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    Home » Recipes » Healthy Kids

    Vegan Chicken Nuggets

    Published: Feb 26, 2019 · Modified: Jul 16, 2021 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe
    These tasty vegan chicken nuggets (baked chickpea nuggets) are super easy to make with just 6 ingredients in 30 minutes. The whole family will love this recipe! Soy free, oil free, dairy free, nut free and easily gluten free.  #vegannuggets #chickpeanuggets #veganchickennuggets

    These tasty vegan Chicken Nuggets (baked chickpea nuggets) are super easy to make with just 6 ingredients in 30 minutes. The whole family will love this recipe!

    A plate of chickpea nuggets with a bowl of ketchup.

    These vegan chicken nuggets are surprisingly easy to make and taste delicious.

    You only need 6 ingredients and 30 minutes (most of which is baking time!).

    The vegan nuggets are baked to make them healthier and they’re full of protein.

    Similar recipes are all over the internet, but this is my family’s tried, tested and loved version.

    I like to keep the chickpea mixture a chunky, rather than smooth paste, so there’s texture in the vegetarian nuggets - perfectly contrasted with the crispy coating.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    The meatless vegan chicken nuggets are perfect for the whole family, and kids will love helping to create the nugget shapes.

    These are perfect healthy vegan kids food.

    They're so easy! You only need 6 ingredients and 30 minutes.

    Serving Suggestions

    • These vegan chickpea nuggets are perfect with my Homemade Ketchup.
    • Vegan Tartar Sauce is a great alternative dip too!
    • Swap for dairy free mayo and make some tasty dipping sauces for your chickenless nuggets! Try copycat Zax Sauce or this Cane's Sauce Recipe.
    • Cabbage salad is a great colorful side dish for vegetarian chicken nuggets.
    • Just add some spiralised sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli for a full meal.
    • Try them with a side of Parmentier Potatoes.
    • Try Lentil Carrot Hotdogs to go with the vegan chicken nuggets for a party!
    Close up of chickpea nuggets.

    Ingredients

    For these veggie nuggets, you'll need: 

    Ingredients:
    Rolled oats - just regular uncooked porridge oats.
    Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and save the aquafaba (aka chickpea water).
    Seasonings: Onion powder, Garlic powder & Ground cumin
    Breadcrumbs - or swap to gluten-free breadcrumbs if required.

    Equipment: 
    Bowl
    Baking tray
    Baking paper or silpat
    Blender or food processor

    Make it gluten free: use gluten free oats and gluten free breadcrumbs. 

    Making chickpea nuggets, with breadcrumbs.

    Tips for making vegan chicken nuggets

    • I make my own breadcrumbs by whizzing a few slices of bread until fine. My kids don’t like to eat the heals of the bread, so I stash them in the freezer and whiz them into breadcrumbs for recipes.
    • Use white, brown, gluten-free bread - whatever works for your family.
    • Don't over-blitz the chickpeas (garbanzo beans), you want a bit of texture and for it not to be just puree. 
    • The cooked chickpea nuggets won't brown a lot. If you want them browner, spray them with a little cooking oil spray. 
    • For the nugget shapes, just roll the mixture into balls, flatten slightly then press the sides slightly to make indents. 

    Gluten Free 

    • Whiz a slice or two of gluten-free bread to make the breadcrumbs, if required.
    • Another gluten-free option is to whiz up rice cakes or corn cakes, which work well.

    Special Diets

    This recipe is: 

    • vegan
    • vegetarian
    • soy free
    • nut free
    • dairy free
    • egg free
    Pile of vegan nuggets.
    Collage of quick vegan dinner recipes.

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    💚Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
    Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #veggiedesserts. I love seeing your recreations of my vegetarian and vegan recipes and cakes.

    Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this food blog, sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes, vegan cake and also easy vegan desserts.
    Kate x

    Baked vegan chicken nuggets (an easy 6 ingredient, 30 minute, soy free recipe). A plate of chickpea nuggets with a bowl of ketchup.

