Who doesn’t love homemade chicken nuggets? Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and perfect for dipping into your favorite sauce. They’re golden, crunchy, and made with simple ingredients, making them a great snack or meal for any occasion. Pair them with your favorite dipping sauce, and you’ve got a classic that’s hard to resist.
I love this homemade chicken nuggets recipe because it brings that perfect crispy texture we all crave without relying on store-bought options. It’s a fun and simple way to make a family favorite with real ingredients, and it’s always a hit with both kids and adults.
You can make this into frozen chicken nuggets that you can reheat in an air fryer quickly.
Chicken Recipes For Clean Eating
If you love chicken main dishes, I am sure you will love this curry chicken and chicken roll-ups recipe I made where the whole family asked for another bowl. Our crack chicken casserole and chicken enchiladas are not only for dinner but also for Holidays and family occasions.
Chicken and dumplings is a perfect dish if you are looking for some hearty chicken recipes. Frozen chicken wings in an air fryer is the perfect recipe to make when in a hurry.
Healthy Chick Fil A Substitute
If you love Chick-fil-A’s chicken nuggets, I am sure you will really enjoy this homemade version. They might not be exactly the same, but these nuggets are delicious, crispy, and full of flavor. Plus, you can make them right at home with only easy ingredients.
While Chick-fil-A nuggets have a unique taste, you can get pretty close with a few tweaks. For example, marinating the chicken in pickle juice before breading can help get that signature flavor.
Can I Air Fry Chicken Nuggets?
Yes, you can! If you have an air fryer at home, feel free to use it for this recipe.
What you can do is follow the recipe except for the frying part because when you are using an air fryer, you won’t need so much oil and no use of pots. Place the nuggets into the air fryer basket in a single layer, spray a little oil, and then air fry. Flip the chicken nuggets all the way through to cook evenly.
Dipping Sauces For Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Tenders
While eating chicken nuggets or chicken tenders alone is already perfect, it will be better to serve with your favorite dipping sauces like smoky BBQ sauce, orange sauce, or my favorite buffalo ranch sauce.
How To Make Chicken Nuggets Recipe
Super simple and easy to make, I have prepared a step-by-step process with all the ingredients needed for this chicken nugget recipe. I also prepared a video for you if you want quick instructions on how to make it.
Kitchen Gadgets:
- Mixing Bowls: Prepare at least two mixing bowls for the breading and for the coated chicken pieces.
- Tongs: Use tongs or long tweezers to coat each of the chicken pieces and also to fry them in hot oil.
- Frying Pan: Look for a frying pan with a non-stick surface and a good depth to hold enough oil for deep frying.
- Strainer: A strainer or slotted spoon is handy for removing the chicken nuggets from the hot oil and draining off any excess oil.
Ingredients:
- Chicken Breasts: Look for fresh, boneless, skinless chicken breasts at your local grocery store or butcher. The fresh ones always stay juicy and are also best for crunchy results.
- Eggs: Use eggs as the binding agent for the coating of these chicken nuggets. Eggs are used for the breadcrumb mixture to stick to the chicken.
- Baking Powder: Use a baking powder for the dry coating or breading of these chicken bites.
- Onion Powder: A homemade onion powder is always better than the store-bought ones. You can easily make one by grinding onion flakes until they turn into powder.
- Whey Protein: This might be a surprising addition, but whey protein helps create an extra crunchy coating for your chicken nuggets.
- Smoked Paprika Spice: A little addition of paprika spice gives a warm, slightly sweet flavor to the seasoned breading mixture.
- Granulated Garlic: If you do not have garlic powder at home, using granulated garlic is perfectly okay. This spice will add a savory flavor to the mixture the same way as garlic powder does.
- Salt and Pepper: Complete seasoning the breading by adding a pinch of salt and black pepper.
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
FULL INSTRUCTIONS WITH STEPS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE CHICKEN NUGGETS
First Step: Prepare All Ingredients
Prepare all the ingredients needed. Start by cleaning and cutting the chicken into small chicken chunks. Break two eggs and set aside together with all the spices and coating ingredients. I have picked my own seasonings for my desired flavor but you can use any spices you like.
Second Step: Prepare The Coating
In two separate mixing bowls, beat the eggs and add all the spices. Mix the dry coating with a whisk until fully combined. Make sure that you separate the wet and dry ingredients for easy coating later on.
Third Step: Coat the Chicken
Set up your breading section with both the beaten eggs and dry coating mixture. Coat the pieces of chicken by soaking the chicken into the eggs first and then toss into the bread crumbs mixture until all are fully coated. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Set aside on a baking sheet with parchment paper or kitchen paper towel on top once the chicken is all coated.
