Baked Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets
Servings: nuggets
These crispy cauliflower chicken nuggets are perfect for the whole family, but especially great for babies and toddlers! The little patties are seasoned with a mixture of spices and Parmesan cheese to make sure they're filled with flavor. Serve them with your child's favorite sauce and some additional veggies for a simple, satisfying meal any time!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (whole wheat or regular)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in chunks
- 1 cup riced cauliflower
- 1/2 cup cooked mashed potato
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, reserving 1 tablespoon for breading
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Place wire cooling rack over a parchment-paper or foil-lined baking sheet. Spray wire wrack with olive oil spray.
- Place the breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl or plate and stir to combine.
- Next, add the chicken, cauliflower, mashed potato, remaining parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt (if using), and pepper in a food processor and blend until chicken is finely chopped and ingredients are combined.
- With moistened hands, roll 1 tablespoon of chicken mixture between your palms and flatten it into a “nugget” shape.
- Gently press nuggets into bread crumbs to evenly coat them.
- Place nuggets on the greased cooling rack.
- Lightly spray nuggets with olive oil spray.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden, flipping after 10 minutes. If you prefer more golden brown nuggets, place them under the broiler for 2 minutes after cooking. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- I typically buy riced cauliflower in the frozen section of the grocery store. Allow it to thaw before adding it to the chicken nugget mixture. You can also sometimes find it in the produce section as well.
- I diced and boiled two small potatoes for about 10-15 minutes and then mashed them before adding them to the nugget mixture.
- I used whole wheat panko breadcrumbs, which tend to have a more golden color. If you use regular panko, the nuggets will not look as brown and crispy. You can always brown the panko crumbs on a baking sheet before dipping the nuggets in for more brown and crispy nuggets.
- If serving these nuggets to babies, skip the salt to limit sodium.
Nutrition
Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.3mg
