If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at making chicken nuggets at home, you’ve hit the jackpot with this recipe. These chicken nuggets tastes just like McDonald’s but because you make them completely from scratch, you know exactly what is going into them. Grab the kids and make these today!
I have made these chicken nuggets several times now and each time they are met with rave reviews from my family and friends. I’ve shared this recipe with others too and they have had great success as well! I encourage you to try it and let me know what you think.
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The most popular question about this recipe is “is the chicken raw or cooked when you run it through the food processor?”
The chicken is raw, not cooked.
First you’re going to cut some boneless chicken breasts into cubes, then run them through the food processor.
NOTE: The food processor pictured above is a cheap $70 model. It lasted me less than a year.
The bowl (with the handle) broke three times – I had to order it from the manufacturer each time. By the time I got done paying for replacement bowls I could have bought a bigger, better machine.
So I bought a Cuisinart 12-cup food processor
Here’s what it looks like when it’s done.
Mix together the salt, pepper, onion powder, oregano and parsley.
Sprinkle it over the ground up chicken in a bowl and mix it all up.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl.
Mix the flour and salt in another bowl.
Use a cookie scoop to measure out chicken balls. Ha ha.
Roll the balls smooth and get everything together. You’ll need your bowl of whisked eggs, your bowl of flour mixture, the chicken balls and an empty plate.
First roll a chicken ball in flour.
Coat the floured ball with egg.
Coat it in flour again. I found that the best way to do this was to actually use one hand for the egg and the other hand for the flour so that the flour doesn’t end up clumping all over your egg-y wet fingers.
Then place the flour chicken ball on a plate and gently flatten it with your fingers.
I used my fryer set at 365F, but you can use a cast iron Dutch oven or even a heavy bottomed sauce pan too.
In my fryer it took about 7.5 minutes, I flipped them over halfway through. Drain them on paper towels.
Take a bite.
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
IMPORTANT - There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 18 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts about 3 breasts
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon parsley flakes
- ¾ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder heaping
- ¼ teaspoon pepper heaping
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 cups canola oil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy-duty skillet or saucepan on medium-high heat. Set a candy thermometer in place.
- While oil is heating, cut chicken breasts into cubes, then place in a food processor. Process chicken into a fine paste. Transfer processed chicken to a bowl. Combine salt, parsley, oregano, onion powder, and pepper, and sprinkle over chicken. Combine well.
- Whisk eggs together in a small bowl. Combine the flour and salt and put it on a plate.
- Measure chicken paste out with a cookie scoop and roll into 42 balls.
- Roll ball in flour, then coat with egg, and then coat in flour again. Use your fingers to press the ball down to make a nugget.
- Once oil reaches 350-365 F place as many nuggets as possible in the oil, and fry until the bottoms are golden, turn and fry until the other side is golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a towel-lined plate (to catch any excess oil).
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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M says
Followed exactly nuggets just fell apart. As well pretty uninspiring that your publicly admit to owning poor cooking equipment yet realise recipes publicly very disappointing.
Sarah says
Great recipe, the whole family loved it
Lori says
Hi! Looking forward to making these. How do you make them in the Dutch oven?
Jessica C. says
These nuggets are awesome! I used a pound of ground turkey, two eggs, and misted them with extra virgin olive oil to make them in the air fryer for my dairy- and corn-free kiddo. She loved them!
Stephanie says
Made these and they were soooo dry. I seasoned them differently and the seasoning was good but the texture was awful. There’s very little fat in chicken breasts, so bone-in thighs probably would have been a lot better to use. Not for me.
Amanda Formaro says
Sorry to hear they weren’t for you!
Brooke says
I know this is an old post but have you ever made them andput them in the freezer afterward? What would be the best reheating method if frozen?
Amanda Formaro says
I haven’t myself, but I would think you could totally do that. Then to reheat just increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes?
Lucille says
Hi Amanda,
If we freeze them after cooking them, how would we repeat them? Thank you
Lucille says
…I beg your pardon, I meant to say REHEAT, not repeat! 👀
Amanda Formaro says
If your freezing after cooking, I think you could pop them in the microwave. Or thaw them out first and microwave for a lesser time.
Nancy says
I bookmarked this recipe years ago and they came out amazing! Tastes just like McDonald’s nuggets. I have my second kid a toddler going to preschool and will use this recipe again. To answer other people’s questions, I made them in big batches and froze these and its great to reheat with toaster oven for quick meals. Also I prefer using chicken thighs with just a little bit of white meat for it to taste closer to McDonald’s!
teresa vigil says
Delicious thank you!!!
Amanda Formaro says
Glad you liked them!
Jennifer says
These were fantastic!!! Thank you! My kids highly approve this recipe!
Amanda Formaro says
Awesome, so glad they loved them!
Francesca says
Can I use shake and bake coating rather than flour and egg? And then bake it?
Amanda Formaro says
I have not tried that, but let me know if you do! Would love to know how they turn out :)
Tanya says
These are amazing. I have the pickiest kids I’ve ever met and they gobbled these up without a second thought. I’m in complete shock. Thank you so much for posting. 5 stars!!
Amanda Formaro says
Yay, I’m so glad they liked them! :)
Cameron Peters says
I know you posted this awhile ago so I am,not sure if you will see this but do you thimk this would work in an air fryer as well? I just got one and would love to try this!
Amanda Formaro says
Oh I wish I could answer that with certainty! I have never tried that before. However, I would THINK it would work. Will you let me know if you try?
Carol Weill says
Thanks for this recipe! Some days this is the ONLY thing my grandson will eat! Since we are trying to control what we eat and want to know exactly what is in it, is there a “healthy” oil that can be used? Canola is not really a “healthy” oil. Since it is high temp, olive oil is out. Possibly a combination of coconut & sunflower? Or do you have another suggestion? Thanks again!
Amanda Formaro says
I have read that coconut oil is the healthiest for frying!
Cheryl says
Could you cook these in the oven? I don’t fry. Thanks, Cheryl.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Cheryl. I have not tried them in the oven myself, however I believe it would be fine. Again, haven’t baked them myself, but I would GUESS 400 F and just keep checking them. maybe 15-20 minutes?
Tanisha says
Hi
How to make fish fingers
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Tanisha. I do not have a recipe on this blog for fish fingers, sorry about that!
Angela S says
Just wondering if one could use ground chicken in place of chicken breasts because it is ground chicken breast when I purchase at store?
Amanda Formaro says
I haven’t tried that but I would imagine it would work :)
Cristina says
Just in case a future reader wants to know, it works just as well with pre-ground chicken from the store. I’ve made it as the recipe says in the food processor and with the pre-ground and it came out the same.
Pam says
THANKS AMANDA. MY GRANDDAUGHTERS WILL ABSOLUTELY BE THRILLED,
KNOWING GRANDMA CAN ACTUALLY MAKE THESE AT HOME. THANKS FOR THE RECIPE.
PAM
PS
CANT WAIT TO MAKE THEM. BET YOU COULD FREEZE THEM, & REHEAT.
DIRECTIONS WOULD PROBABLY BE THE SAME AS PACKAGED FROZEN NUGGETS, RIGHT?
Amanda Formaro says
I am not sure about that Pam, I haven’t tried that yet. let me know if you do!