Chicken Nuggets are a crispy, crunchy, and juicy fast food chain-style appetizer dish. It is usually made of chicken breast or thighs, basic Italian seasoning ingredients, eggs, and breading mixture.
These Homemade Chicken Nuggets are one of the easy and best-fried chicken recipes that deliver a crispy outer and juicy flavorful interior. You can serve it as a snack with your favorite dipping sauces, or for lunch and dinner. To serve it as a complete meal, pair it with pasta dishes, roasted and baked vegetables, coleslaw, french fries, or mac n cheese.
The recipe I have shared here shows you how to make Chicken Nuggets with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home. I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe below to make the cooking process visually clear.
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What are Chicken Nuggets?
Chicken Nuggets is a crispy, crunchy, and juicy fast-food chain food popular across the globe. It is usually made with chicken breast or minced chicken, eggs, basic seasonings, breading flour mixture, or batter. The seasoned chicken mixture is usually shaped into bite-size nuggets, breaded, and fried in oil at the perfect temperature.
These chicken Nuggets are one of the signature dishes of popular fast-food chains like Mcdonald's, KFC, Popeyes, Jack in the Box, Wendy's, and similar others. Even though each fast food chain has its secret ingredients and cooking technique, making them at home is not that tricky at all.
Especially, homemade chicken nuggets are much healthier than store-bought ones because you know what goes in. You have full control over your spices, what oil to choose and what chicken parts, and a lot more.
Following some simple tips and tricks will help you to make the best and crispy Chicken Nuggets at home easily. Whether you are planning to delight your kids or planning a party dinner, this homemade version comes in super handy. So without delay, let's jump into the process.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make these Homemade Chicken Nuggets are simple pantry-available seasonings and flours. All the ingredients could be easily available in most grocery stores around. You can also customize the seasonings when you get ahold of the recipe. So let's see what are they below.
- Chicken - You can use either chicken breast or thighs which works perfectly fine for this recipe. You can chop them into bite-size pieces or ground them in a food processor
- For Breading - All-purpose flour and cornstarch to coat the chicken. You can also use panko breadcrumb in the flour mixture. But here I added the breadcrumb along with other seasonings to the ground chicken
- Seasoning Spices - basic spices such as garlic, ginger, onion, black pepper powder, and paprika. I have also used a little bit of cayenne pepper and Italian mixed herbs which is an optional ingredient
- Egg - Helps to keep the chicken soft and moist and also keeps the seasonings intact. but if you don't want to use eggs then feel free to substitute them with buttermilk
- Oil - Any neutral-tasting oil like canola oil, or vegetable oil. You can also use olive, safflower, rice bran, and avocado oil to make the dish healthier
For a detailed ingredients list, please check out the recipe card below
How to make Chicken Nuggets?
The recipe I have shared here is Homemade Chicken Nuggets, a popular fast food chain favorite for kids and adults. The recipe for making Chicken Nuggets involves, seasoning the minced chicken, dipping the shaped chicken in beaten eggs, flour coating, and frying them at a perfect temperature.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this recipe but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and video, please check out the recipe card below.
- Prep Breading Mixture - In a tray, add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, mixed Italian herb, and salt. Combine everything well and reserve it for later use. (Note: You could skip the Italian herbs if you really don't want the flavor of it)
- Beat the Eggs - In a bowl, crack open the eggs and beat well and keep them aside
- Season the Chicken -Now in a bowl, add the minced chicken, onion, ginger, garlic and black pepper powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and panko breadcrumb. Mix well until everything is combined
- Shape - Now take a bite-size seasoned chicken mixture and shape it into a small nugget shape
- Dip & Coat - Dip it in the beaten egg and then coat it in the flour mixture. Make sure to remove the excess flour. Repeat the same process for the remaining chicken mixture
- Fry - Now in a pan with medium heat oil add the chicken nuggets one by one without overcrowding the pan. Fry the chicken until both sides turn golden in color approximately for 4 to 5 minutes
- Remove and Enjoy - Remove the fried chicken nuggets from the oil and now the crispy Chicken Nuggets are ready for you to taste and enjoy
Tips
- Breading - Breading plays an important role in achieving a crispy exterior, so I would recommend adding the correct ratio of all-purpose flour to cornstarch and other seasonings without compromising. Usually, you can use a 1:¼ ratio of flour to cornstarch for the perfect exterior
