Whole30 sweet potato chicken poppers are a healthy “chicken nuggets” recipe alternative that are quick and easy to make. A few simple ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes this is the perfect Whole30, Paleo, or gluten-free family friendly meal for during the week. Double the batch and toss these chicken poppers in the fridge or freezer to make meal prepping a breeze!
Sweet Potato Chicken Nugget Ingredients
I know I talk about how easy all Whole Kitchen Sink recipes are but this one has bumped up to first place. All it calls for is ground chicken, sweet potatoes, almond flour and a handful of spices and a trusty sheet pan. If your local grocery store doesn’t have ground chicken, ground turkey is a great substitute. Almond flour and the spices are widely available nowadays, and can be bought at all major grocery stores, even online at Amazon or a discount with Thrive Market.
Related: Whole30 Items at Target, Whole30 Items at Trader Joe’s & Whole30 Items at Walmart
How To Make Whole30 Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers
First you’ll preheat your oven, and lightly grease a large sheet pan with some oil or cooking spray oil. Then roll up your sleeves… using your hands is the best way to mix everything together. Start by putting your ground chicken, sweet potatoes (that have been peeled and shredded) into a large mixing bowl, add your seasonings and almond flour and use your hands to incorporate everything together!
Take small pieces and roll into a ball and slightly flatten forming poppers or nuggets, and place them evenly spaced out on a greased sheet pan. Pop them in the oven at 350 degrees and cook for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. How easy is that? The chicken nuggets should be about a quarter to half inch thick, and resemble a flat egg shape.
Choosing to make a small bite-sized popper was no mistake, this recipe is perfect for little kids to enjoy! The added veggies are a bonus! If you want them to be a bit more crisp, you can turn the oven onto the broiler at the end for just a few minutes, or crisp them up in a skillet after they’re done baking.
Serving & Freezing Instructions
These Whole30 chicken nuggets are best enjoyed with some ranch or BBQ sauce, so grab your favorite dipping sauce! I prefer Primal Kitchen’s Ranch, Ketchup or BBQ, all of which you can get as part of the Whole Kitchen Sink bundle! Or, make your own Whole30 ranch, southwest ranch or BBQ!
This Whole30 sweet potato chicken nugget recipe is also really great as leftovers and put over a salad! I really do recommend doubling it, being you’re already pulling out a sheet pan because not only will you want more, but they also freeze well.
To freeze, you’ll want to make sure they’re cooled completely first. Then, you can either put the whole sheet pan into the freezer for about 20 minutes, just until the poppers are solid enough to not stick together if they were stacked and frozen, and then transfer them to a freezer safe bag or container. Or, you can wrap them up individually with a wax or freezer paper so they don’t freeze together. I like to freeze them in sets of 4, which makes pulling out a quick lunch or dinner option really easy!
Other Whole30 Chicken Recipes That You’ll Love:
Homemade Chicken Apple Sausages
Instant Pot Chicken Meatballs in Marinara
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Sweet Potato Chicken Nuggets: Whole30, Paleo, Gluten-Free Poppers
Whole30 sweet potato chicken poppers are a healthy “chicken nuggets” recipe alternative that are quick and easy to make. A few simple ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes this is the perfect Whole30, Paleo, or gluten-free family friendly meal for during the week. Double the batch and toss these chicken poppers in the fridge or freezer to make meal prepping a breeze!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 1x
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 cups shredded sweet potatoes (about 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded)
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried minced onion (or 1 tsp onion powder)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a baking sheet with a little bit of cooking oil, or lay down oven safe parchment/baking paper
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until the sweet potato and spices are incorporated well
- Using your hands, form them into the nuggets or “poppers”. They should be about 1/4 inch-1/2 inch thick, in the shape of an oval or “flat egg shape”
- Place each formed nugget directly onto the sheet pan, in even rows with space between each, and continue until all of the chicken mixture in the mixing bowl is gone
- Next, put the sheet pan into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through
- Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite dipping sauce
- If you want them to be a bit more crisp, put them under the broiler for about 3 minutes, or crisp them up on a fry pan over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes on each side
Notes
- If the chicken is too sticky to form, you can place the mixing bowl into the fridge for 20-30 minutes. This will help to make it easier to work with when forming it into the nuggets.
Keywords: whole30 chicken recipes, whole30 ground chicken, whole30 chicken nuggets, whole30 chicken poppers, paleo chicken recipes
Nutrition Facts:
- Serving Size: Serves 4
- Calories: 289
- Fat: 16.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.9 g
- Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 22.5 g
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Janelle Rannals says
honest to goodness this recipe is life changing!
