicken in pickle juice! This process is what tenderizes and flavors the chicken so beautifully.
- Clean out the skillet in between batches so that the flours don’t burn.
How to make this Whole30 chicken nuggets recipe:
The most important part: marinate your chunks of chicken in pickle juice! This is what produces such tender and flavorful little nuggets. Don’t skip it when you’re making this Whole30 chicken recipe, sister!
Put your beaten egg in a wide, shallow bowl. In another wide, shallow bowl, whisk together your flours and spices.
Remove your chicken from the pickle juice and discard juice. Dip your chicken pieces in the beaten egg, shaking off excess, then toss in the flour mixture. Repeat the process until all nuggets are coated.
Fry those little nugs up! Heat a layer of oil – refined coconut oil and avocado oil work great – in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium to medium-high heat. Fry your chicken in batches, making sure to not crowd, until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes total. Don’t overcook! Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel- or brown-paper-bag-lined plate.
To make your sauce, simply whisk all ingredients together!
Where do I get pickle juice?
From a bottle of pickles, you crazy. Seriously, though, buy a compliant jar of pickles (the shelf-stable kind are best for this recipe) and use the juice you need. The pickles will be fine after! Or simply save jars of juice once you’ve eaten through a container of spears.
Alternately, you can do what my pregnant ass did and buy this one-gallon behemoth of pure pickle juice. The crazy thing is I think this stuff is actually Whole30 compliant… I’m just saying.
Do I have to marinate this Whole30 chicken recipe in pickle juice?
Nah, you don’t have to. But if you don’t, the nuggets won’t be as tender or flavorful. I’m bad about planning ahead, too, but even one hour in the marinade will make a big difference!
Can I use _________ flour?
You can substitute arrowroot for the tapioca starch, but I urge you to use the almond flour + coconut flour combination to give these nuggets the right flavor and consistency. They’ll still be good if you use all almond flour, just not as Chick-Fil-A inspired. And if you use all coconut flour, the coating will be quite dry. Flour combo for the win!
What’s the deal with the Whole30 vs. paleo dipping sauce differences?
If you’re on a Whole30, you’ll combine these ingredients for your dipping sauce:
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. Whole30 mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp. coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. Whole30 ketchup
- 3/4 tsp. liquid smoke
- pinch salt
If you’re not on a Whole30, try this instead:
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. Whole30 mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. Whole30 ketchup
- 3/4 tsp. liquid smoke
- pinch salt
Other recipes you’ll love:
- One Minute Whole30 Mayo
- Whole30 Bacon Wrapped Dates
- Whole30 Dump Ranch Dressing
- Whole30 In N Out Burgers
Whole30 Chicken Nuggets Recipe (Paleo, Chick-Fil-A Method)
Ingredients
Whole30 Chicken Nuggets
- 2 large chicken breasts about about 1.5 pounds, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1/2 cup dill pickle juice
- 1 egg beaten
- 2/3 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 2 Tbsp. tapioca starch
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. dried basil
- refined coconut oil or avocado oil for frying
Chick-Fil-A-Sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. Whole30 mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp. coconut aminos if ON Whole30
- 2 tsp. maple syrup if NOT on whole30
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos if NOT on whole30
- 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. Whole30 ketchup
- 3/4 tsp. liquid smoke
- pinch salt
Instructions
Make Whole30 Chicken Nuggets
- Combine chicken breast chunks and pickle juice in an air-tight container or large plastic bag. Refrigerate at least one hour, preferably overnight, tossing every so often.
- Pour beaten egg in a shallow bowl. Whisk together flours, tapioca starch, and spices in another shallow bowl.
- Drain chicken from pickle juice. Dip chicken pieces in egg then coat in flour mixture. Repeat until all nuggets are coated.
- Heat a thin layer of refined coconut oil or avocado oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken nuggets in batches until golden brown and cooked through. This will take about 5-6 minutes total. Do not overcook! Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Make Chick-Fil-A Sauce
- If you are on a Whole30, use only 3 tablespoons coconut aminos and skip 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 tablespoon coconut aminos. If you are NOT on a Whole30, skip the 3 tablespoons coconut aminos and use 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 tablespoon coconut aminos.
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes.
Can you fry them in an air fryer?
Yes! Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 5 mins. Place an even layer of nuggets in oiled air fryer basket and fry at 400ºF for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through. Give them a shake about half way through cooking time.
I don’t typically comment on recipes but these absolutely blew our minds! I had to triple check it was a Whole30 recipe! WOW! The best part about Whole30 and recipes like this is it is a reminder that you don’t have to sacrifice taste and after a good meal like this you feel satisfied not sluggish!
1 Tbsp coconut aminos if NOT on whole30?
Isn’t coconut aminos allowed on the Whole30 program..?
Hi 🙂 You’re correct! The additional coconut aminos are just for the other variation of the recipe. 🙂
These look so good!! I was wondering if the eggs are essential to keep it together because I can’t tolerate eggs very well so I was wondering if there was a substitute for it.
The egg wash acts as a coating for the chicken so the breading can stick to the nuggets! You can try oil, although we have not tested that variation. 🙂
If I bake these in the oven, what temperature should the oven be and how much time? I can’t wait to try these!
Hi! We’d try cooking them at 400° for at least 20 minutes or until internal temp reaches 165°F.
I’m hoping to make these soon but I am wondering if you can bake them instead of frying? If so what steps should I take?
Sure! We’d start off with baking them in an oven preheated to 400° F and then baking for 20 mins or until internal temp reaches 165°F.
I never write recipe reviews but these are the BEST PALEO chicken nuggets I have ever eaten. I have tried many recipes but nothing has come close to these. Moist, flavorful and the batter didn’t fall off! I am adding these to my monthly recipe rotation. The sauce was also a nice compliment to the chicken. PS_I have never had Chick Fil A’s nuggets.
Glad they were good enough to warrant writing a positive review, Theresa!
My chicken bits are in the fridge marinating! It’s already been about 11 hours and will probably be another 16 before I get around to cooking. Is there such a thing as letting them sit in the pickle juice for too long?
Thank you for this recipe! Tomorrow’s Day 15 of Whole 30. Excited to try these.
If they sit too long in something acidic, then they may turn out a little tough/chewy. Did you try them? How’d it go?