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Let’s be real, even when we were kids, the smell of fries and chicken nuggets was an exciting treat to get from that well-known fast food chain. But as a mom now, I’ve become more cautious about the fast food “treats” I give my kids. I also now have a better understanding of why my dad was hesitant (and not always thrilled) to get them for us.

The claim that they’re truly all white meat with just seasonings and no preservatives has me a bit skeptical. So I decided to take my kids’ favorite fast food choice and turn it into something homemade I can whip up virtually anytime. The nuggets themselves can be made ahead of time, making them a convenient option for busy weeknights.

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CHICKEN NUGGET DETAILS

I wanted this recipe to be a manageable amount of nuggets, just enough for everyone to enjoy. That’s why I chose to use only one pound of chicken, unlike some of the larger recipes I’ve seen.

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

Here’s what you need to make the chicken nuggets.

Image of the chicken broth, chicken breast (cut into pieces), and spices used for the Chicken nuggets

boneless skinless chicken breasts: I chose this over ground chicken, so I truly want to know what’s in your chicken nuggets. There two ways to grind the meat.
1. use a meat grinder attachment on your KitchenAid Stand Mixer to grind boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of purchasing ground chicken.
2. use your food processor to grind the chicken breasts, seasonings, and breadcrumbs together.
breadcrumbs: The breadcrumbs soak up the milk to create that signature soft meatball. I chose panko because of the surface area. You actually use slightly fewer breadcrumbs vs measuring the same amount of traditional breadcrumbs, creating a much softer, less dense nugget.
bone broth: brings moisture and flavor to the chicken nuggets
eggs: the binder for these meatballs.
garlic and onion powder: I love the flavor both of these add to the chicken.
paprika: The paprika adds a subtle earthiness, with a sweet and peppery taste to the chicken
salt and pepper add and bring out flavor.

SUBSTITUTIONS/SUGGESTIONS

Here are a couple of simple switches you can make.

Ground chicken can be used instead of grinding your own chicken. Just know that the ground chicken from the store can sometimes have dark and white meat (it’s usually the scrapes from de-boning the pieces), and in some cases, it has skin in it for a little fay and flavor.
Breadcumbs can be used instead of panko.
Gourmend Chive and Garlic Scape Powder can be used instead of onion and garlic powder

CREATING THE NUGGET

Making chicken nuggets might take a bit of time, but don’t worry, it’s not too hard. Bonus!!! You can even prepare some of these steps ahead of time and have them ready to fry in the middle of the week. Let’s get started!

First, grab a medium-small bowl and mix the ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, chicken bone broth, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir with a silicone spatula until everything is smooth and thick, like a paste.

Or, an easier option, use a food processor to grind the chicken breasts with these ingredients until they’re well combined and have that perfect paste consistency.

JENN’S TIP

Don’t over-mix the meat. You want to ensure everything is scattered and mixed in but then stop. Otherwise, you’re going to have very tough meatballs.
To help avoid over-mixing, You can also do everything in a food processor.

Next, use a one-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the meat mixture. Place the scoops on a silicone mat-lined baking sheet or plate.

finished nuggets on a platter with honey mustard sauce

Chicken nugget mixture finished in a food processor

Once you’ve scooped everything, wet your hands and gently shape each portion into a flattened nugget. Set them aside on a parchment-lined sheet pan and repeat until all the chicken mixture is shaped into nuggets.

Using a cookie cutter can be a helpful and fun way to shape your nuggets. Check out my post, Fun & Easy Burger Patties for details.

close up of My daughter MJ making chicken nuggets with a heart-shaped cookie cutter

heart-shaped chicken nuggets before being fried

While you’re preparing the beer batter, pop the nuggets in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes. This will help them hold their shape when you fry them.

completed. chicken nuggets on baking sheet

Make the beer batter according to the directions.

JENN’S TIP

You want a thin light coating, so the batter should be like a thin pancake batter, so you may end up using more liquid than according to the directions.

image of batter after mixed, it should be a thin pancake batter consistency

FRYING THE NUGGETS

Now, let’s fry! Fill a frying pan with oil, making sure it’s about ¼ to ½ inch deep. Heat the oil to medium-high until it shimmers, reaching around 350°F. The Thermoworks Industrial IR Gun works great for this.

