These Chick-fil-A Nuggets are a copycat recipe that creates your favorite fast-food right at home using a handful of easy ingredients! Pair them with your favorite dipping sauce or add them to a salad!
Make a double batch of this nugget recipe and use the leftovers to make another delicious copycat recipe, Panda Express Orange Chicken! Neither recipe will leave you disappointed!
These Chick-fil-A Copycat Nuggets are just as tasty and delicious as the ones you grab from the drive-thru! They’re breading is crisp and light while the chicken remains perfectly tender and moist.
Chick-Fil-A is notorious for its customer service, irresistible chicken, and a huge selection of dipping sauces! And if you ask me, all three are on point!
However, with only two restaurants in our entire state getting it isn’t always convenient! So I had to figure out a way to make our favorite chicken right at home.
Mission accomplished! These copycat nuggets are everything I love about the real deal with the only thing missing being the bright and cheery customer service experience.
Worried the nuggets won’t be any good without the iconic sauce? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with that copycat recipe as well!
Ingredient Notes
To make this copycat Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets recipe you’ll start by cutting the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. The chicken pieces are then marinated in a mixture that’s made of dill pickle juice, whole milk, and a whisked egg.
The marinated bites of chicken are then coated in a mixture of dry ingredients. For this, all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cornstarch are combined.
Once the marinated chicken has been coated it’s time to fry them up to delicious, crisp perfection! To fry these nuggets I like to use peanut oil since it’s one of the restaurant’s signature flavor components.
How To Make Homemade Chick Fil A Nuggets
- Pour the milk, pickle juice, and whisked egg into a Ziploc bag. Then add the bite-sized chicken pieces to the marinade and place the sealed bag in the fridge to set.
- Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Arrange the dredging station by setting a wire rack next to the bowl of dry ingredients. Then prepare a paper towel-lined plate next to the stove.
- Transfer the chicken from the Ziploc back to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Afterward, place the coated chicken pieces onto the wire rack to allow them to rest.
- Heat the peanut oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven.
- Fry the nuggets in batches until golden brown. Transfer them from the hot oil to the paper towel-lined plate to allow them to drain.
- Serve the nuggets with dipping sauce (try Chick-fil-A Sauce, barbecue sauce, or my Maple Mustard Sauce) and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Important For The Nuggets To Rest Before Frying Them?
Yes, allowing the nuggets to rest allows the coating to really adhere to them.
Can I Double Dredge The Nuggets?
I found that twice-dredged and coated nuggets were way too thick! And since classic Chick-fil-A nuggets are famous for their light, crispy breading I’d recommend only dredging them once.
How Do I Store Any Leftover Chicken Nuggets?
Just toss them into an airtight container and then store them in the refrigerator. Enjoy the leftovers for up to 2 days!
You could also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months in the freezer.
What’s The Best Way To Reheat The Leftovers?
I find the best way to reheat the nuggets is with an air fryer! To do so, heat them for about 4 minutes at 400 degrees F in an air fryer basket.
You could also reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Is The Pickle Juice A Necessary Ingredient In This Chick-fil-A Nuggets Recipe?
The pickle juice works great to tenderize the meat as well as add something special to the flavor.
Do I Have To Marinate The Bites Of Chicken For The Full Two Hours?
I wouldn’t suggest skipping this step! Marinating the chicken allows the chicken to become tender as well as improves the overall taste of the nuggets.
What Other Dipping Sauces Can I Use With These Nuggets?
Honey Mustard sauce, sweet and sour, BBQ, and even ketchup would go great with them!
I always feel like a winner when I discover a great copycat recipe such as these Chick-fil-A nuggets! Here are more awesome copycat recipes that will impress you as much as this one does!
- Starbucks Pink Drink – Your favorite fruity Starbucks drink made right at home for less!
- McDonald’s Shamrock Shake – The thick, sweet vanilla-mint shake we wait all year for!
- Disney Dole Whip – Made in the blender in just 10 minutes using only 4 ingredients!
- Mongolian Beef – P.F. Chang’s Copycat Recipe that’s filled with tender flank steak!
- Starbucks Banana Bread – Delicious sweet bread studded with crunchy walnuts!
Let’s Connect!
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!
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Chick-fil-A Nuggets
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup pickle juice
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3 cups peanut oil
Instructions
- Mix the milk and pickle juice in a large ziplock bag. Whisk the egg slightly and add it to the marinade.
- Then add the bite-sized chicken pieces to the marinade. Set this in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl: flour, powdered sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cornstarch.
- Set a wire rack next to the bowl of dry ingredients. Prepare a plate next to the stove, lined with paper towels, to set the fried chicken on.
- When the chicken is done marinating, remove it from the marinade (I used tongs, or you could use a slotted spoon) and put it into the bowl with the flour mixture. Toss all of the chicken pieces well. When all of the pieces are coated, place the chicken pieces onto the wire rack and allow the chicken to rest while you make the sauce and heat the oil.
- Heat the oil to medium in a deep skillet or dutch oven.
- Fry about half of the chicken at a time, or even smaller batches, don’t crowd the chicken as you fry it. Fry the chicken nuggets until golden brown. (3-5 minutes until cooked through. I recommend testing a couple first)
- Place the fried chicken on a paper towel-lined plate. Then fry the rest of the chicken.
- Serve the chicken nuggets with the dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
- Is It Important For The Nuggets To Rest Before Frying Them? Yes, allowing the nuggets to rest allows the coating to really adhere to them.
- Can I Double Dredge The Nuggets? I found that twice-dredged and coated nuggets were way too thick! And since classic Chick-fil-a nuggets are famous for their light, crispy breading I’d recommend only dredging them once.
- How Do I Store Any Leftover Chicken Nuggets? Just toss them into an airtight container and then store them in the refrigerator. Enjoy the leftovers for up to 2 days! You could also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.
- What’s The Best Way To Reheat The Leftovers? I find the best way to reheat the nuggets is with an air fryer! To do so, heat them for about 4 minutes at 400 degrees F in an air fryer basket. You could also reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Is The Pickle Juice A Necessary Ingredient In This Chick Fil A Nuggets Recipe? The pickle juice works great to tenderize the meat as well as add something special to the flavor.
- Do I Have To Marinate The Bites Of Chicken For The Full Two Hours? I wouldn’t suggest skipping this step! Marinating the chicken allows the chicken to become tender as well as improves the overall taste of the nuggets.
- What Other Dipping Sauces Can I Use With These Nuggets? Honey Mustard, sweet and sour, BBQ, and even ketchup would go great with them!
Did You Make This Recipe?
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This recipe is adapted from Raphael Gomes.
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