Crispy Healthy Chicken Nuggets (Air Fryer or Baked)

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  1 lbs Chicken Breast, Boneless Skinless

  Boneless skinless. Buy in bulk and freeze — Costco rotisserie packs work too.

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  1 Egg, Whole, Large(44g)
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  1 tsp Onion powder
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  1 tsp Garlic powder
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  1 tsp Paprika, Ground
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  0.5 tsp Paprika, Smoked
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  1 tsp 1 tsp chicken salt (or kosher salt)
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  1.5 cup Bread Crumbs, Panko, Dry
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  Cooking spray (per 1-second spray)

  Regular (not extra-virgin) olive oil for high-heat cooking. EVOO for dressings.

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  0.3 cup Mayonnaise, Light
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  0.3 cup Greek Yogurt (Nonfat)

  Plain Greek yogurt — nonfat (0%) or low-fat (2%). Not regular yogurt.

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  0.5 cup BBQ Sauce

  Any BBQ sauce. Sweet Baby Ray's is a go-to. Check sugar content if cutting.

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  0.3 cup Mustard, Yellow
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  1 tbsp Mustard, Dijon

  Dijon mustard — Grey Poupon or store brand. Spicier than yellow mustard.

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  1 tbsp Honey
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  1 tsp Lemon Juice, Fresh
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  0.3 tsp ¼ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. 1Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized nugget pieces roughly 1.5–2 inches each.
2. 2In a medium bowl, whisk together the large eggs, onion powder, garlic powder, ground paprika, smoked paprika, and chicken salt until well combined.
3. 3Add the chicken pieces to the egg mixture and toss until fully coated; let sit 2–3 minutes.
4. 4Pour the panko bread crumbs onto a separate plate. Working in batches, remove chicken pieces from the egg mixture (allow excess to drip off) and roll them in the bread crumbs until evenly coated on all sides.
5. 5Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and lightly coat with cooking spray. Working in batches to avoid crowding, cook the chicken nuggets for 4–5 minutes per side over medium-high heat until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F—do not move them for the first 3–4 minutes to develop a crispy crust.
6. 6While the nuggets cook, whisk together the light mayonnaise, nonfat Greek yogurt, BBQ sauce, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, honey, lemon juice, and kosher salt in a small bowl until smooth.
7. 7Let the cooked nuggets cool 2–3 minutes, then divide evenly into 4 airtight containers while still warm; refrigerate with the dipping sauce in separate small containers.