Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures your nuggets get that perfect golden color. While the oven heats, cover a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. This setup allows air to circulate around the nuggets, resulting in extra crispiness.
Now, let’s prepare the chicken. Pat the 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. This helps the coating stick better. Cut the breasts into 1½-inch pieces and place them in a medium bowl.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Then, pour the ½ cup buttermilk over the pieces, mixing well to coat each one evenly. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes to soak in that delicious flavor.
While the chicken marinates, take a shallow dish and combine 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup parmesan cheese, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. This mixture will create a flavorful crust for your nuggets.
In three separate shallow dishes, set up your dredging station. Place 1 cup all-purpose flour in one dish, the melted ½ cup butter in another, and the 2 lightly beaten eggs in the last. This assembly line makes coating the chicken a breeze.
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, allowing any excess liquid to drip off. Line up the dishes in front of you: flour, butter, eggs, and the breadcrumb mixture.
Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess to prevent clumping. Next, dip it in the melted butter before coating it in the breadcrumb mixture. This ensures a thick, crunchy layer. Place each coated piece on the wire rack.
Once all the chicken is coated, place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the nuggets halfway through. They’re ready when golden brown and crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you find that the nuggets aren’t as crispy as you’d like after 30 minutes, set the oven to broil for a couple of minutes. Just keep an eye on them to prevent burning!
