Homemade Chicken Nuggets: Crispy Outside, Juicy Inside

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Golden, craggy, and shatteringly crisp on the outside with a juicy center, these homemade chicken nuggets are the drive thru dupe you can make in your own kitchen.

The recipe comes from Adrianna Adarme of A Cozy Kitchen, and it starts with already ground chicken, so there is no trimming, no pounding, and no fuss.

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A double coating does the heavy lifting: a first layer of cornstarch seals in moisture, then a light, bubbly tempura style batter fries up into that unmistakable crunch.

It is a natural fit for picky eaters, meal prep Sundays, or any night a fast food craving hits. You can read the full write up in the original homemade chicken nuggets recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Homemade Chicken Nuggets

The list is short and it splits into two jobs: the seasoned chicken mixture and the wet batter. Here is what each piece is doing.

• Ground chicken: the base of the nugget. The author prefers ground chicken breast, but a higher fat grind works well too and stays juicy.
• Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper: the seasoning team. The goal is well seasoned chicken all the way through, not just on the crust.
• Cornstarch: the first coating. It seals in moisture so the meat stays tender under the hot oil.
• All purpose flour: the backbone of the wet batter, whisked together with the spices.
• Baking powder: what makes the batter light and airy and produces that extra crispy crunch.
• Cold club soda: like the baking powder, it adds airiness and slows the development of gluten so the batter never turns bready.

The remaining ingredients, including the salt amounts and the oil for frying, are listed on the recipe card below.

How to Make Homemade Chicken Nuggets

The method is simple, but two details decide whether you end up with crispy nuggets or soggy ones: the freeze and the batter.

1. Add the spices and salt to the ground chicken and mix until thoroughly combined.
2. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and shape it into nugget shapes.
3. Dip each nugget in cornstarch and place it on a lined sheet tray.
4. Freeze the nuggets for 2 hours.
5. Heat the oil in a large pot to 350°F.
6. Whisk the flour, spices, and baking powder in a large bowl, then add the cold club soda and very gently stir with a fork until just combined. Small lumps are fine.
7. Working in batches of 5, dip the nuggets in the batter.
8. Gently place them in the hot oil and fry for 4 to 6 minutes.
9. Drain on a paper towel lined tray or plate and repeat with the remaining nuggets.
10. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces.

Freezing the shaped nuggets before frying keeps them from falling apart in the oil and helps them hold that familiar drive thru shape. The lumpy batter is not a mistake either. Overmixing develops gluten, and gluten gives you a chewy, bready shell instead of a crisp one. That is also why the club soda needs to be very cold.

Tips and Tricks

Watch your salt. The recipe is written for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton kosher salt or a coarse salt, reduce each teaspoon of salt to 3/4 teaspoon.

Keep the batter cold. Cold batter slows gluten formation, which is exactly what you want for an extra crispy shell. Set the bowl in the refrigerator or on ice in between batches.

Fry in small batches. Five nuggets at a time is the sweet spot. Add more and the oil temperature drops, which gives you pale, greasy nuggets instead of golden ones. Check the temperature as you go and adjust the heat to hold it at 350°F.

Make ahead and freeze. Form the nuggets, dredge them in cornstarch, and freeze them right on a sheet tray. Once they are firm, transfer them to a freezer storage bag. When you are ready to cook, prepare the wet batter and proceed with the recipe.

Reheating. The oven is your friend here. Place leftover nuggets in a 400°F oven for 7 to 10 minutes and they crisp right back up.

A fancy upgrade. For a party, the author served these as a New Year’s Eve appetizer topped with crème fraîche, caviar, and chives. Yes, really.

More Fast Food Dupes

If drive thru cravings are a regular thing at your house, these copycat recipes belong in the rotation too. For a spicier spin on the same idea, this copycat McDonald’s chicken nuggets version is worth a look, and the Air Fryer Chicken Fried Steak works well when you want a crispy dinner without a pot of oil.

Copycat SweetGreen Kale Caesar Salad

A cool, crunchy salad with a creamy dressing.

It is a fresh counterpoint to a plate of warm nuggets.

Copycat Shake Shack Burgers

Thin, smashed patties with melty cheese and sauce, built for a weekend when everyone is hungry.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Buffalo heat, melty cheese, and a crisp crust, all made at home instead of ordered in.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Thick, cheesy, and cozy. A bowl of it turns nuggets into a full, satisfying meal.

Ingredients

This recipe makes 36 nuggets and keeps the ingredients in two groups.