- Chicken - Here the recipe I have shared is made with ground or minced chicken. Usually, chicken thighs deliver the best juicy and soft texture. Even though you can buy minced chicken from stores, it is also easy to ground the boneless and skinless thighs and breasts in the food processor at home. As you know many store-bought ones may contain preservatives it is always best to make them fresh at home. So if you are not on a time crunch feel free to make your own minced chicken to make the recipe healthier
- Seasoning - I have used basic pantry seasoning ingredients here to season the chicken and breading mixture. I also added a minimal amount of cayenne pepper for a slight heat. However, you can feel free to skip it. Also, I seasoned the flour and chicken with some Italian mixed herbs which are also optional. If you really don't want the flavor of the herbs you can skip that too
- Frying Temperature - The temperature of oil also plays a big factor in achieving crispy yet juicy well cooked chicken nuggets. I recommend the oil reach the medium heat temperature that is it should range from 350°F to 375°F before adding the chicken. Then fry nuggets for about 4 to 5 minutes until it turns golden in color
- Extra crispiness - I have added the panko to minced chicken along with seating here but You add the breadcrumb to the flour mixture instead for extra crispiness. You can also add ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese to the flour mixture for a super crispy exterior like our Chicken Parmesan
- Substitute for Egg - For some reason, if you don't want egg in the recipe, you can also dip the chicken in buttermilk for similar results
Troubleshooting
Hard or Rubbery Chicken Nuggets
- Do Not Rest After Breading - Always make sure not to rest the chicken once it is coated with flour mixture. I recommend dipping it in the egg, coating the chicken with flour, shaking it off, and immediately adding it to the oil. By doing this you can achieve a crispy and crunchy exterior. If you rest the chicken after flour coating the moisture from the chicken and egg absorbs the flour which will deliver a hard exterior once it is fried
- Over Cooking - Overcooking the chicken for longer than the recommended time will result in overcooked, hard, and rubbery nuggets. So it is important to fry the chicken at the perfect temperature for the perfect time range
Burned Exterior or Taste
- Shake the Excess Flour - Always make sure to shake off the excess flour before adding the chicken to the oil. If you add the chicken without shaking the flour then the oil will be filled with flour and burn during the frying process. Eventually, the oil becomes darker and also renders the burnt taste to chicken nuggets
- Do not Fry in High Heat - Frying the chicken in high heat temperature burns the exterior and also results in an uncooked interior
Do I need to make batter for Chicken Nuggets?
Even though the recipe shared here uses dry flour coating, you can also make batter to make Chicken Nuggets. To make the batter, flour seasoning remains the same as mentioned in the recipe card, and gradually pour water to make a smooth batter.
You can also add ¼ tsp of a leavening agent like baking soda to the flour before adding water. This will help to achieve an airy and crunchy exterior for the Chicken Nuggets. Once the batter is ready, dip the chicken in egg, then coat it with batter, and then fry to golden.
Can I use Chicken Breast for making this recipe?
Yes, chicken breast also works fine for this recipe. If you are planning to make nuggets using breast pieces, then I recommend cutting them into small bite sizes. You can directly season the breast pieces, dip them in egg, and then flour coat and fry according to the instruction.
Storage Suggestions
I would suggest serving these Homemade Chicken Nuggets as soon as it is out of oil to enjoy the crispy and crunchy texture. But it also stays good in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a closed container.
Chicken Nuggets also freeze well for up to a month. To freeze, allow the nuggets to cool completely, arrange them in the tray and freeze for 30 to 40 minutes until they are firm. Then transfer them into ziplock bags and then store them in the freezer for future use.
For best results, reheat them in the oven or air fryer before serving. And you don't need to defrost the frozen ones before reheating them.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these Homemade Chicken Nuggets warm with french fries, ketchup, mayonnaise, chili sauce or with your favorite dipping sauces as a snack or appetizer. You can also serve it with classic Mac n Cheese, roasted vegetables, baked potatoes, roasted green beans, roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, or honey-glazed carrots. Nuggets can also be paired with different pasta recipes like white sauce pasta, fettuccine alfredo pasta, garlic parmesan pasta, or other side dishes of your choice.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar fried chicken recipes below and more at chicken recipes and starter recipes.
