These homemade veggie chicken nuggets are crispy, crunchy and completely delicious!
Featuring a juicy chicken mince and vegetable filling, and then coated in panko breadcrumbs, these nuggets are oven baked to crispy perfection and make a healthy addition to any dinner. Totally kid-friendly and adult approved!
If you are looking for a healthier alternative to takeaway chicken nuggets, or a way to smuggle some more veggies into your kids’ meals, then this vegetable chicken nuggets recipe is for you!
While my oven baked chicken nuggets have long been a reader favourite, this is my hidden-vegetable version. They make the perfect finger food for the littlest members of your family and any leftovers can be used the next day for school lunchboxes or a healthy snack.
Making your own nuggets at home is a much healthier alternative to buying the deep-fried takeaway version. They take less than 30 minutes from start to finish and can even be frozen, ready to reheat on busy weeknights or for a cheeky snack. Not to mention, you know exactly what goes into them!
Crispy and packed with protein and vegetables, these veggie chicken nuggets are sure to be a hit in your house.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Crispy and flavourful – crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and packed full of deliciousness!
- Freezer friendly – keep a batch in the freezer, ready to add to lunchboxes or reheat for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Healthy – full of good-for-you ingredients and oven-baked instead of fried. They are both healthy and they taste amazing!
- Quick and easy – they take less than 30 minutes to make and you can prep ahead to save even more time.
- Conventional and Thermomix - these veggie chicken nuggets can be made conventionally or in a Thermomix. You will find both the conventional and Thermomix methods in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What You Need
What are chicken nuggets made of? Sometimes, it's impossible to tell (or you don't want to know!) But when you make your own at home, you can use simple, healthy ingredients that are full of flavour and skip all of the nasties.
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
- Vegetables – a mixture of corn kernels, grated zucchini and carrot are used to make up the veggie component of the nuggets. Make sure they are finely grated, to cook faster and also to help hold the mixture together.
- Chicken mince – is a ground mixture of white and dark chicken that is used for the nugget filling. You can purchase it from supermarkets or butchers, or make your own. Ground chicken can be swapped for turkey mince, if preferred.
- Dried breadcrumbs – provide texture and also help to hold the chicken and vegetable filling together. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs too, if needed.
- Chicken stock powder – is used for seasoning and flavour. Alternatively, you can swap for a pinch of salt and your favourite spices.
- Egg - one large egg, lightly whisked.
- Panko crumbs – form the coating of the nuggets, which makes them crispy, crunchy and totally irresistible! Swap for gluten-free, if needed.
- Cooking oil - to spray.
Equipment Needed
No fancy equipment required here, as these nuggets can be mixed by hand and then popped in the oven to bake.
- Grater and sieve - for the zucchini and carrot.
- Food processor or Thermomix - both optional, as you can easily mix by hand.
- Oven & baking trays.
Step By Step Instructions
30 minutes and a few simple steps are all you need to make these tasty little homemade nuggets.
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Step 1 - Make The Nugget Filling
First, drain any excess liquid from the grated zucchini and carrot.
Add the corn kernels, chicken mince, dried breadcrumbs, chicken stock powder and the lightly beaten egg and mix well to combine.
Step 2 - Shape The Nuggets
Take tablespoon-sized portions of the mixture and use your hands to form a nugget shape. Repeat until the mixture is all used up.
Coat the nuggets with the panko crumbs and place onto lined baking trays.
Step 3 - Bake
Spray the nuggets with oil spray and bake in the oven for around 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
When cooked through, the internal temperature of the nuggets should be 75 C at its thickest point.
Expert Tips & FAQs
Finely grated veggies will cook faster. Grating them will also help them hold together better and blend into the mixture so that they are not so obvious to fussy eaters!
You can swap corn for peas or even add some chopped spinach. Just be sure to swap the vegetables in equal quantities. The zucchini and carrot do help to hold the mixture together, so I don't recommend removing them entirely.
Make the patties larger and add an extra 5-7 minutes to the cooking time. Then, add them to bread rolls with your favourite salads and sauces for an awesome chicken burger!
Regular breadcrumbs and panko crumbs can be swapped for a gluten-free version, if needed. Also, check that the stock powder you use is gluten free.
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Any leftovers can be reheated in an oven at 180 C/356 F for around 5 minutes, or until heated through. They can also be heated in an air fryer at 160 C/320 F for around 5 minutes. If re-heating from frozen, add another 5 minutes to the cooking time.
