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If you are a parent in this day and age, then you know how ubiquitous chicken nuggets and tenders can be. They’re on most every kid’s restaurant menu and at every fast food place, school lunches, birthday parties, and lots of moms (myself included) keep a stock of them in the freezer for those times you need a quick dinner. You can find chicken nuggets, veggie nuggets, and fish nuggets at every grocery store.
In the “olden days,” there was no such thing as chicken nuggets! They did not become common until the early 1980s with their popularization at America’s largest fast food chains, so many of us grew up without them. What ever did kids in the days before nuggets eat?
A heck of a lot more beef for one thing. Hamburgers, meatloaf, Salisbury steak, and ground beef dinners like Hamburger Helper were a staple on family menus. Of course, I remember my mom’s pre-nuggets version of chicken – pan-fried, egg battered, and breaded chicken as being one of our yummy menu staples. The secret to her chicken was using cornflake crumbs.
We would gather around as mom cooked dinner, waiting for the “crunchies” from the bottom of the pan. Back then, there was little concern about the added fat and calories we would consume from frying in butter and oil. My husband has a similar memory of his favorite dinner of “chicken cutlet,” essentially the same thing as my mom’s chicken, but with Italian breadcrumbs. He learned to make a mean version of it from his mom, embellishing the chicken with fresh mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. So I know he has at least one great family dinner up his sleeve.
As a health-concerned parent, I try to avoid fried foods. Knowing that nuggets are almost unavoidable though when it comes to kid cuisine, I wanted to give you some new ideas for the good “old” chicken nugget. Cooking them at home gives you a lot more control over the ingredients and cooking methods too. Plus less sodium and no yucky fillers like chicken skin and who knows what else!
Using Japanese style Panko bread crumbs is a new and different way to make good old chicken fingers. Panko might sound exotic, but they are simply breadcrumbs processed in a way that makes them larger and flakier. You can find them in the Asian market or in the international section of many grocery stores.
Coating with Panko breadcrumbs yields an extra crispy chicken tender with a light, crunchy crust. Your resulting tenders or nuggets will absorb less oil, making them a healthier choice too. I alternate between baking and pan-frying depending on my mood and what else we have eaten that week. While baking is a healthier choice, if you deep fry at the perfect temperature, (350-375 degrees F) your product will absorb much less fat as well.
For variety, sometimes I buy turkey tenders instead of chicken. They are just as delicious and white meat turkey is a lean and nutritious choice that can sometimes be more economical than chicken.
Another way to jazz up the old standby nuggets is to add different seasonings, such as Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, or chopped herb and spice mixes. Or try different types of dipping sauces – the usual honey mustard (try it homemade), cranberry sauce, or your favorite bottled salad dressing. Our latest favorite is Ginger Sesame, which is delicious paired with the Panko crusted chicken tenders.
Finally you can skip the breading altogether and make grilled chicken nuggets, an even healthier alternative. I hope someday we can find this as a choice on kids' menus as often as the fried variety.
So if you find your kids are stuck in a nugget rut, try some of these new ideas to freshen up a quick dinner!
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
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A New Kind of Nugget
If you are a parent in this day and age, then you know how ubiquitous chicken nuggets and tenders can be. They’re on most every kid’s restaurant menu and at every fast food place, school lunches, birthday parties, and lots of moms (myself included) keep a stock of them in the freezer for those times you need a quick dinner. You can find chicken nuggets, veggie nuggets, and fish nuggets at every grocery store.
In the “olden days,” there was no such thing as chicken nuggets! They did not become common until the early 1980s with their popularization at America’s largest fast food chains, so many of us grew up without them. What ever did kids in the days before nuggets eat?
A heck of a lot more beef for one thing. Hamburgers, meatloaf, Salisbury steak, and ground beef dinners like Hamburger Helper were a staple on family menus. Of course, I remember my mom’s pre-nuggets version of chicken – pan-fried, egg battered, and breaded chicken as being one of our yummy menu staples. The secret to her chicken was using cornflake crumbs.
We would gather around as mom cooked dinner, waiting for the “crunchies” from the bottom of the pan. Back then, there was little concern about the added fat and calories we would consume from frying in butter and oil. My husband has a similar memory of his favorite dinner of “chicken cutlet,” essentially the same thing as my mom’s chicken, but with Italian breadcrumbs. He learned to make a mean version of it from his mom, embellishing the chicken with fresh mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. So I know he has at least one great family dinner up his sleeve.
As a health-concerned parent, I try to avoid fried foods. Knowing that nuggets are almost unavoidable though when it comes to kid cuisine, I wanted to give you some new ideas for the good “old” chicken nugget. Cooking them at home gives you a lot more control over the ingredients and cooking methods too. Plus less sodium and no yucky fillers like chicken skin and who knows what else!
Using Japanese style Panko bread crumbs is a new and different way to make good old chicken fingers. Panko might sound exotic, but they are simply breadcrumbs processed in a way that makes them larger and flakier. You can find them in the Asian market or in the international section of many grocery stores.
Coating with Panko breadcrumbs yields an extra crispy chicken tender with a light, crunchy crust. Your resulting tenders or nuggets will absorb less oil, making them a healthier choice too. I alternate between baking and pan-frying depending on my mood and what else we have eaten that week. While baking is a healthier choice, if you deep fry at the perfect temperature, (350-375 degrees F) your product will absorb much less fat as well.
For variety, sometimes I buy turkey tenders instead of chicken. They are just as delicious and white meat turkey is a lean and nutritious choice that can sometimes be more economical than chicken.
Another way to jazz up the old standby nuggets is to add different seasonings, such as Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, or chopped herb and spice mixes. Or try different types of dipping sauces – the usual honey mustard (try it homemade), cranberry sauce, or your favorite bottled salad dressing. Our latest favorite is Ginger Sesame, which is delicious paired with the Panko crusted chicken tenders.
Finally you can skip the breading altogether and make grilled chicken nuggets, an even healthier alternative. I hope someday we can find this as a choice on kids' menus as often as the fried variety.
So if you find your kids are stuck in a nugget rut, try some of these new ideas to freshen up a quick dinner!
Panko Crusted Chicken Nuggets
Made with butter, Parmesan cheese, chicken breast tenders, salt and freshly ground black pepper, all-purpose flour, eggs, panko crumbs or unseasoned dry bread crumbs
Made with butter, Parmesan cheese, chicken breast tenders, salt and freshly ground black pepper, all-purpose flour, eggs, panko crumbs or unseasoned dry bread crumbs
Serves/Makes: 4
- 8 boneless skinless chicken breast tenders
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup panko crumbs or unseasoned dry bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Slice chicken into bite sized pieces. Season both sides of chicken with salt and black pepper.
Place flour in a shallow dish. Place eggs in a separate shallow dish.
Combine panko crumbs and Parmesan in a third shallow dish.
Dip chicken first in flour, then in the egg and then panko crumb mixture. Transfer chicken to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle lightly with melted butter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
Remove the panko chicken nuggets from the oven and serve with marinara sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/pamela-chester/1126-healthier-chicken-nuggets/