Crispy Chicken Nuggets Recipe

➤ Introduction for Crispy Chicken Nuggets

Yo nugget lovers! I’m here to blow your mind with something that created pure chaos in my house – chicken nuggets that were SO crispy that my kids acted as if they hadn’t eaten for weeks! This isn’t the sad frozen nugget sh*t from the freezer section that you’re too lazy to make anything else – this is next level homemade crack that makes fast food look lame.

On a serious note though, I have to tell you the story – almost a year ago, my kids pretty much revolted against the store bought nuggets I was serving up. My youngest one looked straight in my eyes and told me “mom these taste like sadness” and I almost spit out my coffee. I decided that there was no way in hell that I was getting roasted by a 7 year old, so I knew I had to step it up. I went into the kitchen as a mad scientist determined to invent something so ridiculous that my kids would never ask for that frozen processed garbage again.

When I pulled those first batch of nuggets out of the oil, the kitchen went silent for like 3 whole seconds before my kids exploded and actually started back flipping. My oldest grabbed like 5 nuggets and ran into his room like he was pillaging treasure. Even my husband who is usually too cool for school, stole some extra nuggets when he thought nobody was watching.

➤ Why I Love This Crispy Chicken Nuggets Recipe

• Seriously, where do I even begin with the reasons I am simply addicted to these nuggets? First of all, the sheer satisfaction from the crunch when you bite into these nuggets is pure perfection – even better than any restaurant or fast-food chain nugget I’ve eaten. You experience the most beautiful contrast of crunchy, golden exterior with juicy, perfectly seasoned and moist chicken on the inside.

• I get really excited about the fact that we know exactly what’s going into these nuggets. It feels good to know that we are using real chicken breast, easy ingredients, and absolutely no funny preservatives or fillers. These nuggets taste significantly better than what you’ll buy at a store, and I feel good serving this to my family.

• Another thing I love about this recipe is its versatility. These nuggets are perfect appetizers for parties, a quick weeknight supper with some veggies, lunch box additions, and even late-night snacks! The best part is that they reheat beautifully, freeze beautifully, and can truly be eaten with anything and any dipping sauce you can think of!

➤ Crispy Chicken Nuggets Ingredients

For the chicken:

•2 pounds of boneless chicken breasts
•1 cup of buttermilk
•1 tbsp kosher salt
•1 tsp garlic powder
•½ tsp smoked paprika

For the crispy coating:

•1 ½ cups of flour
•½ cup of cornstarch (yo this is what makes them stupid crispy!)
•2 tsp garlic powder
•2 tsp onion powder
•1 tsp smoked paprika
•1 tsp kosher salt
•½ tsp black pepper
•½ tsp cayenne pepper (turn it down if you can’t handle heat)
•½ tsp baking powder

For frying:

•6-8 cups of vegetable oil (or however much you need for about 3 inches deep)
•My favorite dipping sauces that hit different:
•Honey mustard (honey + Dijon mustard + mayo)
•Ranch dressing
•Buffalo sauce
•Sweet and sour sauce
•BBQ sauce

When I’m trying to get extra with it:

•Put ranch seasoning powder right directly into the coating
•Mix some Parmesan cheese into that flour for some fancy vibes
•Add a little bit of brown sugar for that slight caramelized sweetness

➤ How to Make Crispy Chicken Nuggets

1 • The prep

•Cut your chicken breasts into about 1-inch pieces – try to keep them all the same size, so they don’t cook differently. Take a bowl and combine that buttermilk, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Put your chicken. chunks in, and make sure each piece is coated in the magical mixture. Let them hang out for at least 30 min, but, if you can let them chill for 4 hours, they will be super dope.

2 • The breading station

•In a large shallow dish combine the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, and baking powder. Make sure to combine all your seasonings well because this is going to turn your nuggets from bland to crispy little pieces of heaven.

3 • Oil temperature

•Using a heavy pot or deep fryer, heat your oil to 350°F exactly. Don’t eyeball it; use a thermometer – remember, this is everything! If your oil is too low, your nuggets will become greasy disasters, and if the oil is way too hot, they will burn on the outside and be raw in the middle! Gross!

4 • The coating

•Take your chicken out of that buttermilk mixture, just don’t shake off the excess – that’s what helps the coating stick. Coat in batches and take your chicken pieces and throw them into the flour mixture coating them well, gently pressing them in so that the coating is pressed into the meat. Make sure every inch of the chicken is coated because leaving any parts naked is just ungodly.

5 • Frying

•You will fry your nuggets in batches of about 8-10 pieces at one time for 3-4 minutes until they are a deep golden brown and hit an internal temperature of 165°. Don’t be a greedy fry-er and overload the oil or your oil temperature will drop dangerously low and you will have greasy nuggets all who knows where.