★★★★★
paleobailey says
THEY ARE SO GOOD! I could eat a million of them. Thank you!
Vanessa says
Can’t wait to make these! Will be perfect to take to work for lunch!
paleobailey says
Thank you! Can’t wait to hear how you like them!!
Jackie says
This recipe is amazing. Wish I would have doubled it but already picked up ingredients to make again!
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Thrilled to hear it!! Thank you so much! <3 - B
Kari says
Have you tried these in the air fryer? Any tips on how to do that?
paleobailey says
Hi there! You could try it! I haven’t, so I can’t give specific instructions. I’d think 6-8 minutes at 400 degrees would be a good place to start. Depending on the air fryer you have, it may take 3-4 batches to do being it makes quite a few nuggets.
Nikki says
Could you do this in the airfryer?
paleobailey says
Hi there! You could try it! I haven’t, so I can’t give specific instructions. I’d think 6-8 minutes at 400 degrees would be a good place to start. Depending on the air fryer you have, it may take 3-4 batches to do being it makes quite a few nuggets.
Rebecca says
I made a double batch tonight for dinner, meal prep for this week, and meal prep for later. So good. I miss finger foods so much when I’m on whole30 and these were so fun to eat and dip.
★★★★★
paleobailey says
I’m SO happy you enjoyed them! Totally get missing finger food too 🙂 Thank you so, so much!! <3 - B
Elisabeth Kensinger says
Dumb question here, but how did you shred your sweet potatoes? A food processor would obviously be way less work than a box grater, but it also tends to make more robust, thick shreds than a box grater and so have a different outcome once cooked. Thanks!
paleobailey says
Hey! I use a flat handheld grater, similar to the box grater. I have made this with a food processor, but, honestly, I find it tends to be more cumbersome to do it that way and have to get everything out, and wash the pieces. It only takes me 3-5 minutes to grate 2 cups of sweet potatoes, and then I only have the one dish (grater) to deal with 🙂
Maria says
IM SERIOUSLY AMAZED WITH THESE!!! So unbelievably good…and hubby approved (he doesnt like hardly any of my whole30 meals) these are a new staple.
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Wooo!! This is amazing to hear! Any hubby approved recipe is a total win! Thank you SO much for coming back and letting me know – it’s so, so appreciated! <3 - B
Cassandra says
How in the WORLD?! My kids DEVOURED these! They never eat anything I make them! Ever! LOVE that there’s no “breading” either. Makes it so much easier and quicker to make! Will be making 500 of these next batch so I never ever run out!!
★★★★★
paleobailey says
LOVE to hear this!! Thank you SO much! I so appreciate you coming back and letting me know! <3 - B
Linh Phan says
Hi Bailey! I have an allergy to almond flour. Do you suggest an alternative flour to use?
paleobailey says
Hey, Linh! If you can use coconut products, I’d use coconut flour. Cassava flour is also an option :). Coconut flour is a bit more fine than almond flour, so you may need to add an additional TBSP if the chicken mixture is still really, really wet and doesn’t form into the nuggets well. That being said, I don’t think either of these other types of flour will change the texture of the finished product much! 🙂 – B
Molly M. says
This was the easiest thing ever to make and my kids think I am now a Top Chef. Thank you! Incredible recipe I’ll be making for them weekly!
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Love to hear it! Thanks so much, Molly – so appreciate you coming back and letting me know! <3 - B
Breata says
Such a great recipe!! I thought I had almond flour at home, but didn’t so I substituted cassava flour 1:1 and turned out great!
★★★★★
paleobailey says
I’m so glad it worked with cassava! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and share that feedback! It’s so helpful!! <3 - B
Rebekah Felts says
Has anyone air fried these?
Chris R says
This is awesome. Would I be able to use a russet potatoe instead?
paleobailey says
I think that would work okay! It would change the flavor a tiny bit, being sweet potatoes have a slightly different taste, but I think it would still be good!!
Amanda says
Awesome recipe. Just so, so awesome! Both picky kids (age 5 and 7) ate them no questions asked! Will be making often.
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Love this! Thank you so much, Amanda! I really appreciate you coming back to let me know! <3 - B
Jess Rogers says
Oh my gosh these are wonderful. Super easy to make, super flavorful, and the perfect thing for meal planning. I was mad at myself for shredding way too much sweet potato, now I think I was just thinking ahead to when my first batch is gone!
