You Only Need 2 Extra Ingredients To Turn Rotisserie Chicken Into Craveworthy Nuggets

Leftover rotisserie chicken may be the secret hack for an easy taco night, but you can also turn it into crave-worthy nuggets if you're in the mood for a crispier treat that's perfect for dunking in ketchup. With just two extra ingredients — beaten egg and cheese — you can prepare a batch of super-savory chicken nuggets in minutes without any deep frying or breading required.

The process is as easy as shredding your cooked rotisserie chicken and combining it with an egg and plenty of shredded cheddar before shaping the mixture into nugget shapes. Then, lay them out on a sheet pan and bake, leaving plenty of space between each one so the hot air can reach every bit of surface area and maximize their crispiness. The egg acts as a binder while the cheese encourages the outside of the nuggets to develop some moreish crunch and turn an invitingly golden color. 

You can also add seasonings, like garlic powder, paprika, or chili flakes, to the egg to elevate the taste of your nuggets without affecting their consistency. Meanwhile, dried or fresh herbs are incredible for lending the bites a delicious aroma and flecked appearance. Other cheeses, like Pepper Jack or Colby, can be subbed for the cheddar, while a tablespoon of grated Parmesan can be useful for doubling down on the umami of milder cheeses.

As this technique doesn't require any breading or dredging, it's both flour- and breadcrumb-free, which makes it keto-friendly (you'll also save time because you won't need to create a messy breading station; everything can be mixed together in a single bowl). However, you can dip your shaped nuggets in beaten egg and coat them in flour and panko if you wish. While this will add another stage to the recipe, it will create nugs with more of a classic appearance and flavor that mimics the character of the very best fast food chicken nuggets (shaping and chilling the nuggets before dipping them in the egg will firm them up so they don't fall apart when you turn them in the crumbs). Coating the chicken mixture also protects the cheese inside from bubbling out if you want to deep-fry them instead.

If you haven't got any rotisserie chicken, don't shy away from using canned chicken to make nuggets. The method is exactly the same but is arguably more convenient than using a rotisserie chicken, which has to be used up quickly before it goes bad. Canned chicken, on the other hand, has a long shelf life of up to five years, so you can keep it on hand and use it at any moment without worrying about a ticking clock.