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If breading the nuggets is your nemesis, my simple zip bag method will rock your world, and you’ll be making these homemade Chick-fil-A nuggets on repeat!
Chick-fil-A Nuggets Copycat Recipe
My kids love the crispy outing, the seasoning, and the slightly tangy flavor of the original Chick-fil-A nuggets at the restaurant. And once in a while, we buy them. However, as a large family, it gets expensive because we need trays, not a 6 or 8pc box.
Enter my copycat Chick-fil-A nuggets that are just as good if not tastier than the original. And, when push comes to shove, I can serve them in a “box” of my own with their favorite sides or whatever fruit and veggies I have in the fridge that day.
Ingredients
Dill pickle juice is the key ingredient for epic Chick-fil-A nuggets. Aside from that, this recipe uses just everyday staples! Before jumping to the amounts, check what ingredients you need, swaps, and what I use them for:
- Chicken breasts: chicken strips also work. You want ½-inch cubes.
- Dill pickle juice: adds that classic flavor we love from Chick-fil-A.
- Egg: help the breading stick to the chicken meat.
- Milk: regular or non-dairy milk.
- All-purpose flour: the base ingredient for the breading.
- Seasonings: you’ll use onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to add tons of flavor.
- Oil: while peanut oil gives these nuggets the famous Chick-fil-A flavor, you can also use vegetable oil for frying.
How to Make Chick-fil-A Nuggets
Amazing copycat Chick-fil-A nuggets with very little work? Oh yes! This recipe simplifies the process so you can enjoy these beauties at home often. Check out how I make the nuggets and the cooking tips:
- Prep
Pat dry the chicken so the coating sticks better. Then, cut it into nugget-size pieces. - Marinate
Marinate the chicken pieces for 45 minutes to 1 hour so they infuse with the dill pickle juice. - Bread the chicken pieces
Combine the milk and egg in a bowl, and flour and seasonings in a zip bag. First, you coat the chicken pieces with the liquids. Then, transfer the nuggets to the zip bag, seal it, and shake it. This way, you bread the chicken all at once and evenly. - Cook the nuggets
When heating the pan, make sure the oil temperature doesn’t get too hot, or it could burn the breading before the nuggets are cooked. You can use a meat thermometer to check this.
Air Frying Homemade Chick-fil-A Nuggets
If you want to make these Chick-fil-A nuggets in the air-fryer, you’ll need to preheat it to 400F. Lightly spray the nuggets with cooking spray on both sides. Air-fry for 12 minutes until the nugget’s internal temperature reaches 165F. Remove that batch of nuggets and repeat the process with the remaining nuggets.
What to Serve with Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets
Dipping nuggets in a delicious sauce… can you even imagine something better? My favorite sauces for these nuggets are homemade ketchup, ranch dressing, Avocado Lime Ranch, and BBQ sauce. SO good!
You can also combine the best chicken with the best sauce by making my Copycat Cane’s Sauce Recipe and serving it with these Chick-fil-A nuggets.
Freezing & Reheating Leftover Nuggets
Once cooled, store cooked chicken nuggets in an airtight container or zip bag and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the air fryer at 360F for 4 minutes.
Freeze breaded uncooked nuggets on a lined pan. Once frozen, transfer them into a zip bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Add 2 to 3 minutes to the cooking time if cooking them frozen.
Side for Copycat Chicken Nuggets
At the restaurant, we have a few options to choose from; and while they aren’t always healthy, it’s a treat! At home, you can serve the copycat Chick-Fil-A nuggets over a BLT salad, sweet potato salad, or a fresh corn and tomato salad.
Another favorite? My carrot raisin salad! It’s another copycat Chick-fil-A recipe, and since they discontinued it from the menu, my homemade recipe is the best next thing! Plus, it’s a lot healthier too.
Easy Chick-fil-A Nuggets (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep:
- Pat dry the chicken breasts with a paper towel and, with a sharp knife, cut them into 1-inch, nugget-sized pieces. Transfer them inside a zip bag, pour the dill pickle juice, and seal.
Marinate:
- Place the zip bag in the refrigerator for 45 minutes (up to 1 hour).
Bread the nuggets:
- In a medium bowl, large enough to fit the nuggets, whisk the egg. Add the milk and combine. Set aside.
- In a gallon-sized zip bag, combine the flour and seasonings. Set aside.
- Drain the pickle juice out of the zip bag and transfer the nuggets into the egg and milk mixture. Use a fork to toss them around the bowl and coat them with the egg and milk liquid.
- With the same fork, or using kitchen tongs, transfer the nuggets from the bowl into the zip bag containing the seasoned flour. Once all the nuggets are in the bag, seal the bag closed, and shake the bag to coat them well.
Cook the nuggets:
- Pour enough oil into a frying pan to fill the pan about ¾" high. Heat the oil over medium heat until the oil reaches 375F. You can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. If you let the oil get too hot, the breading might brown or burn too quickly before the nuggets are finished cooking.
- Use kitchen tongs to add the nuggets from the flour bag, shaking off any excess flour, and place them inside the hot oil in the pan while making sure there’s about 1″ of space between them. Cook them for 3 to 5 minutes, using the tongs to flip them over halfway through cooking if there’s any side exposed.
- Remove them from the oil onto a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process with the remaining nuggets.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F for 5 minutes. Use kitchen tongs to remove the coated nuggets from the bag onto a few paper plates (or a regular plate) and spray all the nuggets on both sides with cooking spray.
- Place the nuggets in the air fryer and cook them for 12 minutes, making sure to flip them over or shake the basket halfway through cooking, to ensure the nuggets get golden brown on all sides. Larger nuggets might need up to 15 minutes. They're cooked when the internal temperature of the largest piece is 165F.
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