Quinoa Chicken Nuggets
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Tasty baked Quinoa Chicken Nuggets with a delicious crispy quinoa coating – so easy and healthy!
Baked Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges, Baked Guacamole Tortilla Chips, and Baked Blooming Onion, are more appetizers to enjoy next!

Quinoa is all the rage. How do you feel about it? I tend to gravitate away from “trendy” things but I’m on board with this one. I love it because it’s so versatile. I’ve used it in salads, in place of rice with Asian-style dishes, in 30-minute skillets and now as a chicken nugget coating.
So. Good.

These chicken nuggets are really good, they’re a bit unconventional so I wasn’t sure how my husband would feel but he actually loved them as much as I did. They’re baked after being coated with cooked quinoa instead of breadcrumbs which gives them a healthy protein-packed makeover. They’re so yummy I’m not sure I ever want to have the traditional breadcrumb chicken nuggets again!

What people are saying about these Quinoa Chicken Nuggets
“Love this recipe! My almost 2 year old will eat this and it’s a favorite of my husband’s as well…go figure. I am beyond excited to add this to my rotation of meals to keep my family healthy and full! Thank you!” – Athena
“These are delicious! Crunchy exterior, flaky interior – the best way to have a chicken nugget. One suggestion: cover your cookie sheet with foil and then spray it. Took me a little while to scrub off the baked-on quinoa.” – Janet

Quinoa Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
- ⅔ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a baking sheet. In a small bowl whisk flour, salt, and pepper. In a second bowl whisk eggs and water. Place quinoa in a third bowl.
- Dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture, then eggs, and lastly in the quinoa being sure to coat well. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Spray chicken nuggets generously with cooking spray (this helps the nuggets to get crispy but can be skipped if you prefer) and bake for 15-20 minutes until nuggets are cooked through and browned. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces such as bbq sauce, ketchup, sweet and sour sauce, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.













This looks amazing! I am always looking for new ways to use quinoa.
They are soooo good and EASY! Definitely a fun way to mix up your quinoa routine. 🙂
I was so excited to try these! They tasted great but unfortunately I couldn’t get the quinoa coating to stick…. i might not have used enough egg or something? Or coated them too heavily? Anyway, yours looked loads better, but the taste was still there, even if I had to eat them with a fork!
I feel like so many of your recipes make me yell “WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?!” (inside, of course. I don’t want the neighbors to think I’m nuts). These look healthy AND so deliciously crispy. I must make them ASAP.
What a creative way to make chicken nuggets! Love the addition of quinoa!
This is such a delicious idea.. never tried a quinoa coated nugget before! They are surprisingly healthy too.. definitely a recipe I need tom make!
Great way to get even more protein. I absolutely love quinoa and using it as a coating would be delicious. Esp. since it has a bit of chew to it anyways. Great recipe!
Yum. I’m going to have to try these.
I need to try this one… yesterday!
These look so good! I love that you coated them in quinoa, it’s such a delicious and healthy twist.
These are such a fantastic idea – so delicious!
in place of Quinoa please what are the other alternatives thanks
You could make a breading with panko bread crumbs.