Description
These homemade Chick-fil-A nuggets are crispy, juicy, and packed with flavor. Coated in a seasoned breading and fried to golden perfection, they taste just like the real deal!
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Chicken Marinade:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup dill pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional, for a spicy kick)
- For the Breading:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for spice)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- For Frying:
- 2 cups peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- For the Dipping Sauce (optional):
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces with pickle juice and hot sauce (if using). Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1-2 hours.
- In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, and baking powder.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each piece of chicken in the seasoned flour mixture, making sure each nugget is fully coated.
- Heat the peanut oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. The oil should be about 350°F (175°C). You can test the oil by dropping in a small piece of bread; if it browns in about 1 minute, the oil is ready.
- Carefully add the chicken nuggets to the hot oil in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the nuggets from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- While the nuggets are frying, you can prepare the dipping sauce by whisking together the mayonnaise, honey, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
- Serve the crispy chicken nuggets with the dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy hot!
Notes
- For a lighter version, you can bake the nuggets in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- If you prefer to make a larger batch, you can keep the cooked nuggets warm in the oven at 200°F (90°C) while frying the remaining batches.
- These nuggets can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for crispy results.
- For extra flavor, add a splash of pickle juice to the dipping sauce!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3-4 nuggets
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg