You will love these chicken nuggets for everything! Deep fry, air fry or bake them in the oven. They turn out so good – Extra crispy, extra juicy, super flavorful & made from scratch with fresh ingredients. Chicken nuggets are a delicious appetizer that is enjoyed by children and adults, alike. With a light, crisp exterior, juicy & well-seasoned interior, they are popular on restaurant menus. The truth is, you can make them at home quite easily which has the added benefits of being healthier and less expensive.
The traditional process of making chicken nuggets involves dipping seasoned chicken in flour and then in the beaten egg. Lastly breaded with seasoned bread crumbs which are deep fried. Egg is the main ingredient here as it locks the juices in the chicken and keeps them soft even after frying.
However if you want to make super addictive, extremely juicy and tender chicken nuggets then you have to try out with the extra step of brining the chicken. This extra step is worth the effort! If you are in a rush to make them quickly you may skip this step. But nothing beats the brined crispy chicken nuggets!
With this technique and recipe, you can feel confident about serving really tasty chicken nuggets that your family will love.
Pro tips to make best chicken nuggets
This is a key to making thoroughly and well-seasoned chicken nuggets that are super juicy. In this technique, we will use a unique buttermilk brine to make sure that your chicken nuggets are never dry. Your guests will marvel at how tender they are! That is due to the acidity of the buttermilk which actually traps moisture within the chicken and imparts a delicious flavor.
Brining your chicken does require a small bit of prior preparation. A simple, hands-off step that involves soaking your chicken with buttermilk will yield fantastic results. If you have never tried this method before, you will be pleased with the results.
Choosing the Chicken
When making chicken nuggets at home you want to select the best chicken. Chicken breasts will give you the best texture and flavor. By cutting them into uniform pieces, you will be able to cook them rather uniformly.
Choosing the Spices
This is the part that gets a little more creative. At home, we love the combination of garlic powder, garam masala, and paprika/ chilli powder for a burst of flavors. You can take this recipe in a different direction by switching those spices up a bit. Try using Italian seasoning or adding some lemon zest with dried thyme and oregano.
The point here is that once you have mastered the technique of making juicy and crispy chicken nuggets you can put your own spin on it to flavor them. The options are endless!
What Oil Is Best?
When you are deep frying in your home kitchen, you want to choose a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point. Good options for this include vegetable oil or canola oil. Not only do these hold up well at high temperatures, but they will also impart very little flavor to your chicken nuggets, which really lets the taste of the chicken shine.
Which Bread Crumbs are Best?
There are a number of options when it comes to breading your chicken nuggets. Optimally, you can make bread crumbs at home from leftover bread which allows you to control any additives. Prepackaged bread crumbs are also fine, and this is where you have even more options.
You can go with traditional bread crumbs for a finer crust or try panko bread crumbs for something a bit of a lighter and crunchier exterior.
For more chicken recipes, you may like to check
Popcorn chicken
KFC Fried chicken
Chicken burger
Crispy chicken pakora
Chicken manchurian
How to make chicken nuggets
Once you have gathered your ingredients it is time to get started. Begin by preparing your chicken well in advance of when you plan to eat. Since the chicken requires at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours in the brine, plan accordingly. Simply cut your chicken into evenly sized pieces, place them in a bowl with your brine, cover, and refrigerate.
1. I brined it overnight in the refrigerator. To make the brine solution, whisk together ¼ cup yogurt with 1/3 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Then pour 1 ½ cups water and mix. Cut the chicken to 1 inch pieces and add them to the bowl. Chicken looks pale after it is soaked in buttermilk.
2. Once you have brined your chicken for at least 3 hours, remove it from the brine. At this point, season your chicken with your spices, coating them evenly.
3. Next, is the breading procedure. It will help to have three bowls ready: one with egg, another with seasoned flour, and the last with the breadcrumbs. Beat the egg well with a fork. If you want to skip egg you may use the buttermilk brine in place of egg in the recipe.
4. Dredge the chicken nuggets with the flour.
5. Next dip into the egg.
6. And then finally into the breadcrumbs.
7. Continue until all of the chicken has been breaded, allowing the nuggets to sit while you begin heating your oil for frying.
Frying chicken nuggets
8. Heat your oil in a deep pan making sure it is deep enough to accommodate the chicken. When it has reached a temperature of about 350 degrees, begin frying in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pan.
9. Cook until golden brown on one side, then turn nuggets carefully to ensure that both sides are thoroughly cooked. This process will take about 5-7 minutes, depending on size and temperature.
When your chicken nuggets are light golden brown, remove them carefully from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on a paper towel-lined pan to absorb any excess oil. Continue with the remaining chicken until they are done and serve immediately.
Serve chicken nuggets hot with ketchup or a garlic mayo dip.
Air fry or bake chicken nuggets
There are alternate ways of cooking these chicken nuggets for times when you are looking for something perhaps a little healthier. You can successfully air fry the breaded chicken at 400 degrees F or 200 C, for 5-7 minutes per side, turning for even browning.
Alternately, you can bake them in a 400 degree oven for about 18-20 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Serve while still warm and enjoy!
Related Recipes
Recipe card
Chicken nuggets
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 250 grams chicken breast (cubed to 1 to 1¼ inch)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (or wheat flour prefer organic)
- ⅓ teaspoon salt or as needed
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (divided)
- ¾ teaspoon garam masala or 1 teaspoon Italian herbs (divided)
- ¾ teaspoon crushed black pepper or paprika or red chilli powder (divided)
- 1 egg (or use buttermilk)
- ¾ cup bread crumbs
for brine (optional)
- ¼ cup yogurt (plain)
- 1½ cups water
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preparation for chicken nuggets
- Cube the chicken breast to 1 to 1 ¼ inch pieces.
- Brine: (optional) If you wish to go ahead with brine, whisk together yogurt and salt in a bowl until smooth. Pour water and mix well. Add the chicken and brine overnight in the refrigerator or at least for 3 hours. Later drain completely.
- Add ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder, garam masala or Italian herbs and black pepper to the chicken. Also add ⅓ teaspoon salt and mix well.
- Add the rest of the seasonings to a bowl along with the flour. Mix well. (check step by step pictures)
- Break one egg to a bowl and beat it well with a fork. Alternately you may use the brine.
- Transfer the bread crumbs to another bowl. Arrange all the 3 bowls side by side – flour, egg & bread crumbs.
- Dredge chicken in flour and then dip it in egg. Then coat in bread crumbs. Repeat this for all the chicken nuggets. Gently press down each nugget with your fingers so the bread coats it well.
- Rest them for 10 mins. Meanwhile heat oil in a pan for deep frying.
How to make chicken nuggets
- When it has reached a temperature of about 350 degrees F, begin frying in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. If you do not have a thermometer, gently drop a piece of bread crumb to the oil. If the oil is hot enough, it will rise.
- Cook until chicken nuggets turn light golden brown on one side, then turn them carefully to ensure that both sides are thoroughly cooked & fried.
- Remove them to a wire rack or a kitchen tissue.
- Serve chicken nuggets hot with your favorite dip or sauce.
Air fryer
- Place the chicken nuggets into the air fryer basket. Spray them with olive or avocado oil. Air fry them for 5 to 7 minutes at 400 F or 200 C.
Bake in oven
- Place the chicken nuggets on a prepared tray and spray oil. Bake them for 18 to 20 mins at 400 F or 200 C, turning the chicken once after 10 mins.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Chicken nuggets recipe first posted in March 2016. Updated and republished in May 2021.
Hi,
I love ur recipes and have tried some too. I have a question, my kids are allergic to egg but they can eat chicken and fish. While preparing chicken patties or nuggets, I can’t use egg to coat them in bread crumbs. Can u please give me an alternative for egg. I want to prepare them at home especially now during the pandemic – I don’t want to go for frozen foods. Ur tip will be very helpful. Thank u.
Hi Saritha
Thank you! You can use thick buttermilk (yogurt diluted with water). Egg is used in many recipes to retain the juices in the meat so they don’t turn hard after frying. Buttermilk to some extent works well if the chicken is brined overnight. So I usually soak it in plain buttermilk overnight. The next day drain and then again dip in thick buttermilk and then crumb them. The other option is to make a batter of besan / gram flour. Hope this helps.