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Hey, Jess!! I’m so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know! And hey, now you’re all ready to go for the next batch 😉 <3 – B
Krista says
I made 1/2 of these in the air fryer (12 minutes at 350 flipping 1/2 way through) and the other 1/2 in the oven. Everyone voted the air fryer was the way to go. Delicious, thanks for the recipe.
paleobailey says
Great to hear. Thanks!!
Ashlee says
This looks amazing!! I have chicken breast on hand..how would I make that into ground chicken?
paleobailey says
You would need some sort of a meat grinder. Such as a Kitchen Aid attachment if you have one.
Katie says
These are insanely delicious! I made them for my lunches this week and kind of want to eat them all right now. Way too easy to make! This will be a new go to recipe for me.
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Right?! That’s exactly how I feel too haha!! They’re so tasty 🙂 Thank you so much for giving them a try and for taking the time to come back and let me know. It’s so, so appreciated! <3 - B
Stacey says
Yummy, great seasoning! We liked them crispy, definitely put them under the broiler.
paleobailey says
Thank you!!
Isabel Haag says
Super good! I think I put too much sweet potato in my first batch so I’m excited to try these again. They were super good no matter what though, especially dipped in ranch :).
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Thank you so much, Isabel! I’m so glad you liked them!
Jonea Aubrey says
Super super delicious!!! Something my whole family will eat. These will become my go to for appetizers that are Whole30.
paleobailey says
I’m so, so happy to hear this! Thank you!
Anissa says
So easy to make! Very flavorful and tasty!!
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Thank you so much, Anissa!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! <3 - B
Eileen Snyder says
LOVE these!!! So easy to make and they are delicious dipped in the ranch recipe.
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Thank you so much, Eileen! I really appreciate you making the recipe and taking the time to come back and let me know you enjoyed it!! <3 - B
Hattie says
I love these! Sooo delicious! Has anyone tried to make a vegetarian version?
Rachel says
Finally made these….they are bomb – so easy, so tasty!! Served them to friends and they were a huge hit. I also saved a few to reheat the next day and put them on top of a bowl of greens with ranch dressing and sliced avo. Perfect lunch! Will be making again this weekend for Super Bowl. Thanks Bailey!
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Hey, Rachel!! Thank you SO much for giving them a shot, and taking the time to come back and let me know!! I so, so appreciate you! <3 - B
Maggie says
Made these for a Super Bowl party yesterday and everyone loved them. So, so good and easy.
★★★★★
paleobailey says
I’m so, so happy to hear this, Maggie! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know!! <3 - B
Kaitlyn says
These were so easy to make! I loved them and so did my toddler! I’ll be keeping some in the freezer at all times from now on
★★★★★
paleobailey says
Oh I’m SO SO happy to hear you both enjoyed!! Toddler approved is a huge win! Thank you so much!
Jerrie Capp says
Hi , So, I get confused sometimes. We are not supposed to make items that mimic “bad food choices” but how does making chicken nuggets fit in? not trying to be a complainer… just trying to understand how this is different.
paleobailey says
Hi there! Here’s an article that might help clarify this for you from the co-creator of the program where she addresses this question but about chicken wings- https://whole30.com/savory-cravings/
Basically, what you’re referring to is SWYPO, and not replacing a triggering, unhealthy food with a healthy one. This MOSTLY relates to sweet stuff – bread, muffins, pancakes, etc – things that trigger over-consuming and even more cravings. Most people do not feel that way about chicken nuggets. But the idea around SWYPO is that it CAN be different for everyone – so if YOU have a problem with chicken nuggets, or say, sweet potato fries, or buffalo wings, sailsbury steak, (the list could go on and on for every food) then you need to personally make the choice not to include them, BUT they are a perfectly fine (and healthy) option for others.
This recipe, in particular, there would be no problem with for most people. It’s not even breaded. Nor cooked in oil. Ground chicken with a vegetable is really just that. Ground chicken with a vegetable. It could be called a patty, or a popper, if that makes a difference to how someone emotionally feels about it, it’s just shaped a bit smaller than a patty. But, bottom line is that this is different because it doesn’t REALLY replace a chicken nugget. When you eat it your brain KNOWS this is totally not the same thing as a chicken nugget from McDonalds.
Here’s the complete article on SWYPO, the part about fried chicken might help clear it up too! https://whole30.com/sex-pants/