These Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets are easy to make, super delicious, and are a veggie-loaded twist on a classic finger food! Done in under 30 minutes, they are perfect for lunch, dinner, or for stocking up your freezer!
I love a good veggie-loaded nugget. They are the perfect kid-friendly vessel for vegetables and protein. Plus, finger food is just stinking fun to eat! These particular Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets come to you thanks to the request of a reader. And they might be my new favorite nugget!
The reader was dazzled to find a company making frozen chicken nuggets with cauliflower baked right into them. Her kids loved them and she loved how they gobbled them up. Yay for veggie-loaded convenience foods (gosh, we all need them)! Yay for kids eating veggies and protein! But, maybe there was a way to make something just as enticing at home? She asked if I was up for the task of making a homemade version with less additives that would still dazzle her kids and could be used to stock up her freezer.
Challenge accepted! And accomplished!
These Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets are totally fun, delicious and come together in about 30 minutes (start to finish!). They are totally perfect to make as a fun dinner, lunch, or to stock your freezer with for the days when you just can’t think about what to cook your family or yourself. These nuggets are rocking a whole cup of veggies, so even if no other plants make it onto the dinner plate…veggies will be eaten!
Bonus: They are naturally dairy-free, but can easily be made gluten free with gluten free bread crumbs! Easy peasy.
Suggested Adaptations
- Make them gluten free by using gluten free bread crumbs.
- Give them a little extra crisp by pan frying them before baking. Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, place the nuggets in the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side and then place them on a baking sheet. Bake as instructed.
- Cook them ahead and freeze for an easy grab-and-go dinner or lunch.
- No food processor? Mix these in a bowl. I find that blending the cauliflower and chicken together helps the veggies to melt into the nuggets and give them the texture of “traditional” nuggets. But mixing this up in a bowl will totally work.
- Make them egg-free. The eggs in this cauliflower chicken nugget recipe help the breadcrumbs to stick to the outside of the nugget, so I wouldn’t skip them but would rather use an egg substitute, such as Just Egg to replace the whisked eggs.
Dip ideas
I feel like what one dips their chicken nuggets into is a very personal thing. So, you might not need any help in this department. But if you are looking for ideas for dunking, here are some sauces to dip these Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets in that will not disappoint…
- ketchup….is very popular and maybe obvious one, but I had say it, because they do go great with it!
- ranch dressing
- honey mustard
- Dijon mustard
- a drizzle of honey
- aioli
How to freeze these nuggets
You can freeze these chicken nuggets before or after baking, depending on how long you want to spend cooking them after being frozen (you’ll have to bake the uncooked chicken all the way thought from the freezer so that will take longer). Either way, it’s important to freeze the nuggets on a sheet pan until solid and then transfer them to a storage bag or container. Freezing them separately will ensure they don’t stick together in one solid mass in the freezer. To bake from frozen, add 3 to 5 more minutes of bake time.
How to reheat these Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets
If you are making these Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets ahead of time, thawed nuggets can easily be reheated by popping them in a 400℉ degree oven or toaster oven until warmed through, about 5 to 10 minutes.
You can also reheat them in your air fryer at 350℉ for 3-4 minutes or until warmed through.
Another reheating option is the microwave, but nuggets will not be as crispy.
Other veggie-loaded recipes you will love…
- Glorious Green Veggie Chicken Burgers
- Healthy & Easy Turkey Burgers
- Instant Pot Salsa & Spinach Shredded Chicken
- Chicken & Cauliflower Meatballs
- Carrot Fries (Oven or Air Fryer)
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Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 cup riced cauliflower fresh or thawed frozen
- 1 pound ground chicken (I used dark meat) or ground turkey
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs use gluten free breadcrumbs if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉ degrees and lightly grease a large baking sheet.
- Combine riced cauliflower, ground chicken/turkey, salt, and spices your food processor. Pulse until well combined.You can absolutely do this in a bowl instead of your food processor, but I find that blending the cauliflower and chicken together helps the veggies to melt into the nuggets more and have the texture of a typical chicken nugget.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, portion out the mixture and use your hands to form each portion into a nugget shape. I find that having slightly wet hands helps the mixture from sticking to me. Place the nuggets on a plate until you work through the batch.
- After washing your hands, crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them. Pour the breadcrumbs into another small bowl.
- Dip formed nuggets into the eggs first and then into the breadcrumbs to coat all over. The eggs help the breadcrumbs to stick to the nugget.
- Place the breaded nuggets on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-16 minutes or until cooked through, flipping nuggets at the 10 minute mark.
- Enjoy warm with your favorite dipping sauce or let cool completely before storing in an air tight container in your fridge for 3 days or in your freezer for up to a month.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
I. Love. This. Recipe!
I’ve made it at least 3 times already. My kid can’t get enough of them and asks for them in her lunch box. And I can’t keep my hands off of them either! It really is perfect for kids who feel nervous or put off my veggies because the cauliflower kinda disappears into the nuggets. I tell my daughter it’s there but she doesn’t care. She just loves how they taste.
So easy!! And so good!! Who knew chicken nuggets were so easy to make?! The tip about having wet hands was perfect too.
Right? So simple. Glad you enjoyed them, Jessie!
I loved this recipe! It’s so simple and quick to make.
I made mine with a frozen store bought mix of riced cauliflower and sweet potato, and my son didn’t mind the speckled orange in the middle.
I’ll definitely make them again!
I love that you added sweet potato! So glad it was a hit!