Copycat Chick-fil-A™ Nuggets

Name: Copycat Chick-fil-A™ Nuggets
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1-ounce chunks; 1/2 cup dill pickle juice; 2 large eggs; 1 cup milk; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons seasoned salt; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 tablespoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon paprika; 2 quarts neutral oil, for frying; 1/2 cup Dijon mustard; 1/4 cup honey

Save Recipe

Prep 30 min
Total 60 min
Servings 4

Save
Print
Pinterest
Facebook
Email

Ready to make?

Save
Share
Keep Screen On

Drive-thru dupe! A tried-and-true homemade version of the popular nuggets.

by: Macheesmo

Updated Oct 4, 2017

Ingredients

Nuggets

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1-ounce chunks
1/2 cup dill pickle juice
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 quarts neutral oil, for frying

Honey Mustard Sauce

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey

Steps

1

Cut chicken into 1-ounce chunks. You should get about 24 pieces. Add chicken to a bowl with pickle juice and let marinate for at least 20 minutes.
2

Preheat oil to 350°F in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan. In one bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. In a second bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
3

Drain chicken well and pat dry with a few paper towels. To coat nuggets, dredge each piece in the dry ingredients, then the egg mixture, then again back in dry ingredients so there is a nice crust on nuggets. Place nuggets on a baking rack and repeat until all pieces are breaded.
4

Fry nuggets in batches for 6-7 minutes until they are golden brown and cooked through. Test a larger piece by cutting it in half to make sure they are cooked through.
5

Remove nuggets from fry oil and drain on a few paper towels. Serve while warm with honey mustard sauce and waffle fries.

Expert Tips

tip 1
If you want to make these nuggets in advance, reheat them in a 300°F oven on a baking sheet for 5-6 minutes.

Nutrition Information

730 Calories, 26g Total Fat, 52g Protein, 73g Total Carbohydrate, 22g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 730

Calories from Fat: 230

Total Fat: 26g; 39%

Saturated Fat: 6g; 29%

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 205mg; 68%

Sodium: 2980mg; 124%

Potassium: 630mg; 18%

Total Carbohydrate: 73g; 24%

Dietary Fiber: 4g; 16%

Sugars: 22g

Protein: 52g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 30%; 30%

Vitamin C: 0%; 0%

Calcium: 15%; 15%

Iron: 35%; 35%

Exchanges:

4 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 1/2 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 5 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 3 1/2 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choice

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

It’s dangerously easy, folks. Almost every fast food place has some version of nuggets on their menu. Some are better than others. In my humble opinion, I think Chick-fil-A™ does a great job with theirs. Of course, if it’s Sunday and you’re craving them, you are out of luck! Until now. Because now you can just make them at home. Don’t forget the waffle fries! I don’t know this for a fact, but it seems like they must brine their nuggets or something. They are always nicely seasoned and really juicy. This might sound crazy (okay… it definitely does), but pickle juice is the way to get that Chick-fil-A brined flavor! Serve these tasty nuggets with that delicious honey mustard and some crispy waffle fries.

Trademarks referred to herein are the properties of their respective owners.