Chicken Nuggets

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these homemade Chicken Nuggets are a kid-approved recipe. Perfectly fried bites of chicken, these never last long!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 581kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Dutch oven

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
2 tablespoons garlic powder divided
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt divided
3 large eggs
2 cups plain bread crumbs (180g)
1½ pounds chicken breasts cut into small pieces (675g)

Instructions

Fill a Dutch oven with 2 inches of vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 315F.
While oil is heating, in a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon salt. In another shallow dish, beat the eggs until well combined. In a third shallow dish, whisk together breadcrumbs, the remaining tablespoon of garlic powder, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt.
Working in batches, dredge chicken pieces in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Coat in egg. Place in the breadcrumb mixture, and toss until fully coated. Place on a wire rack until ready to fry.
Fry chicken in batches for about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the nuggets reads 165F. Let drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with your favorite condiments.

Notes

A thermometer is a great tool to help get the temperature of the oil right. If the oil is too hot, the exterior of the chicken will burn before the interior cooks.
Avoid overcrowding the pot when frying. Adding too many pieces into the oil at once will cause the temperature to drop.
A Dutch oven is ideal for frying. The cast iron will help the oil temperature from fluctuating too much and help keep the cooking even. If you do not have one, use a large heavy-bottomed pot with high sides to avoid splatter.
You can reuse the frying oil at least one to two more times by allowing it to cool and straining it through a fine mesh sieve.
Try to cut the chicken breasts into similar sizes, so they fry evenly.
To coat the chicken pieces with flour quicker, you can add everything to a Ziploc bag and shake to coat.
Keep the chicken nuggets warm as you cook in batches by placing the nuggets in a 180F oven until ready to serve.

Nutrition