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These healthy chicken nuggets prove you don’t need a deep fryer to make something crispy, juicy, and totally delicious. Made with real ingredients and a good dose of veggies, they’re the kind of meal that makes both kids and parents happy.
As a pediatric dietitian and mom, I’ve seen firsthand that kids eat best when food feels fun, familiar, and flavorful. That’s exactly what these baked chicken nuggets deliver. They’re baked, not fried, so you still get that crispy texture.
The blended vegetables keep the nuggets tender and juicy, while adding a little extra fiber, color, and nutrition to every bite. And because they reheat beautifully, you can make a big batch and have quick, healthy protein ready for school lunches or busy weeknights.
You’ll also love these baked veggie nuggets too!
What others are saying:
“I can’t believe it’s so easy to make delicious and healthy chicken nuggets at home without the all preservatives/processed meats! I made these for baby but ended up eating a lot of them myself because they are that good. 🙂 Easy to freeze and reheat for meal prep too. Highly recommend!” – Amy
“Huge hit with my 6 and 3 year olds! Finished in 2 days! Next time have to double the recipe! Thank you!” – Samantha
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Ground chicken – much easier to work with than chicken breast or thigh. It also makes the nuggets easier for babies and toddlers to chew. You can also use ground turkey, if preferred.
- Carrots – adds a touch of natural sweetness.
- Cauliflower – adds great texture and helps stretch a pound of chicken. You will be able to get at least 30 nuggets out of the mixture! It also blends in really well with chicken.
- Bread crumbs – you can use regular or panko bread crumbs depending on how crispy you want the nuggets to be. I like to use whole wheat regular breadcrumbs for babies.
- Seasonings – I like to use Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Feel free to experiment with your favorites. Here are some great herbs and spices for babies and toddlers.
- Parmesan cheese (optional) – use grated parmesan rather than shredded. It blends better into the mixture.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add cauliflower and carrots to a food processor and process until finely chopped.
Step 2: In a large bowl, add all the ingredients. Mix until combined. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and using your hands, form into balls.
Step 3: Add breadcrumbs to a large raised plate or bowl. Roll in breadcrumbs. Flatten slightly into a nugget shape. Dino nuggets are super fun for the kids too.
Step 4: Place on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Spray the top with oil spray to make the nuggets crispier (optional). Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Expert Tips
- Feel free to swap with whatever vegetables you’d like. Broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach, zucchini, all will work!
- You can add some grated cheese for extra flavor, like parmesan or cheddar cheese.
- If you desire crunchier nuggets, then use panko breadcrumbs. Note that pre-baking panko before coating will help achieve a nice golden color for your nuggets. Personally, I can do without the extra step and my kids never seem to mind.
- Flip halfway to ensure both sides are cooked evenly.
Serving Suggestions
These healthy chicken nuggets are delicious on their own. But since most kids love to dip, you can serve with their favorite condiment, like ketchup, ranch dressing, healthy BBQ sauce, etc.
If you want to boost nutrition, try some of these veggie-loaded dips!
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Chicken Nuggets for babies and toddlers
To achieve a soft, moist texture, skip the breadcrumbs or use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko for a less crispy exterior.
For 6-8 month olds, you can offer the whole nugget to gnaw on and suck the juices. Once they are able to break off a large chunk, cut in half width-wise so it’s thin, or into bite-sized pieces.
Related: Healthy finger foods for babies
As for toddlers, this stage is all about independence and wanting to make choices so let’s give it to them. Serve the chicken nuggets along with fruits, veggies, or any of these finger foods.
And don’t forget to continue offering foods your toddler doesn’t like (yet!). Currently, my toddler has been refusing carrots (which she loved just a week ago), so I included a small piece for exposure.
This may seem silly, BUT it’s presence is powerful! Even though your child may not eat it today, the more they see the food in question, the more they will fell safe around it. And one day, they will surprise you!
Is your toddler becoming picky?
Arm yourself with these strategies that will transform your mealtimes!
Storage
Transfer homemade nuggets to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To freeze, I recommend flash freezing. This is how I like to freeze muffins too. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fast food or store-bought nuggets are not recommended until after one year of age because they are highly processed and contains a lot of sodium and other additives.
They are also a choking hazard as they tend to be rubbery in texture.
Instead, here are some easy and safe ways to serve chicken to your baby along with recipes.
These homemade chicken nuggets are suitable for babies because they’re made with simple, nutritious ingredients. They are also juicy and tender. Refer to the serving suggestions above.
To maintain their crispy texture, reheat chicken nuggets in the oven or air fryer at 350-375°F for 5-10 minutes, until heated through and crispy.
