Making Homemade Chicken Nuggets

chicken breast

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: ground chicken

Thighs are juicier and often less expensive.

bread crumbs

🥗Healthier: panko

💰Cheaper: crushed crackers

Panko gives a lighter, crispier texture.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil has a higher smoke point.

honey

🥗Healthier: agave syrup

💰Cheaper: sugar syrup

Agave syrup is lower on the glycemic index.

Cube chicken breast and chicken thigh into roughly 1-inch cubes, using a 50/50 blend of both meats.

Sprinkle 20.6 g (1.1% of meat weight) of kosher salt onto the cubed chicken and mix by hand to tenderize.

Cover the chicken and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours (the creator used 2 hours).

Add 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 2 teaspoons of onion powder, and 2 teaspoons of white pepper to the chicken.

If using, dissolve 4% sodium phosphate in 157 ml of distilled water and pour it into the chicken mixture.

Mix the chicken mixture by hand until well combined, then process it in a food processor in batches until it becomes a paste.

Transfer the processed chicken mixture to a bowl and mix by hand to ensure uniformity of the seasonings.

Prepare the coating by mixing 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of rice flour, 3.6% cornstarch, 7% chicken bouillon powder, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 7% paprika together.

Form nuggets by taking roughly a tablespoon of the chicken mixture, flattening it into nugget shapes, and placing them on parchment sheets.

Freeze the formed nuggets to firm them up before battering and frying.

Make the batter by whisking water into the reserved flour mixture until it reaches a loose pancake batter texture.

Dip each frozen nugget into the batter, allowing excess to drip off, and place them on a wire rack until ready to fry.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens