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These Homemade Chicken Nuggets are super crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside! Ditch the store bought, as these little gold nuggets are so easy to make and so delicious. These nuggets come together in no time, and make the perfect snack or main dish for any occasion.
Chicken tenders soaked in creamy butter milk and coated in a crispy seasoned flour mix, these Homemade Chicken Nuggets are so much better than store bought! Perfect as a snack, lunch, dinner, game day, movie night – you name it, these little golden beauties are perfect any time!
Looking for more chicken dishes? Why not also try my Oven Baked Chicken Cutlets, Korean Fried Chicken Tenders, and Homemade Popcorn Chicken.
Why you’ll love these Homemade Nuggets Recipe
- Super juicy chicken. These chicken tenders are drenched in buttermilk to come out nice and juicy as well as pickle juice for a lovely sweet/savory kick.
- A crispy coating. A simple seasoned coating is all you need for these chicken nuggets to come out crunchy, crispy and delicious.
- Easy chicken nuggets. Drop the store bought, these nuggets are easy to prep and they make a big batch, perfect for a main, snack or app.
Ingredients for Chicken Nuggets
- Chicken Tenderloins– I used chicken tenderloins because they are so much more moist. But you can use chicken breast if you want.
- Butter Milk– helps tenderize the chicken.
- Sweet Pickle Juice-add a delicious flavor to the chicken nuggets. This is basically the water you find in the jar of pickles.
- Black Pepper– black pepper always adds such amazing flavor to any recipe. You can use fresh ground or pre-ground.
- Whole Eggs-eggs act as a binding agent for the chicken and the flour mix.
- Canola Oil– for frying. You can certainly use something like avocado oil if you like a heathier option or any other neutral oil.
- Flour Seasoning Mix: All purpose flour, paprika, salt, pepper and corn starch.
How to Make Nuggets
- Marinate the chicken: Put the trimmed, cubed chicken in a bowl of seasoned buttermilk (buttermilk, black pepper, pickle juice) and refrigerate for 1 hour to marinade.
- Coat the chicken: Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then the egg wash and finally one more dunk in the flour mixture. Set aside and finish the rest of the pieces of chicken.
- Cook the chicken: Working in batches, fry the chicken in a deep pan with oil and line on a paper towel to remove excess oils.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauces, enjoy!
Tips to Make the Best Chicken Nuggets
- Ideally use a deep pan to fry the chicken nuggets.
- Allow the chicken to rest in the butter milk for at least an hour, longer if possible.
- Work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Place the cooked batches in the oven to keep the nuggets from getting cold while you finish cooking the rest.
- Use a neutral oil that doesn’t have much flavor, so as not to overpower the chicken. Oils like canola, corn oil or vegetable oil will do.
- Sprinkle with some fresh parsley for a pop of freshness and color.
Frequently Asked Questions
These Homemade Chicken Nuggets make for a great snack or main dish. Serve with dips, salads or sides. Here’s some ideas: Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, Baked Zucchini Fries, Homemade Mashed Potatoes, Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes.
You can air fry these chicken nuggets by preheating your air fryer to 375 F. Line the nuggets in the basket without over crowding. Spray generously with olive oil spray and air fry for 8-10 minutes, maybe more depending on the size of your chicken bites. Flipping halfway through and spraying the new side again before you continue to cook through. Work in batches so you don’t over crowd.
After prepping the chicken nuggets, line the nuggets on a baking sheet/or non-stick wired rack leaving a little bit of space between the nuggets to avoid over crowding. Spray generously with olive oil spray and bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 12-15 minutes flipping half way through. You can respray after flipping them. Depending on the size of your nuggets, it may take more or less time. The best internal temperature would be around 160-165 F.
These leftover chicken nuggets can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place them on a baking sheet and bake them on a medium setting (around 350 F) until heated through and crispy on the outside.
Cook as directed (or about 90% cooked so it does not dry up when you reheat). Allow to cool then freeze them on a cookie or baking sheet, so they don’t stick together. Then transfer the frozen nuggets to a freezer safe container or freezer bag and store for 1-2 months.
More Chicken Dishes to Try
- Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Grilled Chicken Satay
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Pepper
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Chicken Nuggets
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this Homemade Chicken Nuggets recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!
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Best Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup full-fat buttermilk
- ½ cup sweet pickle juice
- ½ tsp. black pepper
Dry Flour Mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
Other Ingredients
- 2 whole eggs
- canola oil for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix all the dry flour mixture ingredients.
- Remove the outer membrane and any attached tough tissue from the chicken tenderloins.
- Cut the chicken tenderloins into 1-inch cubes. Place them in a large bowl and add 1 cup of buttermilk, ½ cup of sweet pickle juice, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or longer if time permits.
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs to prepare the egg wash. Coat each chicken piece in the seasoned flour mixture, dip it into the egg wash, then coat it once more in the flour mixture. Gently press the coating onto the chicken with your fingers to help it adhere. Place the coated pieces on a lined sheet pan and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Keep the heat at medium throughout frying.Note: Use a kitchen thermometer to keep the oil at approximately 350°F (175°C). Adjust the heat as needed to prevent the nuggets from browning too quickly or becoming greasy.
- Working in batches, place the chicken pieces in the hot oil with enough space between them to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
- Fry the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a paper towel-lined sheet pan to drain.
- Place the cooked batches in the oven to keep them warm as you fry the remaining chicken.
- Once all the batches are cooked, serve the homemade chicken nuggets with your favorite dipping sauce.
We don’t buy pickles of any kind. What can I use to substitute the pickle juice.
You can substitute with 2 tbsps. of Dijon mustard or skip it completely if you want. The pick juice just adds a little bit of flavor to the nuggets.
Great recipe. I tried it with slight modification in spices and it came out fabulous.
Hi Daniel
Happy You enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for the review.
I thought the sweet pickle juice ruined it. So, I tried again with dill pickle juice. So much better. They were delicious.
Hi Jay!
It’s all a matter of preference. I am glad you substituted it to your liking.
What exactly is a “chicken tender”? Can you use boneless, skinless chicken thigs?
Tenders are the tenderloins in a chicken. They are sold separately here in the U.S. There is a photo of them on the blog feed. You can use chicken thighs if you like yes. The cook time may differ, so cook according.
Looks yummy gonna make them soon Jill boliek
GREAT!!!
Thanks Boggie!
What is pickle juice? Where can I buy in UK?
Pickle juice is just the water in the pickle you buy. So you would buy a sweet kind and use the water that’s in it.
What do you mean by sweet pickle juice?
Pickle juice is just the water in the pickle you buy. So you would buy a sweet kind and use the water that’s in it.
Great recipe!
Thanks so much Sheena. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Wanna find a cookbook only with chicken in it Jill boliek
Hi Jil!
Thanks for you review! I hope I can make publish one down the road. I am sure you can find some great choices at Barnes & Noble for now and lots of recipes on Pinterest for free.
Would this still work well using an air fryer? They look absolutely amazing!
Hi Rana,
Yes. I added the details on that in the blog copy. Please check it out.