Italian Chicken Nuggets Parmesan

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This homemade chicken nuggets Parmesan is made using Italian breadcrumbs mixed with garlic, basil, and Parmesan. They are deep-fried chicken nuggets, with a crispy crust full of flavor. Easy to freeze and ready to make.

Jump to:

• Why these are the best nuggets
• Ingredients
• How to make them
• How to serve them
• Using a deep fryer
• Frozen chicken nuggets
• Chicken nuggets and fries in 30 minutes
• Use the leftover breadcrumbs
• Healthier baked chicken nuggets parmesan
• More recipe you can make ahead and freeze
• 📋 Italian Chicken Nuggets Parmesan

Why these are the best nuggets

These homemade chicken nuggets are way better than any other chicken nuggets you have tried.

Coated with Italian breadcrumbs mixed with garlic, basil and Parmesan, and deep-fried, they don't need a sauce to give them flavor.

The cheesy crispy crust and the juicy chicken make these nuggets a children's favorite that even adults will rave about.

Ingredients

The ingredients I use for this recipe are:

• Chicken: this time I use the chicken breast cut in chunky slices (1/2 in - 1.3 cm thick). They come out nice and juicy. However, I found that chicken thighs have a better result as the meat is tastier and succulent. If you can find chicken thighs already deboned I would recommend using them.
• Flour: the chicken needs to be coated with flour as it makes the eggs adhere around the nuggets.
• Eggs: the eggs make a nice thick crispy coating with the breadcrumbs
• Italian Breadcrumbs: the breadcrumbs are what differentiate these nuggets from the rest. The combination of Parmesan, basil, and garlic creates a crispy crust packed with flavor.

How to make them

Prepare the breadcrumbs

1. Blend with an electric blender a cup of shredded breadcrumbs with basil or parsley leaves and a garlic clove
2. Add the grated parmesan to the breadcrumbs
3. Stir with a fork to remove all the lumps

Preparing all the ingredients

1. Cut the chicken breasts into chunky slices (1/2 in - 1.3 cm thick) and season with salt .
2. On a deep plate mix the eggs
3. On another deep plate pour the flour
4. Place the breadcrumbs in a third deep plate

Coating the chicken nuggets

1. One by one dip the chicken nuggets in the flour, making sure they are completely coated
2. Shake off any excess flour
3. Then dip them in the eggs
4. Lastly in the breadcrumbs

What to do with the leftover breadcrumbs and eggs

The remaining breadcrumbs should not be put away as they have touched raw chicken and cannot be re-stored.

1. Mix the remaining breadcrumbs with the remaining eggs
2. Shape them as nuggets and fry them with the chicken nuggets

Chicken nuggets can be freezed

Once the chicken nuggets are completely coated and ready, you can either fry them or place them into a container and freeze them for later use.

Freeze them already sorted into portions so you can defrost only what you need.

Frying them

1. Deep-fry them in oil until golden and crispy. Make sure it is enough time to cook all the way to the center
2. Place them on a kitchen towel to drain the excess oil

How to serve them

The basil, garlic, and parmesan in the breadcrumbs enrich the flavor of the nuggets perfectly.

They can be served with just a salad, and I can guarantee will satisfy everyone’s appetite.

If you want to serve it with a sauce, you can use:

• Homemade mayonnaise
• Aioli
• Ketchup ( not my favorite, but that is me)
• Simple fresh lemon juice

Personally, I like to eat them with just a drop of lemon juice, it complements them perfectly.

Using a deep fryer

I must confess, I do not have an air fryer.

We don't often eat fried food, but when we do I like to have the real thing.

I bought a deep fryer and I am very happy with it, as I can make a large quantity of fried food in no time.

Perfect when entertaining a large number of guests.

You can read more about my deep fryer here: Deep fryer

Frozen chicken nuggets

I always have a reserve of chicken nuggets in the freezer that I can quickly make if I have guests coming with their children.

I pack them into small containers wrapped them in aluminum foil so I can defrost only the amount I need.

It is best to defrost them earlier, but if your guests are unexpected you can even fry them from frozen.

Although, allow enough cooking time to make sure the center of the nuggets is thoroughly cooked.

If you want to freeze the chicken nuggets, make sure none of the ingredients have been previously frozen as refreezing food can be unhealthy.

For additional storage and freezer recommendations follow the guidelines described in the article: Once a Month Freezer Meal Prep

Chicken nuggets and fries in 30 minutes

If you are serving chicken nuggets to children they surely will ask for fries.

Making crispy french fries can take time as the potatoes need to be soaked in water to remove the starch.

I have a shortcut to make the best wedges potatoes in only 30 minutes.

I pre-cook the potatoes in the microwave, then crisp them up in the oven.

You can read the recipe here: Baked Potato Microwave And Oven

Use the leftover breadcrumbs

The remaining breadcrumbs should not be put away as they have touched raw chicken and cannot be re-stored.

I usually mix them with the remaining eggs and fry them up to limit wastage. Kids love them; in Italian they are called the “Vecchia”, meaning old lady.

Probably because they were reserved for toothless old ladies who could not bite into a chicken!

Healthier baked chicken nuggets parmesan

For a healthier option of these chicken nuggets, you can make a simple version using the same breadcrumbs, and bake them instead of frying them.

The process is much simpler and uses fewer ingredients as you don't need to coat the nuggets in flour and eggs.

The chicken is simply seasoned in olive oil and salt, then coated with the same breadcrumbs.

You can find the recipe Easy Healthy Baked Breaded Chicken Breast

More recipe you can make ahead and freeze

• Sausagemeat and Chestnut Stuffing Wrapped in Bacon
• Beef Sausage Hand Pie Recipe
• Sicilian Beef Braciole Recipe

If you are making the Italian Chicken Nuggets Parmesan, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.