Homemade McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets
Homemade McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
For the Chicken Nuggets
- 1 pound chicken, consisting of 1 chicken thigh and the rest chicken tenders, tendons removed
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons adobo all-purpose seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Accent, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
For the Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 2 1/2 teaspoons adobo seasoning, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
- 1 egg
- 1 1/3 cups club soda
For the Chick-fil-A Style Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, or to taste
- 1/4 cup honey BBQ sauce, Sweet Baby Ray's brand recommended, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, or to taste
Other
- 4 cups frying oil, such as vegetable or canola oil, as needed for deep frying
Instructions
- 1
Place the cleaned chicken (1 chicken thigh and the rest chicken tenders, with tendons removed) into a small food processor. Process the chicken until it forms a finely ground mixture.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Transfer the ground chicken to a mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons adobo all-purpose seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Accent (optional), and 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly into the ground chicken using gloved hands until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
To prevent sticking, wet your hands or gloves. Take portions of the seasoned chicken mixture and form them into small, flat, irregular nugget shapes. Place the formed nuggets onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Place the baking sheet with the formed chicken nuggets into the freezer for 30 minutes.
- 5
While the nuggets are freezing, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, honey BBQ sauce, yellow mustard, and honey. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together until they are well combined and smooth, achieving a consistent color. Adjust quantities to taste.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
In a separate mixing bowl, add 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 1/2 teaspoons adobo seasoning, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
To the dry batter mixture, add 1 1/3 cups club soda and 1 egg. Whisk the ingredients until a smooth, consistent batter forms.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Heat frying oil in a deep pan or Dutch oven to 350°F.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 9
Take the frozen nuggets from the freezer. Dip each nugget individually into the prepared batter, ensuring it's fully coated. Carefully drop each battered nugget into the hot oil. Fry the nuggets in batches until they are golden brown and thoroughly cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per batch.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 10
Once fried, remove the nuggets from the oil and place them on a wire rack set over paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately with the prepared Chick-fil-A style sauce for dipping.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Homemade McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets
For the Chicken Nuggets
- 1 pound chicken, consisting of 1 chicken thigh and the rest chicken tenders, tendons removed
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons adobo all-purpose seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Accent, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
For the Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 2 1/2 teaspoons adobo seasoning, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
- 1 egg
- 1 1/3 cups club soda
For the Chick-fil-A Style Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, or to taste
- 1/4 cup honey BBQ sauce, Sweet Baby Ray's brand recommended, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, or to taste
Other
- 4 cups frying oil, such as vegetable or canola oil, as needed for deep frying
Instructions
- 1
Place the cleaned chicken (1 chicken thigh and the rest chicken tenders, with tendons removed) into a small food processor. Process the chicken until it forms a finely ground mixture.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Transfer the ground chicken to a mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons adobo all-purpose seasoning, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Accent (optional), and 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly into the ground chicken using gloved hands until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
To prevent sticking, wet your hands or gloves. Take portions of the seasoned chicken mixture and form them into small, flat, irregular nugget shapes. Place the formed nuggets onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Place the baking sheet with the formed chicken nuggets into the freezer for 30 minutes.
- 5
While the nuggets are freezing, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, honey BBQ sauce, yellow mustard, and honey. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together until they are well combined and smooth, achieving a consistent color. Adjust quantities to taste.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
In a separate mixing bowl, add 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 1/2 teaspoons adobo seasoning, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
To the dry batter mixture, add 1 1/3 cups club soda and 1 egg. Whisk the ingredients until a smooth, consistent batter forms.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Heat frying oil in a deep pan or Dutch oven to 350°F.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Take the frozen nuggets from the freezer. Dip each nugget individually into the prepared batter, ensuring it's fully coated. Carefully drop each battered nugget into the hot oil. Fry the nuggets in batches until they are golden brown and thoroughly cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per batch.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 10
Once fried, remove the nuggets from the oil and place them on a wire rack set over paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately with the prepared Chick-fil-A style sauce for dipping.
⏱️ 2 min