- Popcorn Chicken
- Fried Chicken
- Oven Fried Chicken
- Fried Chicken Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Wings
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Chicken Lollipop
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- Chicken Pakora
- Chicken 65
Chicken Nuggets Recipe Video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Chicken Nuggets Recipe below that I hope will help you to make a fast food restaurant-style dish at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Chicken, or chicken breast pieces
- 1½ tsp Paprika, ½ tsp for chicken +1tsp for flour
- 1 tsp Onion powder, ½ tsp for chicken + ½ tsp for flour
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder, ½ tsp for chicken + ½ tsp for flour
- ½ tsp Ginger Powder
- 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper, optional, add it if you like extra spiciness
- ½ tsp Mixed Italian herbs, optional, ¼ tsp for flour + ¼ tsp for chicken
- ¼ cup Cornstarch
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- Salt, ½ tsp for chicken + ½ tsp for breading
- Oil, for frying chicken nuggets
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ cup Panko Breadcrumb, plain or Italian (both works)
Instructions
To make Chicken Nuggets
- In a tray, add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, mixed Italian herb, and salt. Combine everything well and reserve it for later use. (Note: You could skip the Italian herbs if you really don't want the flavor of it)
- In a bowl, crack open the eggs and beat well and keep it aside
- Now in a bowl, add the minced chicken, onion, ginger, garlic and black pepper powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and panko breadcrumb. Mix well until everything is combined
- Now take a bite-size seasoned chicken mixture and shape it into a small nugget
- Dip it in the beaten egg and then coat it in the flour mixture. Make sure to remove the excess flour. Repeat the same process for the remaining chicken mixture
- Now in a pan with medium heat oil add the chicken nuggets one by one without overcrowding the pan
- Fry the chicken until both sides turn golden in color
- Remove the fried chicken nuggets from the oil and now the crispy Chicken Nuggets are ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve these Homemade Chicken Nuggets with ketchup, mayonnaise, or with your favorite dipping sauces as a snack or appetizer. You can also serve it with classic Mac n Cheese, roasted vegetables, baked potatoes, roasted green beans, or other sides of your choice
Video
Notes
- Breading - Breading plays an important role in achieving a crispy exterior, so I would recommend adding the correct ratio of all-purpose flour to cornstarch and other seasonings without compromising. Usually, you can use a 1:¼ ratio of flour to cornstarch for the perfect exterior
- Chicken - Here the recipe I have shared is made with ground or minced chicken. Usually, chicken thighs deliver the best juicy and soft texture. Even though you can buy minced chicken from stores, it is also easy to ground the boneless and skinless thighs and breasts in the food processor at home. As you know many store-bought ones may contain preservatives it is always best to make them fresh at home. So if you are not on a time crunch feel free to make your own minced chicken to make the recipe healthier
- Seasoning - I have used basic pantry seasoning ingredients here to season the chicken and breading mixture. I also added a minimal amount of cayenne pepper for a slight heat. However, you can feel free to skip it. Also, I seasoned the flour and chicken with some Italian mixed herbs which are also optional. If you really don't want the flavor of the herbs you can skip that too
- Frying Temperature - The temperature of oil also plays a big factor in achieving crispy yet juicy well cooked chicken nuggets. I recommend the oil reach the medium heat temperature that is it should range from 350°F to 375°F before adding the chicken. Then fry nuggets for about 4 to 5 minutes until it turns golden in color
- Extra crispiness - I have added the panko to minced chicken along with seating here but You add the breadcrumb to the flour mixture instead for extra crispiness. You can also add ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese to the flour mixture for a super crispy exterior like our Chicken Parmesan
- Substitute for Egg - For some reason, if you don't want egg in the recipe, you can also dip the chicken in buttermilk for similar results
Nutrition
FAQ
Chicken Nuggets is a crispy, crunchy, and juicy fast-food chain food popular across the globe. It is usually made with chicken breast or minced chicken, eggs, basic seasonings, breading flour mixture, or batter. The seasoned chicken mixture is usually shaped into bite-size nuggets, breaded, and fried in oil at the perfect temperature.
It is usually made of chicken breast or thighs, basic seasoning ingredients, eggs, and breading mixture.
Even though the recipe shared here uses dry flour coating, you can also make batter to make Chicken Nuggets. To make the batter, flour seasoning remains the same as mentioned in the recipe card, and gradually pour water to make a smooth batter.
You can also add ¼ tsp of a leavening agent like baking soda to the flour before adding water. This will help to achieve an airy and crunchy exterior for the Chicken Nuggets. Once the batter is ready, dip the chicken in egg, then coat it with batter, and then fry to golden.
No, it is not a healthy dish as it is deep-fried in oil. So if you want to make them healthier, you can bake them in the oven instead of frying them.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe I shared here and I would love to hear from you about how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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