If you need a kid-friendly meal that will also nourish you as a fitness-focused mom, you’re going to love these sweetpotato chicken nuggets! Made with just a handful of ingredients, this recipe is very simple to make and is great to prep ahead on busy weeks. Make a batch on Sunday and pull ‘em out for an easy dinner later in the week (or even an after-school snack). You can pair them with a quick salad or cooked frozen veggies for a balanced meal.
Disclosure: This recipe was developed in a paid partnership with the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make with just a few simple ingredients
- High-quality protein to support fitness goals and keep you full – 19 grams in 4 nuggets
- Excellent source of Vitamin A (thank you sweetpotatoes!) and Vitamin B12
- Good source of iron and potassium
- Nutritious, kid-friendly option that they’ll actually eat (and parents can still enjoy)
Ingredients
As you can see from the picture below, the only ingredients you need for this recipe are ground chicken, sweetpotato, breadcrumbs, seasonings, and cooking spray.
The sweetpotato is key here as it adds moisture and starch that helps the breading stick to the nuggets – plus it adds additional nutrients like fiber, Vitamin A, and phytochemicals. I used a fresh one that I microwaved, but you can also use leftover baked or mashed sweetpotato for this recipe too.
Instructions
Start by putting a large sweetpotato on a microwave safe plate. Poke it with a fork a few times, then cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for about 6-7 minutes, or until it’s very tender. Let it cool on the plate for a few minutes, then cut in half.
Meanwhile, mix together the breading ingredients in a bowl – breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Stir well and set that aside.
When the sweetpotato is cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh into another mixing bowl and mash it.
Then add the ground chicken, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix together well using your hands.
Drop a nugget-sized portion of the chicken mixture into the bowl with the breadcrumbs. The mixture will be sticky; this is normal. Just drop it into the breading and flip it so that it gets a light coating. Now shape it into a nugget, and press both sides again into the breading.
Place that nugget on a baking sheet sprayed with oil. Repeat until all the chicken mixture is gone; you should get around 20 nuggets. Spray them with cooking oil.
Bake ‘em at 400 degrees F for about 18-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer measures 165 degrees F and the nuggets are a light golden brown on the outside.
Serve with your favorite dippers – like ketchup, barbeque sauce, or honey mustard – and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave for a quick option; just note that they will lose any crispness when reheated this way. Reheat in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer for a slightly crisp exterior.
Freezing: Place the nuggets in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer and flash freeze for 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer safe container or ziptop bag. Use within 3 months for best quality. They can be reheated straight from frozen.
Serving Suggestions: These are great paired with pretty much any side! Some favorites in our house include a leafy green salad, roasted veggies, a tangy vinegar cucumber salad, or fruit salad. If I have extra nuggets prepped, sometimes I also like to use a few of these chopped up at lunch to top a quick chicken Caesar salad.
I hope you enjoy these sweetpotato chicken nuggets! If you get a chance to try them, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below. And if you’re looking for more tasty and healthy sweetpotato dinner ideas, be sure to try these marry me sweetpotatoes and beans, or these veggie-packed sloppy joes.
Sweetpotato Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
For the nuggets:
- 1 large North Carolina sweetpotato
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Cooking spray
For the breading:
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with cooking oil.
- Place the sweetpotato on a microwave safe plate. Poke with a fork a few times and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for approximately 6-7 minutes, or until the sweetpotato is very tender.
- Meanwhile, as the sweetpotato is cooking, prepare the breading mixture in a small mixing bowl. Combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika, and stir well. Set aside for now.
- When the sweetpotato is done cooking, let it cool for a few minutes until it is comfortable to handle. Scrape the flesh into a separate mixing bowl, discarding the skin. Mash the sweetpotato using a fork or potato masher.
- Add the chicken, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder to the bowl with the sweetpotato. Use your hands to combine the mixture well.
- Remove a nugget-sized portion of the meat mixture, drop it into the breading mixture, and flip it to cover (the mixture will be sticky; dropping it into the breading and flipping it will allow you to shape it). Now shape it into a nugget and press it again on both sides in the breading mixture.
- Place the nugget on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken mixture; it will make approximately 20 nuggets. Lightly spray the nuggets with cooking oil.
- Bake the nuggets at 400 degrees F for approximately 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the nuggets are cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and are lightly golden brown. Enjoy with your favorite dipping condiments like ketchup, barbecue sauce, or honey mustard.
Notes
- This recipe makes 20 nuggets. The nutrition analysis below assumes a portion size of 4 nuggets, so 5 servings for the recipe.
- Store leftover nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These can be reheated in the microwave, but will lose the slight crispness that comes with baking. Reheat in the oven or air fryer if you want a slightly crisp exterior.
- This recipe is very lightly seasoned to appeal to kids and leave flexibility for preferred dipping accompaniments. If you prefer, you can season more according to your preferences. You can also use Italian-style breadcrumbs for a different flavor profile.
- The nutrition analysis below makes a few assumptions. First, not all the breading mixture will be consumed (having extra in the bowl helps to more easily coat the nuggets, which is why a larger amount is called for). For the purposes of the nutrition analysis, we assume approximately ⅔ cup of breading is actually consumed. In addition, we assume approximately a tablespoon of oil is used total from the cooking spray.
Nutrition
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