Description

These Baked Buffalo Chicken Nuggets are a healthier twist on a classic favorite, offering crispy, spicy chicken bites coated in a flavorful seasoned breadcrumb mix and baked to perfection. Perfect as an appetizer or a snack, they're paired with fresh celery sticks and optional blue cheese dressing for a delicious buffalo wing experience without the deep frying.

Ingredients

Seasoning and Coating

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder (use ground cayenne to make it hotter)
1/8 tsp black pepper
6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (or gluten-free crumbs)
1/4 cup panko
Olive oil spray

Buffalo Sauce Mixture

2 tbsp Frank's Hot Sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
2 tsp olive oil

Main Ingredient

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into 40 small bite-sized pieces)

Serving

4 celery stalks (trimmed to 4 inch strips)
Optional: 1/2 cup skinny blue cheese dressing

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Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Generously spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray to prevent sticking and help achieve crispiness.
Mix Seasoned Breadcrumbs: In a medium bowl, combine garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, black pepper, whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, and panko. Toss them well to create an evenly flavored coating mixture.
Prepare Buffalo Sauce Mixture: In another medium bowl, mix together the Frank's Hot Sauce and olive oil until well combined. This will be used to coat the chicken pieces before breading.
Coat Chicken Pieces: Dip each bite-sized piece of chicken breast first into the buffalo sauce mixture, ensuring it's fully coated, then immediately toss in the breadcrumb mixture to coat thoroughly. Place each coated piece on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake Chicken Nuggets: Spray the tops of the coated chicken pieces generously with olive oil spray. Bake in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes. Flip each nugget over carefully and bake for an additional 4–5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is golden and crispy.
Serve and Garnish: Remove the nuggets from the oven and serve immediately with celery sticks and optional skinny blue cheese dressing for dipping, completing the classic buffalo wing experience.

Notes

For a spicier version, substitute chili powder with ground cayenne pepper or increase the amount slightly.
Using whole wheat or gluten-free breadcrumbs makes this dish suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
Make sure chicken pieces are bite-sized and uniform for even cooking.
Olive oil spray ensures a crispy outside without deep frying, making it a healthier alternative.
Leftover nuggets can be reheated in the oven to retain crispiness.
Blue cheese dressing is optional and can be replaced with ranch or your preferred dip.