Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers
These sweet potato chicken poppers are the original sweet potato chicken nuggets the internet fell in love with! They’re gluten, dairy, and egg-free and are so simple to make!

Are you a chicken nugget fan? Or maybe you have one in the family? I feel you! Chicken nuggets are life, and I was obsessed for the first half of my life, if not more.
Chicken nuggets are one of those foods that seem like you’d never be able to make a healthier version of… think again! This recipe first premiered on my website in 2017 and was my very first viral recipe. It took Pinterest by storm, and really put my blog (which now reaches millions) on the map. Since then, I’ve made other versions, like my breakfast sausage chicken poppers, but this is the legit OG!
These sweet potato chicken poppers are the real food version of chicken nuggets made with veggies instead of breading. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and so easy to make!
Why you’ll love sweet potato chicken poppers
- Veggie goodness! This recipe uses veggies instead of breading for an extra nutritious boost.
- Quick and easy. These chicken poppers come together so quickly and easily. The longest part of the hands-on process is rolling them into nuggets; even then, that’s relatively quick. Think of it almost like a sheet pan meal, like this gluten-free sheet pan sesame chicken or gluten-free sheet pan shrimp fried rice. You get everything you need on one sheet pan!
- Allergen friendly. They’re paleo, Whole 30 friendly, and even AIP Diet friendly.
- Total crowd pleaser. This recipe is loved by kids and adults alike!
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Chicken. If you can find the ground chicken in the store, you can easily use a food processor to grind chicken breast or thigh into ground chicken.
- Sweet Potato. You’ll grate the sweet potato for this recipe. You can either use a grater or a food processor.
- Coconut flour. The coconut flour helps to bind this recipe.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, and green onion.
Modifications & Substitutions
- Seasonings. These seasonings are mild and more kid-friendly, but you can easily switch up the seasonings with herbs or something spicier if you prefer!
- Ground turkey. This can easily be swapped in for ground chicken.
- Carrots. Carrots work just as well in this recipe. The only thing I’ve found is that carrots have a higher moisture content, so you’ll want to pat the carrots dry after shredding. I also have a recipe for bacon ranch chicken poppers that use carrots.
- Almond or cassava flour. Either one of these will work in place of the coconut flour.
- Avocado or olive oil. Either one will work in place of coconut oil.
How to make Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.
Step one. Add the ground turkey, coconut flour, coconut oil, and spices to a bowl.
Step two. Combine the mixture.
Step three. Roll the mixture into small, slightly flattened poppers about one inch in diameter (you’ll have about 20-25 poppers) and place them on the baking sheet .
Step four. Place in the oven for 25-28 minutes, flipping halfway through. Crisp further in a pan or place under the broiler if desired for 1-2 minutes to crisp further. Remove from the oven when thoroughly cooked through
Tips & Tricks
- Use a food processor to shred the sweet potato. Simply use the shredder attachment, and it’ll be done within seconds! If you wind up subbing carrots or just happen to have a sweet potato with higher water content, make sure you pat it dry if it looks at all wet.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the poppers. This not only makes the process go faster but it makes for uniform sizes.
- Put on a set of gloves. I almost always use gloves with recipes like this to keep my hands clean.
- Make sure you press the poppers down. You want poppers/nuggets, not meatballs!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Store them in the fridge. Store these in the fridge in glass for 3-4 days. You can then reheat for a few minutes in the air fryer or oven.
- Freeze them. These chicken poppers can be frozen for 1-2 months! Defrost them in the fridge and reheat for a few minutes in the air fryer or oven. I highly recommend using a vacuum sealer to reduce any freezer burn.
Recipe FAQS
I love serving these with a dip like ranch, ketchup, or guacamole! As far as sides go, I usually eat them with broccoli, though a side salad or other roasted green veggie would be great as well.
Most butcher counters will have ground chicken. You can also sub ground turkey, or make your own ground chicken by setting chicken breast in the freezer for about 10-15 min and then blending it in a food processor.
Other Related Gluten-Free Chicken Nugget Recipes
If you tried these Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
PrintSweet Potato Chicken Poppers
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 20–25 poppers (4 servings) 1x
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: global
Description
These sweet chicken poppers are the original sweet potato chicken nuggets that the internet fell in love with! They’re gluten, dairy, and egg-free and are so simple to make!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 cups sweet potato, finely shredded
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, softened
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 2 sprigs green onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (omit for AIP)
- Optional: 1 tsp paprika (omit for AIP)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper lightly greased with oil
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and gently mix with your hands or with a silicone spatula to combine.