For the nuggets

• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal salt
• ½ cup cornstarch

For the wet batter

• 1½ cups all purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon paprika
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1½ teaspoons onion powder
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal salt
• 2 cups very cold club soda

For frying

• Oil for frying

Instructions

Prep the nuggets

1. Set up your dredging station. Prepare a large sheet tray with parchment paper and add the cornstarch to a plate or small sheet tray.
2. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, spices, and salt. Use your hands to combine the mixture, making sure the seasoning is evenly distributed.
3. Using oiled hands, scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the ground chicken and form it into a chicken nugget shape. Coat the nugget in the cornstarch and place it on the sheet tray. Freeze the tray of nuggets for 2 hours or until firm.
4. When your nuggets are frozen, prepare the wet batter and heat your frying oil. Fill a large, heavy bottomed pot halfway with oil and set it over medium heat.
5. While the oil heats, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the cold club soda and gently fold the mixture with a fork just until combined. The batter should remain slightly lumpy. Do not overmix, simply break up any large clumps.

For frying

1. Once the oil has reached 350°F, remove the sheet tray of nuggets from the freezer. Have a paper towel lined plate or sheet tray ready for draining the oil and a spider or tongs within reach.
2. Dip 5 nuggets into the wet batter. Use a fork to lift them out, letting the excess batter drip off a bit, then place them directly into the oil. Do only a few nuggets at a time to avoid dropping the temperature of the oil. Fry for 4 to 6 minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked through.
3. Remove the nuggets from the oil and let them drain on the prepared plate. Continue frying the remaining nuggets in batches.
4. Serve immediately while hot, with your favorite dipping sauces and toppings.

Notes

Salt swap. If you are using Morton kosher salt or coarse salt, reduce each teaspoon of salt to 3/4 teaspoon.

Cold batter matters. Keep the wet batter in the refrigerator or set the bowl over ice between batches. Cold batter slows gluten formation and gives you a crispier coating.

Oil temperature. Fry in batches of 5 so the oil does not drop too far, and adjust the heat to maintain 350°F.

Make ahead. Form the nuggets, dredge them in cornstarch, and freeze them on a sheet tray. Once firm, transfer them to a freezer storage bag. When you are ready to cook, prepare the wet batter and continue with the recipe.

Reheating. An oven at 400°F for 7 to 10 minutes brings the crunch right back.

Serving idea. These work as an appetizer, dinner, or lunch. For a festive version, top them with crème fraîche, caviar, and chives.

For the full step by step with all the photos, see this Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe.

Recipe details

Yield: 36 nuggets. Prep time: 30 minutes. Cook time: 30 minutes. Chill time: 2 hours.

Nutrition is calculated per serving based on 36 servings and should be treated as an approximation.

Course: appetizer, dinner, or lunch. Cuisine: American.

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Homemade Chicken Nuggets Golden, craggy, and shatteringly crisp on the outside with a juicy center, these homemade chicken nuggets are the drive thru dupe you can make in your own kitchen. The recipe comes from Adrianna Adarme of A Cozy Kitchen, and it starts with already ground chicken, so there is no trimming, no pounding, and no fuss.

• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 36 nuggets 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

2 pounds ground chicken
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt, Diamond Crystal
½ cup cornstarch
Wet batter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons salt, Diamond Crystal
2 cups club soda, very cold
Oil for frying

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Instructions

Prep the nuggets
1-Set up your dredging station: Set up your dredging station. Prepare a large sheet tray with parchment paper. Add the cornstarch to a plate or small sheet tray.
2-In a large bowl, add the ground: In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, spices, and salt. Use your hands to combine the mixture, making sure the seasoning is evenly distributed.
3-Using oiled hands, scoop out a heaping: Using oiled hands, scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the ground chicken and form it into a chicken nugget shape. Then, coat the nugget in the cornstarch and place it on the sheet tray. Freeze the tray of nuggets for 2 hours or until firm.
4-When your nuggets are frozen, prepare the: When your nuggets are frozen, prepare the wet batter and heat your frying oil. Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot halfway with oil and set it over medium heat.
5-While the oil heats, whisk together the: While the oil heats, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. Then, pour in the cold club soda and gently fold the mixture with a fork just until combined, the batter should remain slightly lumpy. Don’t overmix; simply break up any large clumps.

For frying
6-Once the oil has reached 350℉, remove: Once the oil has reached 350℉, remove the sheet tray of nuggets from the freezer. Have a paper towel-lined plate or sheet tray ready for draining the oil from the nuggets and a spider or tongs within reach.
7-Dip 5 nuggets into the wet batter: Dip 5 nuggets into the wet batter. Use a fork to lift them out, letting the excess batter drip off a bit, and then place them directly into the oil. Only do a few nuggets at a time to avoid dropping the temperature of the oil. Fry the nuggets for 4-6 minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked through.
8-Now, remove the nuggets from the oil: Now, remove the nuggets from the oil and let them drain on the prepared plate. Continue frying the remaining nuggets in batches.
9-Serve immediately while hot, with your favorite: Serve immediately while hot, with your favorite dipping sauces and toppings.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Method: stovetop

Nutrition

• Calories: 64kcal
• Sugar: 0.1g
• Sodium: 245mg
• Fat: 2g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 6g
• Fiber: 0.3g
• Protein: 5g
• Cholesterol: 22mg