Hi,
Can we bake this?
If so at what temperature and how many minutes ?
Thanks
Hello Swasthi,
What can I use for coating the nuggets, instead of the egg?
Thanks in advance.
Hello
You can make a batter with any gram flour/besan or maida. Even wheat flour works but the flavor will be different. The consistency should be same as that of beaten egg. Not too thick and not very runny
I tried chicken nuggets step by step by your recipe..it was so yummy and crispy.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Welcome Amreen
Glad they turned out good.
Very nice recipe. Steps are easy to follow.
Thank you
Yeah thanks.
What a lovely recipe, Keep up the good work
Hi swasthi, what is plain flour? Is it rice flour?
Hi shalee
Plain flour is maida. You can also use rice flour
All recipes are fabulous
Following your instruction here in Nepal and its quite started working. Keep up the good work dear.
Thanks Bishnu Raj
Happy to know the instructions are useful
Which bread crumbs you use.
Fresh bread slice grind it.
Bread slice toast then grind it.
Toasted bread then pulse it
I prepared your chicken nuggets. Why does the oil become frothy.
Otherwise regarding taste it’s good
Hi Aruna,
There are a few reasons for the oil foaming up or turning frothy
1. Too much moisture in the nuggets. Hope you followed the recipe as it is . i.e using dry flour to coat the chicken first to remove excess moisture. This can also happen due to too much of egg mixture on the nuggets or not enough bread crumbs to remove excess moisture.
2. Secondly, using too much oil for frying nuggets can make the entire pan foamy. Use oil just to barely immerse the nuggets. You can see in the pics. Too much oil or too much moisture can also cause foam.
3. beating the egg a lot can also make this.
4. Thirdly the quality of oil or making use of used oil. For any recipe, I highly recommend using fresh oil for deep frying.
Hope these help you
Can I skip Egg in chicken nuggets or chicken popcorn recipe? I am allergic to egg
Hi Niki
Yes you can skip. make a batter using little plain flour and milk. Beat the batter very well. Then use it inplace of egg. Hope this helps.
I like it, nice
Very useful
Thanks
I like it ,
Nice very useful
Hi Madam,
The recipe looks yummy. Can we replace maida with any other flour? Please advise
Hi Vidhya
Not sure, may be rice flour and corn flour in equal quantities may work.
Dear Swasthi,
I have been trying your recipes for the past one month and I couldn’t stop myself from penning down my appreciation. Your recipes are great and the taste is awesome. 🙂
I tried the KFC fried chicken recipe and it tasted awesome (my 7 year old loved it) however, since my hubby prefers more spice, I tried the chicken nugget recipe and instead of bread crumbs I used slightly crushed oats. Look was exactly like KFC fried chicken and taste was amazing with the required spice. So it turned out really nice. Thank you dear 🙂 Now both hubby and Ryan – my son enjoy it.
A quick question – instead of maida can I use corn flour?
Thanks,
Priya
Hi Priya
You are welcome
I am really sorry for the late reply. I am a bit busy with the kids’ holidays. Very glad to know you liked the recipes. Yes you can also use corn flour, I try to minimise corn flour since I am unable to find organic corn flour. Corn flour is heavily processed and it is hard to find organic one. SO i have used organic maida here. YOu can use both the flours.
Have a wonderful week ahead
Made these. Turned out very good. Thanks
Welcome Manisha
excellent
Thanks
Simply awesome!
Thanks Aishatu
I really love these recipes. They are just great. Thanks!
Welcome & Thanks Aishatu.
Glad to know you liked them
My kids helped with the preparation and had fun. The chicken nuggets turned out pretty good.
Is it possible to bake them instead of frying?
Yes you can bake them, but they will not be as crunchy as this.
This is wonderful site. Thank you for providing such awesome recipes that to in detail with pictures. I tried some recipes and result is very tasty.
Hi Bhavani
You are welcome. Glad to know the recipes turned out good. Thanks for the feedback