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a plate of chick fil a copycat chicken nuggets, a cup of chick fil a sauce, and waffle fries
4.67 from 6 votes

Chick Fil A Nuggets

Chick Fil A Chicken Nuggets are easily made at home using this delicious copycat recipe that everyone is going to love. They are crispy, juicy, and taste just like the real thing!
Author Diana
Servings 6 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds (650g) chicken breasts boneless and skinless, about 3 large breasts
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups (120g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • peanut oil for frying, at least 1 inch

Instructions

  • In a gallon sized Ziploc bag, add the chicken, buttermilk, egg, and salt. Seal the bag and give everything a good mix. Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the the dredging mixture. In a shallow bowl (I used my 9 inch pie dish), combine the flour with baking powder, powdered sugar, paprika, salt and pepper. Whisk everything to combine.
  • Add at least 1 inch of peanut oil to a dutch oven and heat to 350°F/180°C.
  • Remove the chicken pieces from the brine, and dredge in the flour mixture shaking off any excess flour. Do not leave any spots that are not covered with flour.
  • Drop in hot oil (work in batches), and cook for around 4 minutes. Flip the chicken every 30 seconds as you fry, this will help with even cooking (unless you’re using a deep fryer).
  • Drain cooked nuggets on a wire rack or paper towel lined dish as you fry the rest. Try to maintain the oil temperature as you fry (higher than 350 and the outside will be brown too quickly, and the chicken won’t cook on the inside, if the temp is lower then you risk the coating falling off and the chicken won’t brown very well and you might end up with overcooked chicken nuggets).
  • Serve with chick-fil-a sauce and waffle fries.

Notes

  • To Store: Leftover chicken nuggets can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to enjoy! 
  • To Freeze: Chick fil A nuggets can be frozen to use for dinners in the future. Add cooked nuggets to a freezer safe bag or container and store for up to three months. Reheat in a 375°F/190°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a 375°F/190°C Air Fryer for 8-12 minutes. 
  • Use a frying thermometer to ensure that the oil temperature stays at 350°F. Oil at any other temperature will not give you the same delicious results. 
  • Peanut oil is what Chick-fil-A uses for their chicken, but you can use canola or vegetable oil too.
  • If you don't have buttermilk, combine regular milk with 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar or dill pickle juice to make one cup.  

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 310IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 3mg