You can also microwave at 30-second intervals until heated through. Note that the nuggets will be soft, which is a good thing if serving to babies.
More Chicken Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Healthy chicken nuggets with veggies
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot (80g, weighed after peeled)
- 2 cups cauliflower (200g)
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2/3 cup breadcrumbs (80g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Add cauliflower and carrots to a food processor and process until finely chopped.
- In a large bowl, add all the ingredients, minus the breadcrumbs. Mix until combined. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and using your hands, form into balls.
- Add breadcrumbs to a large raised plate or bowl. Roll in breadcrumbs. Flatten slightly into a nugget shape.
- Place on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Spray the top with oil spray to make the nuggets crispier (optional).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Huge hit with my 6 and 3 year olds! Finished in 2 days! Next time have to double the recipe! Thank you!
Excellent recipe, per usual. I added the veggies I had on hand (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and mushrooms for anyone curious) and they turned out great. My kids usually eat one or two nuggets, but all three kids ate 5 or more! My eldest even asked for them for his snack this afternoon. Glad I made a double batch! I froze the leftovers for easy meals. Absolutely perfect, flexible recipe. Thank you, Min!!
Eliminating processed foods has been kicked up into high gear ever since I became a mom. I have scoured the internet for recipes just like this: home cooked alternatives to old foods that I had growing up in the 90s that are healthier. And this is it. I love that this recipe has flexibility too—for example, it calls for breadcrumbs, which means you can use your own homemade breadcrumbs or buy some from the store. A lot of these recipes you find online leave zero room for flexibility, but this one is great.
I do use my own breadcrumbs from sourdough bread, which adds to the amount of time it takes to make. Aside from that, it’s absolutely easy to follow this recipe and come out with fantastic results consistently. Once my daughter got a little older I added salt to mine, but in the beginning I didn’t.
The only slight drawback to these has been the crispiness. My chicken nuggets have never been what I’d describe as crispy, which can make them slightly harder to enjoy if you’re the type who requires crunchy nuggets. Flavor wise they are great. I make these from time to time, and they’re always delicious.
This was my first recipe by Min, and it convinced me to give her a shot. There are so many annoying food bloggers; most of them are talentless, but Min is unique in this regard. I am so glad I found this recipe.
Hi Joey! This truly means so much to me—thank you! I know there are so many recipes out there, and it’s an honor that you took a chance on mine. I’m so grateful you’re here, and I hope my recipes continue to bring joy to your kitchen! 💛
Silly question, should the carrots and cauliflower be steamed before processing or are they processed raw?
Not silly at all! You can just finely chop and add to the mxiture!
Kiddo loves it! i tasted it and it is very tasty! a recipe to keep. Thanks!
Adults love it, and our baby has an easy time to hold it… as for the toddler well have to try more again.
I have a question on how to make it more moist! Add cheese inside maybe? any thoughts anyone?
Made these today with broccoli, mashed roasted sweet potato, amchicken breasts (cube and blend in food processor until grounded, super easy and quick too), and lightly-crushed panko. For seasoning, I put 1tsp Italian herbs, 1tsp garlic powder, 1tsp onion powder, 1/2tsp oregano, 1/2tsp paprika, 1/4tsp ground cumin, 1/2tsp salt, 1/2tsp black pepper, and about 1.5tbsp parmesan flakes. It was a hit with my 2 year old who wouldn’t eat broccoli or sweet potato – he finished 5 nuggets! Although it was light on the salt, even my husband said they tasted good. Thank you for the recipe!
So happy to hear!!
These look so good, I can’t wait ti make them. Can these also be air fried, or just reheated in the air fryer?
Yes you can make these in the air fryer!
I saw this recipe today after doing a search, ran out to Whole Foods and bought all the ingredients and made them tonight! I can’t wait to serve this to my 10 Month old. How do you suggest we warm them up? Stove top? Oven? I don’t typically like using microwaves.
Hi! You can reheat in the oven at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy. For a quicker option, microwave for 1-2 minutes or air fry at 375°F for 3-5 minutes for extra crispiness.
My son and husband love these! Just wondering the best way to reheat them from the fridge and from frozen
I’m so glad your son and husband love these! To reheat from the fridge, you can bake them in the oven at 375°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or reheat them in the air fryer at 375°F for 5-7 minutes for extra crispiness. If you’re in a rush, you can also microwave them for 1-2 minutes, though they won’t be as crispy.
For reheating from frozen, bake at 375°F for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through, or air fry at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. You can also microwave them for about 3-4 minutes