You can't beat homemade chicken nuggets. Chunks of lean, protein packed chicken breast in a crunchy coating that is baked to perfection. These Parmesan Chicken Bites take chicken nuggets to the next level, with grated Parmesan mixed in to the breading for extra crunch and cheesy flavour.
Tender bites of chicken breast in the best homemade crunchy coating. Now that's what I call comfort food. Serve with homemade fries and your favourite dips and you have yourself a meal that the whole family will love. Parmesan chicken bites are ready in just 20 minutes too. Make a double batch - everyone will love them!
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Why you will love them
- Ready in 20 minutes
- Simple to make
- Kids love helping to make them and love to eat them
- Healthier than store bought chicken nuggets
Ingredients needed
- Chicken breasts - using chicken breast for these parmesan chicken bites makes them nice and lean. However, you could swap them for boneless and skinless chicken breasts.
- Egg - this helps the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.
- Parmesan - this not only adds a strong cheesy flavour, but parmesan gets nice and crispy once it is cooked. You can swap it for a mature cheddar instead.
- Panko breadcrumbs - this helps the coating get really crispy when baked. However, you could swap it for regular breadcrumbs, but they won't get as crispy.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step by step
One: In a large bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.
Two: Take a piece of chicken and dip into the egg, then coat in the in Panko mixture. Put on a baking tray. Repeat with all of the chicken pieces.
Three: Put the breaded chicken on a lightly oiled baking tray in a preheated oven at 200C. Bake for 12 -15 minutes (flipping halfway through) until the breadcrumbs are crisp and the chicken is cooked through.
What breading is best?
The secret to these super crispy homemade chicken nuggets is to use Panko breadcrumbs. These mixed with Parmesan and you get yourself and amazing crispy coating, without having to fry them. These are all cooked in the oven.
You can use regular breadcrumbs, but you won't get that same crunch. Panko is pretty easy to find in supermarkets now, and can be found with the other Japanese ingredients.
You can also swap the Parmesan for grated cheddar.
How to cook
We baked these chicken bite, because it uses less oil and keeps them lower in calories. However, if you wanted to get them super crispy, then you could fry them. Add the coated chicken to a pan of 2 inches of hot oil and cook for 5-6 minutes each side until cooked through.
Flavour options
The great thing about these parmesan chicken bites are, they are so easy to adapt with other flavour. You can make them herb packed or spicy, whatever you prefer. Here are some seasoning options that you can add to the breadcrumbs:
- Paprika - this adds a nice bit of smokiness to the breadcrumbs, without adding spice.
- Cayenne pepper - an easy way to add a kick of heat to the parmesan chicken bites.
- Dried herbs - we love a mixture of marjoram, thyme and oregano.
- Garlic granules - garlic and parmesan go so well together and using dried garlic granules is an easy way to do this.
- Fajita seasoning - add some spice, and plenty of flavour with your favourite Fajita seasoning mix, or even a Cajun seasoning.
What to serve these with
These little chicken bites go really well with some really good chips (fries), some potato wedges or some mashed potato. Of course, you will want something to dip these into, so how about our Healthy Tomato Kechup or Homemade BBQ Sauce? Oh, and why not try our Healthy Ranch Dressing with these. SO GOOD!
If you want to serve them with some veggies, then try our Italian Roasted Vegetables, Baked Carrot Fries, Roasted Garlic and Herb Mushrooms, Grilled Corn with Herb Butter or Broccoli Slaw.
FAQs
The internal temperature of cooked chicken should be at least 75°C (167°F). To get an accurate reading, we'd definitely recommend using a meat thermometer like a Thermapen.(aff)
If you don't have a meat thermometer, when cooked the chicken should have no pinkness to the meat and the juices should run clear. For more information, you can read some information from the Food Standards Agency.
Once the Parmesan chicken bites have fully cooled, portion them out and put them in freezer bags. They are best used within three months, to prevent freezer burn and to keep the best quality of the taste. Do not freeze if they are still hot! Make sure they are completely cooled before freezing.
Defrost in the fridge overnight. These are really easy to heat back up. You can reheat them in the microwave, or heat them in the oven for a few minutes when you are ready to eat them.
Yes, these can be made in the air fryer. They will take about 7-8 minutes when cooked in a single layer.
Extra tips
• Serve with a sprinkling of fresh chopped basil for extra flavour.
• These freeze well, so make a double batch and freeze them.
• Serve with our homemade ketchup or BBQ sauce.
• If you can't find Panko breadcrumbs, you can use any breadcrumbs, but you won't get that same crunch.
• You can swap Parmesan for grated cheddar.
More chicken recipes
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - we love sharing photos when people make our recipes. You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Parmesan Chicken Bites
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.5 oz) Chicken breast - cut in to bite sized pieces
- 1 Egg - whisked
- 60 g (0.66 cups) Parmesan - grated
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 100 g (1.66 cups) Panko breadcrumbs
- 0.5 teaspoon Garlic granules
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- In a large bowl, combine 100 g Panko breadcrumbs, 60 g Parmesan, 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper and 0.5 teaspoon Garlic granules. Set aside.
- Take a piece the 300 g Chicken breast and dip into 1 Egg (whisked), then coat in the in Panko mixture. Put on a baking tray. Repeat with all of the chicken pieces.
- Put the breaded chicken on a lightly oiled baking tray into the oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes (flipping halfway through) until the breadcrumbs are crisp and the chicken is cooked through.
Recipe Tips
- Serve with a sprinkling of fresh chopped basil for extra flavour.
- These freeze well, so make a double batch and freeze them.
- Serve with our homemade ketchup or BBQ sauce.
- If you can't find Panko breadcrumbs, you can use any breadcrumbs, but you won't get that same crunch.
- You can swap Parmesan for grated cheddar.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Erika says
These look delicious and I know my kids would gobble these up.
Priya Lakshminarayan says
wow they look so tempting..perfect bite-sized appetizer!!
Toni Dash says
I love how easy this is to make! Everyone loved it!
Emmeline Kemperyd says
I feel like this recipe was made for me! Parmesan and "fried" chicken - can't beat that combo!
Chris Collins says
These look so crispy and delicious! I can't wait to try the recipe :)
Beth says
Yummy! These look so delicious and tasty! I can't wait to make this! My family is going to love these!
Helen @ family-friends-food.com says
This coating looks terrific - so tasty and crunchy.
I'll be making a veggie version of these for sure!
Mirlene says
You can't beat and you shouldn't! :-) Homemade chicken nuggets are what everyone should try at least once. Once you try them, you will be wanting to make them over and over again.
Shashi says
This is such a comforting dish - Parmesan adds such a delicious twist to a classic!
Alexandra says
SO delicious, and so simple to prepare - the chicken has such great flavour from the parmesan and panko!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
This is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s such a crowd pleaser for the whole family
Alyssa says
The perfect family-friendly dinner. I love the herb-packed version, especially during the summer months.
Irina says
These cheesy chicken bites are what I was looking for. They sound amazingly delicious and seem easy to make too. I cannot wait to give it a try! :)
Ashley says
Yes!!! These were such a hit with the family -- we'll be adding these to the weekly rotation!
kerri says
I love the option to add fajita seasoning! the kids love helping make these! plus they make dinner a snap!
Lata Lala says
Aha the sight of chicken bites coated with parmesan cheese and panko bread crumbs making me drool. This is the best and easy recipe to try soon.