Chick-fil-A Nuggets Copycat Recipe – Crunchy Creamy Sweet

Make these famous Chick-fil-A Nuggets at home, from scratch, with just a few ingredients! Save money and time with this easy copycat recipe.

I always whip up the Chick-fil-A Sauce, also made from scratch, for dipping the nuggets! Add waffle fries or French fries and you have a full meal, fast-food style.

If you ever wondered how to make the popular Chick-fil-A Nuggets from scratch, I am here to show you it’s actually very easy, and most likely, you have all of the ingredients on hand. It all starts with boneless skinless chicken breast, the real deal. A quick marinade of milk and pickle juice is the secret to juicy nuggets, so don’t skip it!

Next, just dredge the pieces in a flour mixture with sugar and spices (yep, these nuggets are slightly sweet, just like the restaurant kind) and fry them in oil. You will be amazed at how delicious they are!

Now, anytime the craving strikes, you can whip up a batch of Chick-fil-A Nuggets with this copycat recipe without leaving the house!

Ingredients:

• boneless skinless chicken breasts
• whole milk or half and half
• pickle juice
• egg
• flour
• powdered sugar
• salt and pepper
• oil, for frying

How to make Chick-fil-A Nuggets from scratch?

• Start by cutting the chicken breast into bite-size pieces.
• Mix milk and pickle juice in a bowl and add chicken. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Add beaten egg to chicken and stir in.

• In a ziploc bag, combine flour, sugar, salt and pepper.
• Add chicken in batches, close the bag and shake well.
• Remove chicken and repeat until all chicken pieces are coated.

• Heat up oil in a saucepan to 350 degrees F.
• Fry chicken nuggets in batches, do not overcrowd the pot.
• Remove onto a cooling rack.
• Serve.

How to serve these nuggets?

I highly recommend my copycat recipe for the Chick-fil-A sauce! It’s perfect for dipping the nuggets in. Waffle fries are also a classic addition.

Can I bake these Chick-fil-A nuggets?

You sure can! Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prep the nuggets as directed in the recipe, and layer them on a large baking sheet. Spray them with cooking oil spray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes OR until golden brown.

Can I make them in the air fryer?

If you want to skip frying in the oil, an air fryer may be a good choice. Preheat the appliance to 390 degrees F, for 4 minutes. Spray trays with cooking oil, layer nuggets on trays, and spray lightly with oil. Air fry for 8 minutes or until golden. Add more minutes if needed.

Can I skip the pickle juice?

Rumor has it that the original restaurant recipe uses pickle juice to soak the chicken. It’s the secret ingredient! This helps the meat stay juicy and tender. You can skip it or use buttermilk in place of the milk and juice combo.

More copycat recipes:

For more recipes like this one, feel free to browse our Dinner category.

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment!

Chick-fil-A Nuggets Copycat Recipe

Make these famous Chick-fil-A Nuggets at home, from scratch, with just a few ingredients! Save money and time with this easy copycat recipe. I always whip up the Chick-fil-A Sauce, also made from scratch, for dipping the nuggets!

Course:

Main Course

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

chick-fil-a nuggets

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 293 kcal

Ingredients

• 2
  medium chicken breasts
  boneless skinless
• ½
  cup
  whole milk
• ½
  cup
  pickle juice
  see note
• 1
  large egg
  beaten
• 1
  cup
  all-purpose flour
• 1
  tablespoon
  powdered sugar
• ½
  teaspoon
  salt
• ¼
  teaspoon
  black pepper
• vegetable oil
  for frying

Instructions

1. Cut chicken breasts into bite-size pieces, about 1″ in size. I start by slicing the breast into thick strips, then each strip into 3 to 4 nuggets.

2. Place chicken in a large glass bowl. Add milk and pickle juice. Stir. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Add egg to chicken mixture and stir in. Set aside.

4. Heat up oil in a medium saucepan, until it reaches 350 degrees F.

5. In a ziploc bag, combine flour, sugar, salt and pepper. Close and shake a few times.

6. Add chicken to flour, in batches. Shake until well coated. Remove from bag onto wire rack (see note).

7. Fry chicken in batches, until crispy and golden brown. Remove onto another wire cooling rack.

8. Repeat until all pieces are fried.

9. Serve with dipping sauce.

Recipe Notes

• The total time is an estimate.
• Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
• If you place coated chicken nuggets on a plate, they will stick to it as they sit while you fry the batches. Wire rack works better here.
• Cooling fried nuggets on a wire rack keeps them crispy. If you place them on a paper towel, they may become soggy.
• If you want to skip the pickle juice, I recommend using buttermilk or milk with lemon juice for marinating.

Nutrition Facts

Chick-fil-A Nuggets Copycat Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 293
Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 116mg39%

Sodium 895mg39%

Potassium 509mg15%

Carbohydrates 30g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 143IU3%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 52mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.