Baked Mild Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets
The best Nashville hot chicken nuggets begin with a delicious blend of smoked paprika, cayenne, and garlic combined with sourdough breadcrumbs and egg wash. It’s the perfect recipe for a healthy summer weeknight meal with a mild heat level.
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The first time we visited Nashville Tennessee in 2020, we had our very first taste of Nashville hot chicken. We got Biscuit Love’s Princess: a hot chicken biscuit sandwich drizzled with honey, which I highly recommend if you ever visit! From that day on, we fell in love with the Nashville hot chicken flavor. Now that we live near music city, I wanted to make my own version but healthier!
When I developed this recipe I was really mindful of each ingredient I choose to make this nutritious, simple, and so delicious. Homemade chicken nuggets DON’T have to take 2 hours or be hard to whip up, it really can be simple. This recipe is perfect for a summer night paired with baked potatoes and a large glass of watermelon lemonade!
Tips To Help
Mindset: The biggest tip I can tell you is, don’t let the thought of homemade chicken nuggets overwhelm you! Today’s society likes to make homemade anything seem difficult. These chicken nuggets are super simple and don’t take much time to whip up.
Cutting Chicken: If you’re in a rush, use kitchen scissors to trim off fat and cut it into chunks instead of a knife.
Dredging: The most important tip when dredging is to make sure any excess egg wash or breading is off before placing it on the tray. Also, use one hand or fork for the wet and dry to keep things from getting messy.
*Always be sure to wash your hands with soap and sanitize surfaces after messing with raw chicken and eggs to keep you safe from salmonella
Best Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Breasts (Skinless and Boneless)
- 1 Egg
- 1/3 cup Milk
- 1 cup Homemade Breadcrumbs
- 3/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 3/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
Recipe FAQ
- How to make sourdough breadcrumbs? Use PBH’s simple Sourdough Breadcrumbs Recipe.
- Do I need to have sourdough breadcrumbs? Not necessarily, sourdough breadcrumbs especially whole wheat sourdough breadcrumbs have the best nutritional impact. However, you can use the sourdough breadcrumbs recipe above with any bread you have on hand. I do say homemade breadcrumbs will make this recipe so much better than store-bought.
- What is the heat level of this recipe? Unlike some Nashville hot chicken recipes, these nuggets are mild in spice. If you’d like to make it spicier (think medium heat) add an additional 1/2 tsp of cayenne and paprika.
- Do organic eggs and chicken really matter? Yes! When you choose organic eggs and chicken your body gets more nutrients and fewer chemicals and antibiotics. If you can’t afford organic no worries, look for sales, check Costco if you have one close, or save a little extra back. At the end of the day if you don’t have it available that’s okay but if you can 100% do it!
How to Make the Best Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets
The steps to make baked Nashville hot chicken nuggets are super simple: chunk, dredge, and bake. First, you’ll trim fat off the chicken breasts and cut them into chunks. Then dredge the chunks in an egg wash then the homemade breading. Finally place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 425 for 25-30 minutes.
Enjoy More PBH Homemade Recipes
- The Best Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Alfredo Recipe
- Best Baked Potato Soup Recipe (Simple + Quick)
- The Best Lunch Recipe: Arugula Chicken Bagel Sandwiches
If you love this recipe or any other PBH homemade creation, it would mean so much if you came back and gave it a 5-star review! I love hearing how much you’ve enjoyed these goodies!
Baked Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (or 2 small)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs I use homemade sourdough breadcrumbs
- 1 cup milk I use whole milk
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
For the Seasoning
- 4 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (salt-free)
- 1 tsp light brown cane sugar
Instructions
Make the Chicken
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice chicken breast into small bite sized pieces about 1-2 inches in size. You should get a good amount of them. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mix to combine and set aside.
- In a second bowl, whisk together milk, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Set aside.
- In a third bowl, add breadcrumbs, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper into another small bowl. Mix to combine. Set aside.
- Place bowls of chicken, flour, milk, breadcrumbs, and sheet pan in a line, in that order, so everything is set up.
- Dredge each piece of chicken by dipping it in the flour mixture, shaking excess off. Then dip it into the wet mixture ensuring all sides are coated. Let excess drip off. Finally, dip it in the breadcrumbs ensuring it is completely coated. Place breaded piece of chicken on the sheet pan.
- Repeat until all pieces are breaded. Make sure they aren’t touching on the pan.
- Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until fully baked and crunchy. No need to flip while baking!
Make the Seasoning
- While the chicken is baking, combine avocado oil, sea salt, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and light brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Stir to evenly combine and set aside until chicken is done baking.
- After chicken is baked, remove from the oven and place in a large mixing bowl. Pour seasoning mixture over the chicken and toss or stir until each piece is coated. Serve immediately, enjoy!