Carefully dip the chilled nuggets into the beer batter using a fork, ensuring they’re completely covered. Gently lower 3 to 4 nuggets into the hot oil. It’s important to fry only a few nuggets at a time to prevent the oil from cooling too quickly and ending up with soggy, greasy chicken nuggets vs. nice, cooked, and crisp nuggets. Cook them for 3-4 minutes per side, turning once to achieve that golden brown color.

Transfer them to a towel-lined plate or a cooling rack on a baking sheet to drain and cool.

COOKING WITH KIDS

DISCLOSURE: Please keep in mind that the following tips are general and are meant to be suggestive. I personally use these strategies with my own kids, who are all unique even within my own family of five. Therefore, please regard these as suggestions or ideas. If you feel that your child requires more or less assistance, then go with what you and your child are comfortable with. Ultimately, you know your child best.

Ingredient measuring
Mixing everything (together). I recommend using food-safe gloves for this instead of trying to use a spatula.
Scooping and shaping the nuggets.

My daughter MJ making chicken nuggets with a heart-shaped cookie cutter — Here is a picture of my daughter, MJ, making heart-shaped chicken nuggets with a cookie cutter for Valentine’s Day.

STORAGE DETAILS

Store the chicken nuggets in the refrigerator for a maximum of four days. To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F and bake the nuggets for 10-15 minutes until they achieve a crispy texture and are heated through.

Cooked chicken nuggets can be frozen for up to three months. To reheat, preheat your oven to 400°F and bake the nuggets for 18-20 minutes until they achieve a crispy texture and are heated through.

Uncoated, raw chicken nuggets can be frozen for up to three months. Before frying, defrost the nuggets in the refrigerator. After defrosting, proceed with the frying instructions as outlined.

PERFECT PAIRINGS

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

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This homemade Chicken Nuggets recipe is a comforting treat. It’s soft and tender with a crispy golden-brown exterior. This recipe uses white meat chicken breast blended with a perfect spice blend and no fillers or preservatives.

Total Time: 1 hour + 10 minutes
Yield: 33 nuggets 1x

Instructions

THE NUGGETS

In a medium-small bowl, combine the ground chicken panko breadcrumbs, chicken bone broth, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until the mixture achieves a smooth, thick paste-like consistency.
- Alternatively, use a food processor to grind the chicken breasts with the panko breadcrumbs, chicken bone broth, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined and the mixture has a smooth, thick paste-like consistency.
Using a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the meat mixture and arrange the scoops on a baking sheet or plate. Once all are scooped, dip your hands in water and gently shape each portion into a flattened nugget form of your choice, then set aside on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Repeat until all of the chicken mixture has been shaped into nuggets.
Chill them in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes (roughly the time it should take you to prepare the beer batter).
Make the homemade beer batter (or store bought)
When ready to fry, fill a frying pan to about ¼ to ½ inch deep with oil. Heat the oil to medium-high until it shimmers (or when it reaches 350°F).
Using a fork, carefully dip the chilled chicken nuggets into the beer batter, ensuring they are completely covered.
Gently lower 3 to 4 of the chilled nuggets into the hot oil. Allow the nuggets to cook for 3-4 minutes per side, turning once to ensure all sides are cooked and turn golden brown. Transfer them to a towel-lined plate or a cooling rack lined on a baking sheet to drain and cool.
Serve the nuggets warm with your favorite dipping sauces:

THE BATTER

Make the beer batter according to the directions.

Equipment

Le Creuset 6.75 qt. Enameled Cast Iron

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Mora Ceramics Small Mixing Bowls Set of 2 – 2.5 & 1.6 Qt (Vanilla White)

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Stainless Steel Baking Sheet Set with Silicone Mats and Cooling Racks (Set of 9)

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Swify Spider Strainer (Set of 3)

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Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS

1:1 ratio Panko to Plain Breadcrumbs can be used.
1:1 ratio chicken bone broth to Vegetable Broth (Use Code: JENNSMITH15 to 15% off at Gourmend)
1:1 ratio boneless skinless chicken breast to ground chicken

STORAGE

Store chicken nuggets in the fridge for 4 days. To reheat, preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 10-15 minutes until crispy and heated.
Cooked nuggets can be frozen for 3 months. Reheat at 400°F for 18-20 minutes until crispy and heated.
Uncoated, raw nuggets can be frozen for 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before frying. Follow frying instructions (#3-8 in cooking instructions)

Author: Jenn Giam Smith
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Freezing Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: lunch, dinner, moderate recipe
Method: frying
Cuisine: American