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Copycat Chick Fil A Chicken Nuggets – Make your favorite chicken nuggets at home with just a few simple ingredients. Super crispy and so easy to make!
I love making restaurant favorites at home. It is so nice to be able to not have to leave the house every time you get a craving for Panera Macaroni and Cheese. You can make it in about 15 minutes at home, so easy!
So today we are going with a classic and definite favorite of so many people. Chick Fil A Chicken Nuggets. And guess what, they are pretty darn easy to make. Plus if you are a fan of Canes Sauce they go perfectly with it.
Chick Fil A kind of has a cult like following, people go crazy for them. They have grown and have lots of locations all over the place now, but when I was growing up, it was something you only saw if we went to Florida. There was just something about them that made them different than other places, so making them at home was a must if we wanted them!
What You Need to Make Chick Fil A Nuggets
So the ingredient list looks a little strange, but trust me they just work together. They are slightly tangy and super tender! And the peanut oil is what gives it the taste you know and love.
- Pickle Juice – they might now actually use pickle juice, but it gives the nuggets the same tenderness and slight tang.
- Milk
- Egg
- Chicken Breast
- All-Purpose Flour
- Powdered Sugar – yep, I know it sounds strange, but it gives it the sweetness that Chick Fil A is known for.
- Salt and Pepper
- Paprika
- Peanut Oil
How to Make Chick Fil A Chicken Nuggets
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Tenderize Chicken. Add the chicken to a bowl and cover with milk, eggs, and pickle juice mixture. This makes the chicken super tender and flavorful, so definitely don’t skip this step.
- Coat Chicken. Take the chicken out of the milk mixture, and add to a bag filled with the flour, powdered sugar, salt, pepper and paprika. Shake to coat the chicken, and then remove to from the bag, gently shaking off any excess coating.
- Prep Oil. Heat Peanut Oil in a large heavy pot until the oil is about 375º F. You want to use a heavy duty pot and fill about 2 inches so the chicken can float in the oil.
- Cook Chicken. Fry just a few pieces of chicken at a time. You do not want to crowd the pan or the temperature will drop, and the chicken will be soggy and not as crispy. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden.
- Continue Cooking. Remove chicken from the oil and let cooked chicken drain on a paper towel or wire rack for a minute before serving. If making multiple batches, you can place in the oven at 200º F to keep it warm while you continue cooking the rest of the chicken.
Do They Taste Like Pickles
No, they don’t. Here is the thing….does Chick Fil A actually use pickle juice. No, they don’t. But as a home cook you use ingredients that act the same. And soaking the chicken in the mixture of milk and pickle juice tenderizes the chicken and locks in the moisture. So you get super tender pieces of chicken that have the same texture as Chick Fil A. Because they also pressure fry their chicken, and a home cook can’t. So you need to play with the ingredients to get the same taste.
The trick is how long you let the chicken sit. I despise pickles, so for me I like them sit for an hour and then I take them out. This is the perfect amount of time to avoid the flavor but get the texture you want. The recipe states 1-2 hours, I am just super sensitive to the pickle taste, so 60 minutes is what I do.
Can I Use An Air Fryer
Yes, there are lots of people who have had great success with the air fryer. Are they the same, not exactly. You aren’t deep frying, so you don’t get the flavor of the peanut oil with the chicken, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good and worth doing! I would cook at 380º F for about 10 minutes, flipping them half way through. Make sure they are cooked all the way through.
You can also try my Chick Fil A Grilled Nuggets if you are a fan of those.
Want even more Copycat Recipes
- Granite City Idaho Nachos – waffle fries with cheese, bacon, green onions and sour cream
- Cafe Rio Pork – sweet and tender pork that is great for tacos, salads and more
- Pasta Milano – Macaroni Grill pasta recipe
- Olive Garden Minestrone – comforting, hearty and delicious!
- Pesto Cavatappi – a favorite from Noodles & Company
- Mexican Pizza – Taco Bell guilty pleasure
Chick Fil-A Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup dill pickle juice
- 1 whole large egg
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Peanut Oil for frying
Instructions
- Trim and cut the chicken into bit sized pieces. Whisk egg, pickle juice, and milk together. Place chicken in milk mixture, and cover. Let stand for 1-2 hours in the fridge.
- Place 2 inches of oil into a deep pan. Heat over medium high heat until the oil is hot (375 degrees).
- In a zip-lock bag mix together flour, powdered sugar, salt, pepper and paprika. Remove chicken from milk mixture, and place in the flour mixture. Shake to coat.
- Put about 8 nuggets into the pan, be careful not to overcrowd. Cook for about 2-3 minute on each side, or until golden brown.
- Remove chicken and drain on a paper towel. You could place on a rack in a hot oven to keep them warm if you are making a lot of them.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I have two questions> Can this recipe be used with chicken thighs and drumsticks? Second question, what is the purpose of powdered sugar? I have never heard of using this for any sort of chicken recipe!
you could use other cuts of chicken, all you are doing is breading and frying, so anything will work, you just have to cook it long enough. This is a copycat recipe, so the sugar is there to make it taste like Chick Fil A’s. Theirs have a sweetness to them, so you need sugar to accomplish that.
Can you make these in the air fryer
Yes, lots of people have said that you can and they are good that way.
Do you have to use peanut oil? I have canola
No, canola oil will work just fine
If you are contemplating making this..don’t! Make it tonight!! This is so good..dare I say better then Chick- Fil-A. My son works there and agrees the flavor of this is on point. Thank you for the recipe!!