🍗 Ultra-low Carb Turkey Nugget Recipe
This ultra low-carb take on traditional chicken nuggets is a recipe the whole family can get on board with. If you take the time to get them nice and crispy, kids and picky eaters will be begging for more.
Chicken nuggets are traditionally breaded with flour, bread crumbs and seasoning, then fried. They were invented in the united states around the 1950’s and gained popularity in the 1980’s with the introduction of the McDonalds chicken McNugget in 1983. They became a staple food item for kids and adults alike.
These nuggets are great with my cottage cheese based ranch dip but they also go great with my no sugar added ketchup.
No special equipment is needed to make this recipe, however I have included directions for making them in an air fryer or baking them in an oven for your convenience.
When portioning the meat mixture you can use a spoon or a #30 disher (Ice cream scoop) to measure the mixture. One tip for making this step easier is to wet your spoon or disher with water in-between each scoop. Doing this will keep the meat mixture from sticking to your scooper.
This recipe makes a total of 36 nuggets so you can adjust the proportions to make a smaller batch if you like but these nuggets do freeze well and make for a wonderful last minute meal. The best way to reheat them is in air fryer or broiler to get them nice and crispy again. If you plan to store them you don’t have to get them super crispy when you first make them as this will help to not over cook them when reheated.
The best part of this recipe is how crispy these nuggets get with out deep frying them, so If you’re having trouble try crisping them up in smaller batches in an air fryer or under a broiler.
If you want more flavor try adding some taco seasoning to the pork rind mixture or ad onion and garlic to the ground turkey mixture. This is a great opportunity to customize this recipe and make it your own. You could even add red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.
What is pork panko? It ground pork rinds! These make a wonderful substitution for a binder or a crust as pre this recipe and it easy to make. Al you have to do it add pork rinds to a blender and process until it forms a flour like consistence and no lumps are left. You could skip the pork panko all together for this recipe if you like but they really help form the crust of the nugget.
| Nutritional Facts: (Per Serving)Calories 563Protein 79gFat 24gTotal Carbohydrates 4g |
Turkey Nugget Recipe
Difficulty Level: 3 Meatballs
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: Hours
Servings: 6 (6 nuggets)
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of total seasoning
- 2 ½ pounds of ground turkey
- 2-3 cups parmesan cheese, shredded
- 6oz pork panko
Crack eggs into a large bowl and scramble the eggs with a fork.
Add into the bowl the cottage cheese, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, total seasoning and only 1/3 cup of the parmesan cheese and mix
Now add the ground turkey into the bowl and using your hands mix until well combined and a uniform consistency is achieved.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least one hour to allow the mixture to firm up, making it easier to form the nuggets.
When you’re ready to proceed, combine the pork rind crumbs and the remaining parmesan cheese in a medium bowl and set aside.
Preheat your cooking equipment of choice (see temperatures below).
Measure out 2 tablespoons of the ground turkey mixture, roll it into a ball and place it on top of the parmesan mixture, sprinkle some of the parmesan mixture on top of it the meat ball, and then press down on it to form a nugget.
Shake off any excess parmesan cheese mixture, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and press down on it as needed to form a 1/2 inch think nugget.
Repeat this process until all of the ground turkey mixture is gone, placing the nuggets one inch apart from each other on the parchment paper. You should be able to make 36 nuggets.
Cooking your nuggets:
Oven: Bake at 425 degree Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, then carefully turn each nugget over and continue baking for another 8-10 minutes or until the turkey is fully cooked.
Air fryer: Place in a 450 degree Fahrenheit air fryer for 8 minutes. Carefully turn each nugget over and continue air frying for another 8 minutes or until the turkey is fully cooked.
To get your nuggets nice and crispy take one serving at a time and either air fry at 450 degrees Fahrenheit or put them under a broiler for 3-5 minutes
Let the nuggets cool while you make the ranch dip, then chow down!