Chicken nuggets are one of the classic favorites that people of all ages love, beginning in their childhood. The reason is simple—nuggets are easy to eat, fun to dip, and taste great!

As a mom, however, I want to make sure my family eats balanced meals. It can be difficult to choose peas and carrots when there are crunchy, juicy chicken nuggets in front of you (with barbecue sauce, ranch, or honey mustard—take your pick—all within arm’s-length). But perhaps the choice of nuggets vs vegetables is a false dichotomy. The delicious chicken nuggets in this recipe start with chicken, like any other nugget. But then they are nutritionally upgraded with hidden vegetables! By blending cauliflower and chickpeas with the chicken, the color and texture is maintained; meanwhile, the nuggets continue to taste fantastic.

If you have any picky eaters (I have one in my family), this recipe can really help ensure that they eat their vegetables. When your kids are eating these nuggets, they’ll be getting their veggies with every bite. Especially if you find yourself worrying about your family’s vegetable intake, I suggest you give this recipe a try. My vegetable-averse son and my husband—who doesn’t particularly care for cauliflower—both love these nuggets. Everybody will love these nutritious chicken nuggets, simply because they really do taste good!

Ingredients

2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (15.5oz) can Chick peas
1 (16oz) bag Frozen cauliflower
3 Garlic cloves
1 tsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
4 eggs
1 cup Flour
3 cups Breadcrumbs
3 cups Vegetable or canola oil for frying

Instructions

The first step is preparing the ingredients that go in the blender or food processor for the nuggets.

Chicken: Cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
Cauliflower: Thaw by microwaving for 5 minutes.
Chick peas: Open the can of chick peas and drain.
Garlic: Peel the garlic cloves.

Once the ingredients are prepared, add the cumin, salt, and pepper. Blend in a blender or food processor. Pour the chicken mixture into a medium-sized bowl and form 1-1/2 x 2 x 1/2 inch nuggets. If the pureed chicken mixture sticks to your hand too much, I find it helpful to dip my hand in a bowl of water or wet them under running water.

Prepare the dredging station by putting the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in three separate plates or bowls. To make the egg mixture, add a quarter cup of water to the bowl with eggs and mix with a fork. Dip the formed chicken veggie nuggets in the flour first, then the egg mixture, and finally the breadcrumbs, making sure to coat all sides with the breadcrumbs.

Preheat the oil in a skillet to 340º F. Fry the nuggets for 4 minutes on one side, flip, and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Cook them in batches until all the nuggets are fried. Place the fried chicken nuggets on a wire rack to let excess oil drip off. You may also keep the nuggets warm in a 200º F oven while cooking the remaining nuggets.

This recipe yields about 45 chicken nuggets, but if that is more than you would want for one meal, you can freeze the cooled nuggets in a Ziploc bag. Whenever you want to have these chicken nuggets, simply place the frozen nuggets in a 400º oven and heat them for 13 minutes. They will be just as crispy as when they were freshly made!

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Everyone will love these chicken nuggets with hidden vegetables, kids and adults alike!

If you like this recipe, you might also be interested in this Pan-Fried Pork Chop recipe. Also, subscribe via email or follow on Instagram to receive the newest recipes!

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5 from 1 vote