Keto Chicken Nuggets with Parmesan Almond Flour Coating and Buffalo Sauce
By Liam Carter
Prep
30 min
Cook
20 min
Total
50 min
Servings
5
Choose large chicken breasts and cut them into even, small pieces so the almond flour and Parmesan coating can cling evenly. These keto chicken nuggets are air-fried or oven-baked, with a seasoned crust and buttery buffalo sauce that thickens briefly on the stove.
The dry coating combines almond flour, dried Parmesan, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Egg wash gives that mixture a surface to adhere to before cooking. For the sauce, salted butter, buffalo sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and optional cayenne are whisked together, creating a warm topping with tang from the buffalo sauce and extra heat from cayenne.
After dipping each piece in egg and dry mix, set it aside before cooking so the coating stays in place. In the air fryer, cook the nuggets for about five minutes, flip, then cook for two more minutes. Avoid crowding the basket, since the recipe specifically calls for batches. The sauce is ready when it boils and begins to thicken after one to two minutes of whisking.
Serve the nuggets warm with the buffalo sauce, or use ranch or plum sauce instead. The recipe says to store them covered in the refrigerator or freeze them in ziplock bags for later reheating. The buffalo sauce is listed separately, making it easy to portion alongside the nuggets.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Large chicken breasts create substantial nugget pieces, and cutting them evenly helps the almond flour and Parmesan coating cover each portion consistently.
- Almond flour and dried Parmesan make the coating from a short ingredient list, while the recipe notes that flour absorbency can affect results.
- Garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper season the nuggets directly, so they have flavor even before sauce is added.
- Salted butter, buffalo sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and optional cayenne form a sauce with tang and adjustable heat from familiar pantry ingredients.
- Both air-fryer and oven directions are included, allowing the same chicken, coating, and sauce ingredients to work with the equipment already available.
- Ranch and plum sauce are listed serving options, so one batch of seasoned nuggets can suit different preferences without changing the coating.
Ingredients
- •3 chicken breasts (large)
- •0.5 cup almond flour (56 g)
- •0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (56 g; dried)
- •1 tsp garlic powder
- •0.5 tsp chili powder
- •0.5 tsp onion powder
- •0.5 tsp paprika
- •0.5 tsp salt
- •0.5 tsp pepper
- •1 egg
- •6 tbsp salted butter
- •0.5 cup buffalo sauce
- •1 tsp rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
- •0.13 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- •garlic powder (pinch)
- •cayenne (pinch; for spicier sauce)
Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken breasts into small nugget-size pieces.
- 2
Combine all dry coating ingredients in a large shallow bowl.
- 3
Whisk the egg in a small bowl until smooth.
- 4
Dip each chicken piece in the egg wash, then in the dry mixture, and set aside on a plate.
- 5
Repeat the coating process with all of the chicken.
- 6
Preheat the air fryer or oven to 375°F.
- 7
Air-fry some of the nuggets for about 5 minutes, flip, and cook for 2 more minutes; repeat in batches for all nuggets.
- 8
Alternatively, bake the nuggets on a greased cookie sheet for 20 to 25 minutes.
- 9
Combine all buffalo sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking well.
- 10
Boil and whisk the sauce for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until it begins to thicken, then remove from the heat.
- 11
Serve the nuggets warm with buffalo sauce, ranch, or plum sauce.
- 12
Store covered in the refrigerator or freeze in ziplock bags for later reheating.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
233
Protein
26.9g
Fat
10.4g
Carbs
0.9g
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