While doing this process, start heating the oil.
Fourth Step: Fry The Chicken Nuggets
Once the pan is ready, place the chicken into the hot oil and start deep frying.
Deep fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through.
Fifth Step: Drain Excess Oil
Using a strainer, check if the chicken is cooked and take them off the pan. Drain the excess oil and place the chicken nuggets on a plate with a paper towel.
Once they are drained, serve and eat with your favorite dipping sauces.
TRICKS AND TIPS FOR MAKING FRIED BEST CHICKEN NUGGETS:
- Chicken – you can use any chicken meat for this chicken nugget recipe. If chicken breasts are not available, you can use boneless chicken thighs without the skin as they are also tender and tasty.
- Overcrowding – fry the chicken nuggets in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan since it lowers the oil temperature and can result in soggy nuggets.
- Flour – instead of using high carbs flour like all purpose flour, use substitutes like whey protein or almond meal.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is This Recipe The Same As Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets?
No. This recipe is different from air-fried or baked chicken nuggets because the process is deep frying. Although air frying and deep frying are both different things, both can give the same crispy nuggets result.
If you use the air fryer for cooking chicken nuggets, you won’t need much oil because you will only need a few sprays once the coated chickens are on the air fryer baskets. It is a great method of frying anything as it is easy to use and very convenient.
What to Serve With Chicken Nuggets?
Serve these chicken nuggets with side dishes like salad with blue cheese dressing, dried cucumbers, pickled daikon radish, and gluten-free pretzels for a complete side dishes platter. If you want to eat these chicken nuggets as a snack, you can have them with homemade iced drinks like cranberry juice or iced tea.
How Do I Store These Chicken Nuggets?
Transfer them into an airtight container or any container you have at home and store them in the refrigerator for a few days. You can also freeze them if you like since it is also a great way to keep the nuggets for a longer time. Just make sure to place them in a freezer-safe container or a resealable bag.
The best way to reheat these chicken nuggets is by using an oven. Simply preheat the oven, place the frozen chicken nuggets on a baking sheet with parchment paper, and bake them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are heated through and crispy.
More Recipes For Snack Time
If you keep on running out of ideas on what to have on your snack time, do not worry because we have more snack recipes here aside from this chicken nuggets recipe.
We have eggs and feta casserole, which is a simple yet flavorful dish that’s perfect for any meal of the day.
Try this dehydrated chicken chip jerky that became one of my favorite chicken snacks aside from it being a great pantry staple. Our chicken strips, crispy rutabaga fries and baked radish chips can also be your new go-to snacks as they are way healthier than the normal fries and chips. A cream cheese sausage ball is also an option for you.
For a sweet snack that can contrast your savory side dishes, these dehydrated cranberries are the best to serve.
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Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe
Equipment
- Tongs
- 1 Strainer
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Breasts
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1/2 Cup Whey Protein
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic
- 2 Teaspoons Black Pepper
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
Video
Instructions
- Prepare all the ingredients needed. Start by cleaning and cutting the chicken into small chicken chunks. Break two eggs and set aside together with all the spices and coating ingredients. I have picked my own seasonings for my desired flavor but you can use any spices you like.
- In two separate mixing bowls, beat the eggs and add all the spices. Mix the dry coating with a whisk until fully combined. Make sure that you separate the wet and dry ingredients for easy coating later on.
- Set up your breading section with both the beaten eggs and dry coating mixture. Coat the pieces of chicken by soaking the chicken into the eggs first and then toss into the bread crumbs mixture until all are fully coated. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside on a baking sheet with parchment paper or kitchen paper towel on top once the chicken is all coated. While doing this process, start heating the oil.
- Once the pan is ready, place the chicken into the hot oil and start deep frying. Deep fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through.
- Using a strainer, check if the chicken is cooked and take them off the pan. Drain the excess oil and place the chicken nuggets on a plate with a paper towel. Once they are drained, serve and eat with your favorite dipping sauces.
Notes
- Chicken – you can use any chicken meat for this chicken nugget recipe. If chicken breasts are not available, you can use boneless chicken thighs without the skin as they are also tender and tasty.
- Overcrowding – fry the chicken nuggets in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan since it lowers the oil temperature and can result in soggy nuggets.
- Flour – instead of using high carbs flour like all purpose flour, use substitutes like whey protein or almond meal.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
Extra Snack Recipes
Just incase you are interested, here are some great recipes for snacking.
