Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

These homemade chicken nuggets had the right texture, flavor and consistency of a standard McDonald’€s Chicken McNugget. However, it still tasted leaner (healthier) probably because I trimmed all the fat off the chicken pieces.

Scroll to the end of this post for the printable recipe.

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I used a mixture of chicken breast meat and thigh meat, hoping the thigh meat would add some extra richness, flavor and moistness after frying. I remember back in the old days, McDonald’s used to only use dark meat, that’€s when I liked them the most. You can use all dark meat if you wish, if you do, let me know how they turn out.

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It was easier than I thought it would be. The process of dredging the nuggets in flour, then in egg, and flour again created a nice crispy golden shell.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets (approx. 30 nuggets)

adapted from For The Love Of Food

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. Chicken (1 lb. white meat + 1 lb. dark meat)
  • 1 teaspoon of Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Parsley flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon of Pepper
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • 1 Cup of Flour + 1 tsp. salt
  • about 1.5 Cups of Oil for frying (I used Corn Oil)

Directions:

1) Heat oil in a heavy-duty skillet (like a cast iron skillet) on medium-high heat while preparing the chicken nuggets – it should be ready to work with once half of your nuggets are ready to go in.

2) Cube chicken and place in a food processor. Add parsley, oregano, pepper, 1 tsp. salt and combine well. Blend chicken until it has a paste-like texture.

3) Combine 1 tsp. salt and flour on a plate and have your beaten eggs in a small bowl ready to work with.

4) Roll the chicken paste mixture into approximately 30 ping-pong ball-sized balls (smaller than a golf ball).

5) Roll chicken ball in flour, then in egg, and then in flour again. Then, press the ball down to make a nugget. Set nuggets aside.

6) Sprinkle the hot oil with some flour and if it bubbles really quickly right away, your oil is ready for frying. 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. Will take about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a towel-lined plate (to catch any excess oil).

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Heat oil in a heavy-duty skillet (like a cast iron skillet) on medium-high heat while preparing the chicken nuggets. It should be ready to cook with once half of your nuggets are ready to go in.

Cube chicken and place in a food processor. Add parsley, oregano, pepper, 1 tsp. salt and combine well.

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Blend chicken until it becomes a paste-like texture.

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Combine 1 tsp. salt and flour on a plate and have your beaten eggs in a small bowl ready to work with.

Roll the chicken paste mixture into approximately 30 ping-pong ball-sized balls.

Roll chicken ball in flour, then in egg, and then in flour again. Then, press the ball down to make a nugget. Set nuggets aside.

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Sprinkle the hot oil with some flour and if it bubbles right away, your oil is ready for frying. Place as many nuggets as possible in the oil, and fry until the bottoms are golden, then turn and fry until the other side is golden. Will take about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a towel-lined plate (to catch any excess oil).

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Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

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Next to honey, my favorite dipping sauce is this Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. I love the sweet and spicy combination for chicken nuggets. Try looking for it the next time you hit up an Asian grocery store. I’€m sure once you try it you’€ll start putting it on everything you eat. Sometimes I make my salad dressing with this sauce too. But that’€s for another time.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

September 23, 2010
: makes 30 nuggets
: Easy

These homemade chicken nuggets had the right texture, flavor and consistency of a standard McDonald's Chicken McNugget.

By:

Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. Chicken (1 lb. white meat + 1 lb. dark meat)
  • 1 teaspoon of Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Parsley flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon of Pepper
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • 1 Cup of Flour + 1 tsp. salt
  • 1.5 Cups of Oil for frying (I used Corn Oil)
Directions
  • Step 1 Heat oil in a heavy-duty skillet (like a cast iron skillet) on medium-high heat while preparing the chicken nuggets. It should be ready to work with once half of your nuggets are ready to go in.
  • Step 2 Cube chicken and place in a food processor. Add parsley, oregano, pepper, 1 tsp. salt and combine well. Blend chicken until it has all been taken apart and is a fine paste.
  • Step 3 Combine 1 tsp. salt and flour on a plate and have your beaten eggs in a small bowl ready to work with.
  • Step 4 Roll the chicken paste mixture into approximately 30 ping-pong ball-sized balls (smaller than a golf ball).
  • Step 5 Roll ball in flour, then in egg, and then in flour again. Then, press the ball down to make a nugget. Set nuggets aside.
  • Step 6 Sprinkle the hot oil with some flour and if it bubbles right away, your oil is ready for frying. 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. Will take about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a towel-lined plate (to catch any excess oil).