    Vegan Chicken Nuggets

    Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
    These tasty vegan chicken nuggets (baked chickpea nuggets) are super easy to make with just 6 ingredients in 30 minutes.
    5 from 13 votes
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Dinner, Main Meals
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 182 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • ½ cup (50g) rolled oats
    • 15 oz (400g) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) not yet drained
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder divided
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
    • Pinch of salt and pepper
    • 1 cup (50g) breadcrumbs gluten free works too

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper or a silpat.
    • Whiz the oats in a blender or food processor until fine.
    • Drain the chickpeas over a bowl, reserving the liquid (aquafaba), then add the chickpeas to the blender or food processor with the blitzed oats, ½ a teaspoon of the onion powder, the garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper and 5 tablespoon of the aquafaba. Whiz until a thick paste - but leaving some chunks for texture.
    • Stir the breadcrumbs with the remaining ½ teaspoon of onion powder and place into a shallow dish.
    • Roll tablespoons of the chickpea mixture into balls, then press into nugget shapes. Dip into the breadcrumbs to coat and place onto the baking tray. Repeat until the mixture is used up.
    • Bake for 20 minutes (they won’t darken much) and enjoy!

    Notes

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is created with online calculators. Info will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSodium: 96mgPotassium: 215mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 0.7mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 2.7mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. isabel

      August 13, 2021 at 10:48 am

      hi! is it 182 calories per serving or per nugget

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        August 13, 2021 at 12:54 pm

        Hi, it's per serving. I hope you enjoy them!

        Reply
    2. Ife

      July 19, 2020 at 10:41 pm

      Hello,
      How are you doing ma’am? Well, I hope.
      Thank you for posting this. I wanted to please ask, do you think I can replace the rolled oats with steelcut oats,since it’s going to be blended anyway?
      Thank you,
      Ife

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        July 20, 2020 at 4:12 pm

        Hi, that's absolutely fine!

        Reply
    3. Laana

      April 18, 2020 at 4:01 pm

      5 stars
      Quite good! Better fried then baked, added a bit more spices. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Betty

      December 23, 2019 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      Made these several times. I add just a bit of summer savoury to give a hint of the flavour you expect with chicken and roll them in cornmeal to avoid the breads completely. One caution. Be very careful of bake times as the do dry as they bake. I make them and freeze them right away so I have a supply on hand all the time as i’m Cooking for bothe vegetarian and non.

      Reply
    5. Beth

      September 06, 2019 at 12:55 am

      Can these be made ahead and put in fridge or freezer?

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        September 09, 2019 at 3:33 pm

        Hi, yes, you should be fine to make these ahead and keep them in the fridge up to 2 days and they're freezable. I hope you enjoy them!

        Reply
    6. Aimee S

      February 28, 2019 at 10:23 am

      5 stars
      I had all the ingredients so made these for the family last night. They turned out quite amazing! Really easy and the kids made the nugget shapes. I used gf flour and rolled oats.

      Reply
    7. Sonia

      February 26, 2019 at 8:33 pm

      Oh my goodness 😍 these looks so amazing and inviting too! I am always thinking for ideas for after school snack and these are perfect! Going to make them sokn

      Reply
    8. Jill

      February 26, 2019 at 3:17 pm

      5 stars
      I've not tried vegan nuggets but they look great. I'll have to try a batch and see what my kids think!

      Reply
    9. Dannii

      February 26, 2019 at 3:08 pm

      5 stars
      I never would have thought you could make nuggets out of chickpeas. They really are an amazing ingredient!

      Reply
      • Marigolds11

        February 28, 2021 at 7:27 pm

        5 stars
        Wow, just made these for my daughter and she loved them! Me and Dad finished them off and we were very impressed. I didn't have onion powder so added 1/8th TSP of paprika instead (just because we like it) I backed in the oven with a little oil and they came out delicious definitely a keeper😋 Thank you for a lovely recipe I shall definitely explore your others x

        Reply
    10. SHASHI

      February 26, 2019 at 2:26 pm

      5 stars
      These look so darn delicious - I definitely need to give these a try soon!

      Reply
    11. Sharon Chen

      February 26, 2019 at 2:26 pm

      5 stars
      Wow super healthy nuggets! Jam packed with my favorite flavors!

      Reply
    12. wilhelmina

      February 26, 2019 at 2:23 pm

      5 stars
      These nuggets are so wholesome and healthy, love it!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

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    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

    Collage of press logos.

    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
    • Mini Baked Potatoes
    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Healthy Recipes

    • Butternut Squash Salad
    • Easy Healthy Cabbage Soup
    • Easy Vegan Ramen (15 minutes)
    • Rajma Masala (Kidney Bean Curry)

    My cookbook

    Veggie Desserts and Cakes Cookbook cover.

    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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