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These homemade gluten-free dino nuggets are the perfect nostalgic option for kids and the young at heart! They’re made with a gluten-free panko coating, and cut into dinosaur shapes with cookie cutters.

Remember dino nuggets?! I absolutely loved these as a kid. Even as an adult, I just love anything that’s a fun shape. And now that I’m a mom, I’m always looking for options that will get my son excited about eating his dinner!

Dino nuggets are definitely still solid, but what about a gluten free option? Don’t worry… I’ve got you!

Ingredients for Gluten Free Dino Nuggets

  • Ground Chicken. You can also use ground turkey. 
  • Eggs. I haven’t made this recipe without eggs to help make the panko stick.
  • Gluten-Free Panko. This rice-based panko is the one that I used, but you can also use pork panko for a grain-free version.
  • Arrowroot Starch. Arrowroot adds a little bit of extra starch for a great coating on the nuggets. Tapioca starch will also work.
  • Seasonings & Avocado Oil.

How to make Gluten Free Dino Nuggets

  • Step One. Add the ground chicken to a baking sheet and press flat before freezing.
  • Step Two. Use a dinosaur cookie cutter to cut out the chicken nuggets.

Step Three. With each nugget dip into the egg wash and then coat in panko before adding to the baking sheet.

Step Four. Bake.

Step Five. Enjoy with dip of your choice!

Tips & Tricks

  • Don’t skip freezing the chicken. This ensures that it will be much easier to have the nuggets hold their shape. 
  • Break up the panko a bit. Rice panko is very different from regular panko, so I like to crush it with a fork to break it up a bit.

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Gluten Free Dino Nuggets

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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken
  • 1 cup gluten-free panko
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 2 eggs
  • Avocado oil spray

Instructions

  1. Add the ground chicken to a large baking sheet and press in flat, about ¼” thick. Transfer to the freezer and allow to set for 30-45 minutes. 
  2. Prep the coating by combining the panko, arrowroot, and seasonings. Combine with a fork, pushing the fork down to crush some of the panko pieces. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Set aside.
  3. Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with lightly greased parchment paper.
  4. Using a dinosaur cookie cutter set, cut the chicken into dinosaur pieces. Working with one a time, dip a nugget into the egg wash, coating on both sides. Using your opposite hand, coat the nuggets in the panko. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with all of the chicken. Spray with avocado oil spray.
  5. Transfer the prepared nuggets to the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes on each side, carefully flipping halfway. Ensure that the nuggets are cooked through to 375 F and crisp. 
  6. Serve with a dip of your choice!

Notes

All nutrition facts are estimations.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 370
  • Fat: 16g
  • Carbohydrates: 31.3g
  • Fiber: 2.9g
  • Protein: 24.5g