Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin 16 oz
- ½ c buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp + a pinch of salt divided
- ¼ tsp + a pinch of black pepper divided
- 1 ½ c panko breadcrumbs* plain, see note below
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ c traditional breadcrumbs*
Instructions
- Place pork tenderloin on a cutting board. Cut into small bite-sized pieces; transfer pieces into a large bowl. Add buttermilk, egg, paprika, garlic powder, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Mix well to combine. Cover bowl and set aside to marinate for 1 hour or, for best results, marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
- If using an oven, preheat to 400° F. Once pork has marinated, place panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, olive oil and traditional breadcrumbs, if using, in a large plastic freezer bag. Seal the bag shut; shake mixture well to combine. Place ⅓ of the pork pieces into the bag and reclose. Shake thoroughly — this is a great job for little helpers! — until pork pieces are fully coated. Open the bag and, by hand, carefully transfer pork pieces one at a time onto a parchment lined baking sheet or into an air fryer basket. Repeat this step with remaining pork pieces until all are coated. Please note: To avoid overcrowding the bag, coat only ⅓ of the pork pieces at once.
- Bake pork nuggets in preheated oven for 20 minutes or air fry at 375° F for 20 minutes. Cook pork until internal temperature reaches 145° F, followed by a 3-minute rest.
- Serve pork nuggets with your favorite dipping sauce or your kid’s favorite condiment, if desired.
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