Veggie Chicken Nuggets

A bowl of healthy vegetable chicken nuggets.

These homemade veggie chicken nuggets are crispy, crunchy and completely delicious! Featuring a juicy chicken mince and vegetable filling and coated in panko breadcrumbs, they are oven baked to crispy perfection and make a healthy addition to any dinner.

5 from 3 votes

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Course: healthy snacks

Cuisine: kids recipes

Diet: Low Fat

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: serves

Calories: 55kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Cost: $10

Equipment

Thermomix (optional)
Oven

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 tsp 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

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

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.

Nutrition