Yes! Arrange the nuggets in a single layer in your air fryer basket (you may need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer). Cook at 180 C/356 F for around 15-20 minutes, or until crispy and cooked through (internal temperature at thickest point 75 C). Cooking times will vary slightly depending on the size and model of your air fryer.
These nuggets can be frozen either cooked, or un-cooked. To freeze uncooked nuggets, arrange them in a single layer on an oven tray and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to a container or plastic bag. Store in the freezer for around 2 months. When you are ready to eat them, cook as normal, adding 5 minutes to the cooking time for frozen nuggets. For leftover cooked nuggets, allow them to cool completely and then freeze in an airtight container, separating any layers with baking paper. Reheat in an oven or air fryer until crisp and heated through.
Related Recipes
Here are a few more easy dinner recipes that I know you and your family will love!
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Veggie Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 200 g zucchini finely grated (approx 1 medium)
- 120 g carrot peeled, finely grated (approx 1 medium)
- 420 g corn kernels drained, rinsed
- 500 g chicken mince
- 45 g (½ cup) dried breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 125 g (1 cup) panko crumbs or dried breadcrumbs, for coating
- olive oil cooking spray
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
- Place the grated zucchini and carrot into a sieve and strain out any excess liquid. Place the strained vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the strained corn kernels, chicken breast mince, dried breadcrumbs, chicken stock powder and the egg, and mix well to combine.
- Take tablespoon-sized portions of the mixture and form into a nugget shape.
- Coat with the panko crumbs and place onto the baking trays.
- Spray the chicken and vegetable nuggets with cooking oil spray.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
- Place the zucchini and carrot into the Thermomix bowl. Press Turbo 5-10 times, or until finely grated (you'll need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times). Place the grated zucchini and carrot into a sieve and strain out any excess liquid. Place the strained vegetables back into the Thermomix bowl.
- Add the strained corn kernels, chicken breast mince, dried breadcrumbs, chicken stock powder and the egg and mix for 20 seconds, on Reverse Speed 4, or until completely combined (you'll need to use the spatula to assist with mixing).
- Take tablespoon-sized portions of the mixture and form into a nugget shape.
- Coat with the panko crumbs and place onto the baking trays.
- Spray the chicken and vegetable nuggets with cooking oil spray.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Notes
- Finely grated veggies will cook faster. Grating them will also help them hold together and blend into the mixture so that they are not so obvious to fussy eaters!
- Make them into burgers instead! - make the patties larger and add an extra 5-7 minutes to the cooking time. Then, add them to bread rolls with your favourite salads and sauces for an awesome chicken burger!
- Storing - keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Freezing - these nuggets can be frozen either cooked, or un-cooked. To freeze uncooked nuggets, arrange them in a single layer on an oven tray and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to a container or plastic bag. Store in the freezer for around 2 months. When you are ready to eat them, cook as normal, adding 5 minutes to the cooking time for frozen nuggets. For leftover cooked nuggets, allow them to cool completely and then freeze in an airtight container, separating any layers with baking paper. Reheat in an oven or air fryer until crisp and heated through.
- Reheating - any leftovers can be reheated in an oven at 180 C/356 F for around 5 minutes, or until heated through. They can also be heated in an air fryer at 160 C/320 F for around 5 minutes. If re-heating from frozen, add another 5 minutes to the cooking time.
- Air fryer - arrange the nuggets in a single layer in your air fryer basket (you may need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer). Cook at 180 C/356 F for around 15-20 minutes, or until crispy and cooked through (internal temperature at thickest point 75 C). Cooking times will vary slightly depending on the size and model of your air fryer.
Lisa says
Has anyone cooked an egg free version? What did you substitute the egg with?
Patricia says
I just love all the recipes, when you get to my age you just want quick and healthy small meals. Being able to freez them is also a plus. Thank you.
Lucy Mathieson says
These are perfect then!! I freeze them in a container and then just take 1 or 2 out for my little boy. So simple!
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
I love that these have value added veggies, are oven baked and best of all, come WA (Will Approved!)
Lucy Mathieson says
Hahaha that is very true!
Lauren @ Create Bake Make says
Oh don't you love it when they want to be independent! These look really good, I'll definitely be making them for my boys too x
Lucy Mathieson says
Ooh they'll love them!