Whole30 Chicken Nuggets Recipe (Paleo, Chick-Fil-A Method)
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. This Whole30 chicken recipe produces paleo chicken nuggets that are crispy and tender and just perfect.
Yield:
Ingredients
For the Whole30 Chicken Nuggets
- 2 large chicken breasts about 1.5 pounds, cut into bite-sized chunks
- ½ cup dill pickle juice
- 1 egg beaten
- ⅔ cup almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- refined coconut oil or avocado oil for frying
For the Chick-Fil-A-Sauce
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Whole30 mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos if ON Whole30
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup if NOT on Whole30
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos if NOT on Whole30
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Whole30 ketchup
- ¾ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
For the 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.
For the Chick-Fil-A Sauce
- In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together all ingredients.If you are on a Whole30, use only 3 tablespoons coconut aminos. Skip the 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 tablespoon coconut aminos in the ingredients list.If you are NOT on a Whole30, skip the 3 tablespoons coconut aminos. Use 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 tablespoon coconut aminos.
- Chill sauce mixture until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes.
Notes
Recipe yields approximately 4 servings of nuggets and 4 servings of sauce. Actual number of nuggets yielded will vary based on the size of the chicken breasts and the size of the chunks you cut them into.
Nutritional values shown reflect information for one serving of nuggets with the Whole30 version of the Chick-Fil-A sauce. Macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands of ingredients used.
If you're tracking your macros or following a certain diet, be sure to use the information for your specific ingredients. The nutritional values shown here are simply a guideline and may not be accurate for what you actually consume.
To determine the size of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed, then weigh the entire recipe when finished. Divide the total weight (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 4. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Nutrition
Serving Size: 1serving | Calories: 510cal | Protein: 32g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 1561mg | Potassium: 485mg | Total Carbs: 23g | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Net Carbs: 15g | Vitamin A: 382IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg