The Today Show's Favorite: Keto Chicken Nuggets With Pork Rinds

UPDATE: The Today Show has ranked pork rinds as their favorite chicken finger coating and we're here to celebrate with a new, delicious recipe!!

"Best coating overall. 19/20. It’s no surprise that the oily pork rind imparted its rich flavor into the meat, making it one of the juiciest on this list." - The Today Show

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I remember the first time I tried a ketogenic diet plan.

It was a dark, rainy Saturday night and I was craving fast food chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A. As we all know, those delicious golden chicken nuggets are not keto-compliant, but I was bound and determined.

That evening, I spent a couple of hours thinking how to make chicken nuggets keto and concocting the perfect low carb chicken nuggets using some pork rinds that I had on hand.

The result? I think you'll like this keto chicken nuggets recipe with pork rinds. They are crunchy in all the right places. Even better, you can bake them instead of having to waste a bunch of oil. Unlike pan fried chicken tenders, these baked nuggets will have less fat and calories per serving. With some light substitutions, these keto chicken nuggets can even be strict paleo!

One last thing!

You can really create some interesting flavors with your chicken depending on the pork rinds that you choose such as traditional BBQ flavor. My suggestion starting out is to keep it simple and then venture out from there (Chili Cheese Chicken Nuggets, anyone?).

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag of your choice of pork rinds or chicharrones, crushed
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your sultry oven to 375°F/191°C
2. Aggressively throw your pork rinds into a sturdy ziplock bag and CRUSH 'EM like your haters on Twitter. You want a finely crushed, pork panko-like breadcrumb! For better texture, avoid using food processor to crush the pork rinds. Consider using a rolling pin. Place into a large or medium sized bowl.
3. Slice up your chicken breast pieces into dainty little chicken nuggets, sized the way you like them.
4. Whisk three eggs in a separate bowl, add all spices, and mix up the egg mixture like it's the last day of school.
5. Add your nugget sized pieces to the beaten eggs and seasoning mixture and stir like a fine cocktail.
6. Remove all the chicken pieces and place them in the crushed pork rinds mixture. Coat the chicken like it's a cold winter morning (double dip if needed) and then place the breaded chicken onto a baking sheet with parchment paper (parchment lined baking sheet).
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C. Remove any excess oil with paper towels before serving.
8. Once the crispy chicken has cooled, dip it into your favorite keto compliant dip. Or cheat and use some secret dipping sauce like I did!

Common Seasonings for Keto Chicken Recipes

If you want to experiment and try other flavors once you master the simple recipe, here are the most common spices and seasonings used in keto recipes:

• ground cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder

Serving Suggestions for This Keto Chicken Nuggets Recipe

Low carb honey mustard is our favorite dipping sauce: combine mayonnaise, mustard, and honey in a small bowl and dig in! Sour cream can also be an excellent choice here if you're not into sweet flavors.

Keto diet enthusiasts know the challenges of eating low carb without sacrificing the taste.

Whether you go for good old keto fried chicken recipes or choose to bake your chicken with pork rinds, finding a good flavor is the key. Add this delicious, low carb, and gluten free chicken nugget recipe to your meal prepping list and enjoy!

Note: PorkRinds.com is not affiliated with The Today Show.

Alternative Ingredients and Instructions for Low Carb Chicken Nuggets Recipe

For a tasty twist on the original keto recipe for pork rind-battered keto chicken nuggets, you can try incorporating these alternative ingredients and instructions:

• Air Fry: Oven baked keto nuggets are a great choice. But if you're into keto air fryer recipes, opt for a different cooking method by using an air fryer instead. Air fryer chicken nuggets are also a crispier option. To prevent sticking, we recommend lightly coating the air fryer basket or pan with cooking spray, avocado oil or olive oil.

• Canned Chicken: If you're short on time or prefer convenience, you can use canned chicken as a time-saving alternative to fresh chicken breast. Just make sure to drain the canned chicken before proceeding.

• Parmesan Cheese: Add a savory twist to your coating by mixing in some grated parmesan cheese with the almond flour. This will enhance the flavor and create a deliciously cheesy crust.

• Mozzarella Cheese: For a cheesy variation, sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese on top of the nuggets during the cooking process and let it melt.

• Touch of sweetness: For an alternative coating option, you can combine coconut flour with almond flour and parmesan cheese. This will add a touch of sweetness and provide a slightly different texture. But be sure to pay attention to the net carbs and the saturated fat, they can affect the overall carbohydrate content of the chicken nuggets.

• Instead of deep-frying or air-frying, you can choose to bake keto chicken nuggets with a small amount of olive oil for a crispy exterior.

• After cooking, store any leftover chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This allows you to enjoy the nuggets at a later time without losing their freshness.