Homemade Fast-Food-Style Chicken Nuggets with Honey Barbecue Sauce

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the chicken breast and boneless, skinless chicken thigh into small cubes so they process evenly.

2. 2

   Add the cubed chicken to a food processor. Add the cornstarch, chicken bouillon, salt, egg white, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and olive oil.

3. 3

   Pulse and process until the chicken forms a smooth, cohesive mixture with no large chunks remaining. Do not over-process into a warm paste.

4. 4

   Shape the chicken mixture into small, flat nugget shapes. Keep the portions relatively uniform so they cook at the same rate.

5. 5

   Arrange the shaped nuggets on a tray and freeze them for 30 minutes, until firm enough to handle and coat.

   Start 30-minute timer
6. 6

   In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and salt. This is the dry coating mixture; the transcript does not specify exact quantities for the flour-seasoning blend.

7. 7

   Transfer about 1 cup of the dry coating mixture to a second bowl. Add the mustard and egg, then whisk in the ice-cold club soda gradually until a thick but pourable batter forms—just thick enough to coat the nuggets, not so thick that it clumps heavily.

8. 8

   Coat each chilled nugget in the remaining dry flour mixture, turning it so the surface is evenly covered. This dry layer helps the wet batter adhere.

9. 9

   Dip the floured nuggets into the wet batter, allowing excess batter to drip off briefly.

10. 10

    Lightly toss the battered nuggets back into the dry flour mixture so a second coating adheres to the outside.

11. 11

    Heat the frying oil to 325°F (160 °C) (165°C (325 °F)) in a deep, heavy pot or deep fryer. Fry the nuggets in batches for 2–3 minutes, turning as needed, until the coating is set and lightly golden. Avoid crowding the oil.

    Start 3-minute timer
12. 12

    Remove the nuggets to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Once cool, freeze them for 1 hour; this is intended to create the characteristic fast-food texture and flavor.

    Start 1-hour timer
13. 13

    While the nuggets are freezing, place the honey barbecue sauce ingredients in a saucepan. The source does not list the individual sauce ingredients, so use a prepared sauce or a preferred honey barbecue sauce recipe.

14. 14

    Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce it until thickened and concentrated, stirring occasionally so it does not scorch. Cool the sauce completely before serving.

15. 15

    Remove the frozen nuggets from the freezer and let them come to room temperature briefly before the second fry. Do not leave raw chicken at room temperature for an extended period.

16. 16

    Heat the oil to 375°F (190 °C) (190°C (375 °F)). Fry the nuggets in batches for another 2–3 minutes, until deeply golden, crisp, and cooked through. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74 °C) (74°C (165 °F)).

    Start 3-minute timer
17. 17

    Drain the nuggets on a wire rack or paper towels and serve immediately with the cooled honey barbecue sauce.