Chicken Nuggets That Are A Treat To Eat
No more wondering, “Are chicken nuggets made with real meat?” Our homemade chicken nugget recipe channels real main character energy, because it uses real meat and real ingredients. We understand the irresistible call of crispy chicken nuggets from the drive-through, but if we’re eating them at home, we think it’s worth the effort to make this chicken nuggets recipe. And for a grown-up version, try our Chicken Milanese, or Panko Chicken.
When Were Chicken Nuggets Invented?
If we could go back in time, we’d travel to the 1950s to give Robert Baker, the inventor of chicken nuggets, a Nobel Prize for his contribution to American culinary treasures. Baker, a food science professor at Cornell University, originally called his invention the “Chicken Crispie.” However you batter and fry it, this is one of our favorite food histories.
How To Make Chicken Nuggets
Set up your fry station mise en place. Lining up the various bowls, pot with cooking oil, and cooling area is key to success. You’ll need one bowl for the seasoned breading, and one bowl for the buttermilk mixture. Keep a clean kitchen towel or paper towel nearby to keep your hands clean while you work.
Season the cut chicken strips with salt and black pepper and dunk into the wet mixture.
Get ready to fry! Again organization is key. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a large, heavy pot. Add the vegetable oil to the pot over medium-high heat.
Once the oil reaches 325°F, begin removing the chicken from the wet mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Roll it through the dry mixture, pressing gently to adhere the breading. Carefully add the chicken to the hot oil, and cook, turning halfway through, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted metal spoon, transfer the chicken to the cooling rack to cool.
Make sure your oil stays hot! Each time you add meat to the oil, it brings the temperature down. If your chicken is soggy, that means your oil isn’t hot enough! Make sure to keep the oil at a consistent 325°F, which may mean letting the oil come back up to temperature between batches. Your patience will pay off with nuggets as crispy and golden as McDonald’s chicken nuggets.
Set out an array of sauces and dip your heart out!
What To Serve With Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Obviously we’ve got an all hands on deck situation for dipping sauces. We’ll start with Fry Sauce, BBQ Sauce, and Homemade Ranch Dressing, but why stop there? We’re gonna need some Homemade Marinara Sauce to make this dipping party real wild. Since chicken nuggets have that classic American dinner appeal, you could also make 4-Ingredient Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese and serve up some Potato Wedges or Homemade French Fries on the side.
Tools You’ll Need
A fork or whisk
We Are All About Homemade Versions Of Restaurant Favorites
Sometimes you just want to DIY your favorite restaurant orders, and we’ve got recipes for when the mood strikes:
Dunk Away With Our Best Chicken Nuggets Recipe
We hope you made these easy 100% meat chicken nuggets, with all of your favorite dipping sauces. Show us the nuggs and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed them to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy dipping!
