Vegan Chicken Nuggets

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!

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!

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. 

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

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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

📖 Recipe

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 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes 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.