Crispy Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Ayya Elneil | Recipe Developer cooked this in an Instagram reel. SeeMeCook wrote it up from the reel as a full recipe and added ingredient weights and nutrition.
Watch the original reelImported by Blak Rabbit on SeeMeCook
Tender, seasoned minced-chicken nuggets are coated in cornstarch and a light club-soda batter, then fried until golden and crisp. The shaped nuggets can also be air-fried for a lighter alternative.
- Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Equipment
- Stovetop and blender
- Good for
- Lunch, dinner, or snacks
- Cuisine
- American
- Contains
- Gluten and eggs
Diet and allergen details are read from the ingredient names and are not certified.
Ingredients
Chicken and seasonings
- 50 g
- 9 g
- 8 g
- 8 g
- 6 g
- 4 g
Dry batter
- 130 g
Wet batter
- 125 g
- 360 g
- 50 g
- 8 g
- 8 g
- 6 g
- 12 g
Weights are estimates. Together, the ingredients weigh about 1.46 kg before cooking, which is about 245 g per serving.
Steps
If using whole chicken breast and thighs, trim away bones, skin, and excess connective tissue, then cut the meat into chunks. If using store-bought minced chicken, skip this preparation.
Place the minced chicken, one egg, 1½ teaspoons salt, 2½ teaspoons garlic powder, 2½ teaspoons onion powder, 2½ teaspoons paprika, and 1½ teaspoons black pepper in a food processor. Pulse or process until the mixture is evenly combined and smooth enough to shape. Do not process longer than necessary.
Dampen your hands with water, since the chicken mixture will be very sticky. Scoop out portions and shape them into nugget-sized pieces, keeping the thickness reasonably even so they cook at the same rate.
Add the shaped nuggets to the cornstarch one at a time. Turn each piece to coat it lightly on all sides, then gently pat it between your hands to remove excess cornstarch.
Arrange the coated nuggets on a tray or plate in a single layer and freeze for 30 to 60 minutes. The nuggets should be firm enough to hold their shape when dipped into batter.
While the nuggets chill, combine the flour, club soda, second egg, 2½ teaspoons garlic powder, 2½ teaspoons onion powder, 2½ teaspoons paprika, and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Whisk until the batter is smooth and fully incorporated; a few small lumps are acceptable.
Heat enough neutral frying oil to submerge the nuggets in a deep, heavy pot or fryer to approximately 350°F (180 °C) (175°C (350 °F)). Use caution and do not fill the pot more than halfway.
Dip each chilled nugget into the wet batter, turning it until completely coated and allowing excess batter to drip back into the bowl.
Carefully lower the battered nuggets into the hot oil in batches, leaving space between them. Fry, turning as needed, until the coating is crisp and golden brown and the chicken is fully cooked, about 4 to 6 minutes depending on nugget thickness. The center should reach 165°F (74 °C) (74°C (165 °F)).
Transfer the cooked nuggets to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate to drain briefly. Serve hot, with fries or your preferred dipping sauce.
Notes
For an air-fryer alternative, air-fry the battered nuggets at 420°F (215°C) for 13 to 16 minutes, turning once if needed; the result will be less crisp than deep-fried. Keep raw chicken refrigerated while working, and avoid overcrowding the fryer because it lowers the oil temperature.
Nutrition
These are estimates per serving, worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories
- 342
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Where the calories come from
Keep this recipe
Save it to your SeeMeCook library, add it to your grocery list, and cook it hands-free with each step read aloud.
Open in SeeMeCook