6 • Finishing

•Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove from the oil and drain on a wire rack or paper towel. Immediately, while they are still hot and steaming, sprinkle some salt on those beautiful nuggets – the heat from the nugget melts the salt, this is when the seasoning sticks and that’s when the nugget increases in flavor.

7 • Serve and Enjoy!

•Plate these bad boys up with all your favorite dipping sauces and pass them around nice and hot and crackling. I’m telling you, they are going to disappear quicker than you could ever possibly pull them out of the hot oil!

➤ Crispy Chicken Nuggets Tips and Variations

• Maintain that oil temperature steady – that is literally the difference between crispy bliss and greasy sorrow. Don’t even consider skipping that buttermilk brine with no matter how pressed for time you are; just 30 minutes will change your whole life. Cut your chicken pieces the same size or you will have burnt and raw pieces of chicken and that is just embarrassing.

• Asian-style nuggets with five-spice in that coating will wreck you. Italian vibes with parmesan and herbs nestled into the flour is straight up restaurant quality. When you are feeling spicy nuggets, then lather on that cayenne and serve with cooling ranch so your mouth doesn’t catch fire. Southern-style with a hint of brown sugar and extra paprika just feels different when you’re feeling that comfort food energy.

• Make these have next level crispiness by double-coating them- just dip it back in the buttermilk after the first coating and hit that flour again. Let your coated nuggets rest in the fridge for 10 minutes before frying so the coating stays on like it’s supposed to. If you’re on a fried nugget rampage and you’re cranking out a lot, you can keep them warm in a 200 degree oven because nobody wants cold nuggets.

➤ Serving Suggestions for Crispy Chicken Nuggets

• Kids’ birthdays parties where these are always the main event, homegating on game day when schools of people need something they can scarf down in seconds, family night movie where every one is fighting over the last few Bites, quick weeknight dinners where you really don’t want to put too much thought into it, lunch box treats that will make your kids the envy of the cafeteria, or potluck contributions that will have people begging you for the recipe. They’re equally impressive for anyone chill family dinners as they are for when you want to impress people.

• Set up a full-on sauce station with honey mustard, ranch, buffalo, BBQ, sweet and sour, and even sriracha mayo and let people go crazy mixing sauces and trying combinations of flavors. Half the fun is watching people find their ideal dipping scenario.

If you’re obsessed with these Crispy Chicken Nuggets, you’re bout to have your mind completely blown by my crispy baked chicken wings! Both use the same insane coating tricks to get that ridiculous crunch, but the wings take it to a whole different level with that perfect skin-to-meat ratio. Same addictive crispiness that has you reaching for more without thinking, but wings just hit different when you’re trying to feed a crowd or need something that feels more like a full meal!RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

➤ Storage and Leftovers

• You can bread these nuggets about 4 hours ahead of time and just let em chill in the fridge before you fry, which is great if you have guests coming over. For meal prep purposes, fry em completely then freeze in single layers for up to 3 months so you always have nuggets on stand by.
• Leftover nuggets stay good in the fridge for about 4 days in airtight containers. Pro tip – let em sit out uncovered for the first hour so they don’t get all steamy and gross, then cover.

• DO NOT stick these in the microwave unless you want to turn crispy perfection into sad rubber. Reheat in a 375°F oven on a wire rack for about 8-10 minutes till they’re hot and crackling again. An air fryer also works great too – 375°F for 3-4 minutes and they’ll be back in action.

➤ Crispy Chicken Nuggets FAQs

Q: Can I bake instead of frying?

⤷ A: Yes you can! If baking, do so at 425°F on a wire rack for about 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through. Make sure to spray with oil so they nicely brown. They probably won’t be as crispy as the fried version, but still really good.

Q: What if I don’t have buttermilk?

⤷ A: Just add a tablespoon of lemon juice to a cup of milk and let it sit for five minutes. It won’t be as zesty as buttermilk, but it will work in a pinch.

Q: Can I use chicken thighs?

⤷ A: Heck yes! Thighs are actually a lot more forgiving than breasts and they’re juicier. Just add maybe an extra minute or two to the cooking time because thighs are thicker.

Q: How can I keep them crispy if I’m serving them at a party?

⤷ A: Put your finished nuggets in a warm oven set to 200°F on a wire rack. They will stay nice and crispy, and warm for about 1 hour. It’s perfect for a crowd!

Q: Can I make them gluten-free?

⤷ A: You can use the gluten-free flour blend instead of the regular flour. They will taste a bit different, but will still be fire if you can’t have gluten.