Crispy Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Crispy Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
For the Chicken Mixture
- 1 pound chicken breast, or ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
For the Dredge
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the Wet Batter
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups club soda, very cold, or ice-cold water
For Frying
- 2 cups oil, for frying, amount may vary depending on pan
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken mixture. If using chicken breast, cut it into chunks and pulse in a food processor until finely ground. If using ground chicken, simply place it directly into a mixing bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Season the chicken. Add the egg, kosher salt, white pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the chicken mixture. Mix until fully combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Form the nuggets. Keep a small bowl of water nearby and wet your hands to prevent sticking. Shape the chicken mixture into small, nugget-sized pieces and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Freeze the nuggets. Place the tray with the shaped nuggets into the freezer for 1 to 2 hours, or until they are firm.
⏱️ 120 min
- 5
Prepare the dredge and batter. Place the 1 cup of all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl for dredging. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, black pepper, and salt for the wet batter. Slowly add the 2 cups of very cold club soda or ice-cold water to the dry ingredients, whisking until the batter is smooth.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Heat the oil. In a deep pan or skillet, heat the oil to 350°F.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 7
Coat the nuggets. Lightly coat the frozen nuggets in the flour dredge, ensuring they are fully covered. Then, dip each dredged nugget into the wet batter, allowing any excess batter to drip off.
⏱️ 10 min
- 8
Fry the nuggets. Carefully place the coated nuggets into the hot oil. Fry for 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 9
Drain and serve. Remove the fried nuggets from the oil and place them on a wire rack or paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Crispy Homemade Chicken Nuggets
For the Chicken Mixture
- 1 pound chicken breast, or ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
For the Dredge
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the Wet Batter
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups club soda, very cold, or ice-cold water
For Frying
- 2 cups oil, for frying, amount may vary depending on pan
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken mixture. If using chicken breast, cut it into chunks and pulse in a food processor until finely ground. If using ground chicken, simply place it directly into a mixing bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Season the chicken. Add the egg, kosher salt, white pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the chicken mixture. Mix until fully combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Form the nuggets. Keep a small bowl of water nearby and wet your hands to prevent sticking. Shape the chicken mixture into small, nugget-sized pieces and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Freeze the nuggets. Place the tray with the shaped nuggets into the freezer for 1 to 2 hours, or until they are firm.
⏱️ 120 min - 5
Prepare the dredge and batter. Place the 1 cup of all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl for dredging. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, black pepper, and salt for the wet batter. Slowly add the 2 cups of very cold club soda or ice-cold water to the dry ingredients, whisking until the batter is smooth.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Heat the oil. In a deep pan or skillet, heat the oil to 350°F.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 7
Coat the nuggets. Lightly coat the frozen nuggets in the flour dredge, ensuring they are fully covered. Then, dip each dredged nugget into the wet batter, allowing any excess batter to drip off.
⏱️ 10 min - 8
Fry the nuggets. Carefully place the coated nuggets into the hot oil. Fry for 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Drain and serve. Remove the fried nuggets from the oil and place them on a wire rack or paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces.
⏱️ 5 min