Homemade Chicken Nuggets
These homemade nuggets are made from whole pieces of chicken breast, marinated for a tender, juicy finish, and coated in a light, crispy breading that fries up golden and crunchy.
Servings servings
Equipment
- Skimmer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup dill pickle juice
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 10 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 ½ cups unseasoned panko bread crumbs
- Peanut oil or other oil with a very high smoke point like canola, although canola can impart a fishy flavor when cooked at very high temperatures
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. In a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, combine pickle juice, buttermilk, and about 10 dashes of Tabasco sauce. Add the chicken and seal the bag, then refrigerate it for 1-4 hours.
Bread and Fry
- When ready to cook, whisk together 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, the flour, baking soda, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the egg whites and water. Add the bread crumbs to a third shallow bowl.
- Begin heating about 2 inches of peanut oil in a heavy pot fitted with a candy or deep fry thermometer.
- Place a handful of chicken pieces into the flour and toss to coat (you can also coat them all at once by combining the chicken and the flour mixture in a large Ziploc bag and shaking to coat). Roll the chicken in the egg whites, then roll to coat in the Panko. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
- Preheat oven to the lowest setting and place a baking sheet or oven-safe serving dish in there to warm up.
- When the oil reaches 350℉ degrees, place 1/3-1/2 of the coated chicken pieces in the pan and cook, stirring gently and frequently, until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes; use an instant read thermometer to check them if you’re nervous; the nuggets should be at least 165°F in the center). Place the cooked chicken in the heated oven (if you don't want to eat in batches) and repeat with the remaining chicken. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Don't over-crowd your pan. Putting too many chicken nuggets in at once will result in a quick drop in the temperature of your oil. When the oil temperature is too low, it results in soggy breading.
- These nuggets are best enjoyed fresh! If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 2-3 days for best results.
- Reheat in the air fryer (preheat to 375℉ and heat for 3-5 minutes) or oven (preheat to 400℉ and bake for 8-12 minutes) to restore crispiness.
Nutrition
Calories: 390kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 76mg, Sodium: 1227mg, Potassium: 569mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 250IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 2mg
Calories: 390kcal
Cost: $10
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