- Use a cookie scoop or your hand to scoop the mixture into small, round, poppers and evenly space them on the baking sheet. Slightly flatten them with your hand. They should be about one inch in diameter. You should have 20-25 poppers.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 28-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until baked through to 165 F. If you want more of a crisp, place them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Allow to cool and serve with your favorite sauce! These are made for dipping, so pair them with guacamole, ketchup, mustard, etc!
Notes
You can easily shred the sweet potato using the shredder attachment on a food processor.
Storage instructions: Store these in the fridge in glass for 3-4 days. You can then reheat in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes. These chicken poppers can be frozen for 1-2 months! Defrost them in the fridge and reheat for a few minutes in the air fryer or oven. I highly recommend using a vacuum sealer to reduce any freezer burn.
I also have to shout out a similar recipe, chicken and zucchini poppers from One Lovely Life! These are another great option if you’re looking for something lower in starch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 277
- Fat: 10.2g
- Carbohydrates: 18.8g
- Fiber: 3.8g
- Protein: 27.9g
These were so delicious! I needed to bring my own dinner to a potluck last night as I knew from the sign up list there would be nothing for me to eat. I took these (just at room temperature) with a salad and they were so yummy! A friend at my table tried one and love them, so I sent her the recipe. I have now pinned more of your other “popper” recipes. They will be great to have on hand for lunches or a fast dinner. Thank you!
So glad you were able to find a recipe that worked for you!! I always try to bring something to a potluck that I know will fit my restrictions!
I made these as a treat for lunch (we usually do leftovers or salad for lunches) and they are so good! My husband says they remind him a little of egg fu yung, which he loved before our AIP days. I used chicken thighs and blitzed them in the food processor, also subbed green banana flour because I’m avoiding coconut fiber. It worked great! I think the green onions really make these, they add so much flavor and a bit of Asian flair. We dipped them in coconut aminos. Delish!
YAY! So glad you both enjoyed this!!
They look delicious. Have you tried these with ground turkey? I have a bunch of turkey that I need to find a good recipe for.
Yes! Ground turkey works just as well.
These are great! Loved the taste!
These sound delicious. Have you ever tried making them into burger sized patties? I didn’t read all 298 comments, so forgive me if you have already discussed this.
Haha, I haven’t tried it, but I bet it would work! Let me know if you try it!
This is a wonderful recipe. My husband is a diabetic who has completely changed his diet to reverse the progress of the disease. He shared this with his doctor and they both were blown away with the flavor and make-up of the poppers. We added some jalapeno for a small kick on our 2nd batch. So good. Thank you for sharing.
This is wonderful to hear!!
Is their a substitute for the chicken, non meat substitute ?
Sorry, that would require reworking the whole recipe!
Non meat? You know this is a Paleo/AIP site, right? We don’t really do vegetarian…
I love these and they have become a staple recipe for me! I will say o cut the spices basically in half because it was a lot of onion and garlic flavor for me. Great with honey mustard!
Made these last night, they were great. The only thing we did different is add about 1 tablespoon of coconut aminos. Loved them, and will make again, even after AIP.
So happy that you enjoyed them!!
Has anyone tried an air fried and did they crisp up?? Thanks
They should crisp similarly in the air fryer as the oven!
I’ve made these for a while now. They’re so easy and always turn out great. My health practitioner recommended them when I was on an elimination diet, and the recipe was a keeper. My only complaint is that they disappear too quickly! The whole family loves them.
I made this for my family last night and it was a huge hit! I’m hoping to make it for my sister and her family but she is allergic to coconut. What would the best replacement be for those two ingredients? Thank you!
You can sub for either cassava or almond flour as the binder. Instead of coconut oil, I would try ghee or avocado oil! Enjoy!!
Just wow! I mixed a ton of ginger with some coconut aminos for my dipping sauce and this was perfect for me. I’ve been needing a good meal like this!
Earlier today I came across this recipe. I knew there were several packages of ground chicken in the fridge and sweet potatoes to use soon so off I went prepping everything.
I had an extra 1/2 cup grated sweet potato so I added that along with an extra 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper and 2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil to the mixture. Scooped into 28 poppers.
My mistake … using a silicone baking mat instead of parchment paper! PLEASE update the instructions that “poppers” will not get crispy if using a silicone mat. Mine didn’t so I’ll be reheating them in a skillet with a little coconut oil. I want that crunchy exterior!
Overall thoughts … very tasty! I’ll definitely make them again, the right way. Lol.
I made these last night and they were great. I used ground turkey and the end result was a little mushy but they were still delicious, they were just more fork food than ginger food. We all liked them and would make them as burger patties in the future.