BEST Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets are made with simple ingredients and can be easily prepared in your own home! The secret to these homemade chicken nuggets is the marinade, a mixture of pickle juice and milk. Enjoy then dipped in our Chick-Fil-A sauce recipe that is simply heavenly!
Making Chick-fil-A Nuggets at home is not only a fun activity, but it also allows you to customize the recipe to your liking. You can adjust the seasoning and spice level to suit your taste preferences. Additionally, making copycat chick-fil-a nuggets is a healthier alternative to fast food, as you can control the quality of the ingredients and cooking method!
Chick-Fil-A Faux Nuggets
To anyone who didn’t know better, they’ll assume you made the trip out and brought back fresh nuggets from Chick fil a because this chick fil a nuggets recipe tastes so close to the real deal that they’re practically indistinguishable. We love chick fil a, but for a larger family, eating out can get expensive. Making it at home is not only more affordable but it can be more fun too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients. This recipe uses simple ingredients including chicken breasts, milk, crackers, and seasonings like salt, pepper, and paprika. You probably have many of the ingredients needed on hand already, making this recipe even easier to throw together.
- Fast prep and cook time. The prep and the cooking can both be done rather quickly but this is a recipe best served with a side of patience. The chicken will need to be marinated for up to 3 hours so make sure you plan this meal ahead!
- Unique flavor: These copycat nuggets are so close to the real thing you may not even be able to tell them apart! This fast food chain definitely created an addictingly delicious nugget who’s taste is unlink any other. The chicken marinade combined with the crunchy coating results in a crispy and flavorful nugget that is perfect for dipping in your favorite sauce.
Copycat Chick Fil a Nuggets Ingredients
Chicken breasts: You will need 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts that have been cut into bite-sized pieces (about the size of a nugget).
Milk: Use 1 ½ cups of milk for the chicken marinade.
Pickle juice: Adding ½ cup of pickle juice to marinate the chicken. This helps tenderize the meat thanks to the acids in the juice. To get a true Chick Fil A taste you need to use dill pickle juice, not bread and butter pickles or hot pickles, just dill.
Crackers: You need 1 sleeve of crackers like Ritz crackers or townhouse for the coating on the nuggets. I like to use a food processor to crush mine but you can also crush them up in a bag, you just want to make sure they are a fine crumb.
Breadcrumbs: Use 1 ½ cups of breadcrumbs for the coating on the nuggets.
Flour: Add in ½ cup of all-purpose flour to help thicken the coating so it adheres better to the chicken.
Paprika: For a well flavored nugget, use 1 ½ teaspoon of paprika.
Pepper: You need 1 ½ teaspoons of ground black pepper for more great flavor.
Salt: Use 2 teaspoons of salt to help enhance the flavors in the chicken nuggets well.
Powdered sugar: ½ cup of powdered sugar is needed for the coating as well. Though it sounds a little odd, do not skip the powdered sugar! It is what gives these nuggets their signature taste.
Oil: You will need peanut oil for frying the nuggets in. The actual amount needed will vary depending on the size of your pot.
Faux Chick Fil A Sauce
Mayo: Use ½ cup of mayonnaise for the base of the dipping sauce recipe.
Mustard: You will want to add 2 teaspoons of yellow mustard for a little tangy flavor.
BBQ sauce: Using 2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue sauce will give it a zesty taste.
Honey: Adding in 2 tablespoons of honey will thicken and sweeten the nugget dip nicely.
How to make the BEST Copycat Chick Fil a Nuggets
Prep
Start by chopping the chicken breasts into bite size pieces, trim off any unwanted fat as you go.
Make marinade
In a large mixing bowl combine the milk and pickle juice and then add in the cut chicken pieces. Make sure that the chicken pieces are all well covered by the liquid.
Then place the bowl in the fridge and allow to marinate for 1-3 hours.
Nugget breading
Now, using a food processor, combine the crackers, breadcrumbs, flour, paprika, pepper, salt, and powdered sugar until the mixture is finely crushed and well combined.
Cook
When ready to start cooking, add the peanut oil to a deep-frying pan, Dutch oven, or a deep fryer. You want there to be just enough oil to cover the nuggets.
Let the oil heat to 350-360 degrees F.
Pull out the chicken and proceed to dredge the nuggets in the breading mixture one by one or place the breading mixture into a gallon-sized zipper topped baggie and place the nuggets inside. Shake until all the chicken is well coated.
When the oil is ready, drop the nuggets, a few at a time, into the hot oil and fry them for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Make sure to turn them over as they cook to evenly cook both sides.
Cook the nuggets in batches, be careful not to overcrowd the pan or else they will not turn out properly.
Remove the chicken nuggets and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil, repeat in batches until they are all cooked. Let the nuggets cool while you prepare the sauce.
Dipping Sauce
In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the mayonnaise, mustard, BBQ sauce and honey, use a fork to mix and combine well.
Serve the freshly made nuggets with this copycat Chick Fil A sauce and enjoy!
BEST COPYCAT CHICK-FIL-A NUGGETS
Ingredients
- 4 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup dill pickle juice
Bread coating
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers townhouse
- 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
- ½ cup flour
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- 1 ½ tsp pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- Peanut oil for frying amount depends on size of pan used
Chick Fil A Faux Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- 2 TBSP barbecue sauce
- 2 TBSP honey
Instructions
- Prep: Start by chopping the chicken breasts into bite size pieces, trim off any unwanted fat as you go.
- Make marinade: In a large bowl combine the milk and pickle juice. Add the chicken pieces and make sure they are covered. Move the bowl to the fridge to marinate from 1-3 hours.
- Nugget breading: To make the breading for the chicken nuggets use a food processor to finely crush the crackers, breadcrumbs, flour, paprika, pepper, salt and powdered sugar.
- Cook: When you are ready to fry add peanut oil to a deep-frying pan, Dutch oven or a deep fryer. You want enough oil to cover the nuggets. Heat the oil to 350-360.
- You can dredge your nuggets in the breading mixture one by one. I prefer to place the breading mixture in a ziplocked bag, add the nuggets and shake them up until coated.
- When the oil is hot enough, drop in the nuggets and let them fry 2-3 minutes, until golden brown, turning them over for even cooking. Do this in batches and do not overcrowd the pan.
- Drain the nuggets of paper towels and repeat with other batches until they are all cooked.
- Dipping Sauce: In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the mayonnaise, mustard, BBQ sauce and honey, use a fork to mix and combine well. Serve the freshly made nuggets with this copycat Chick Fil A sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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What to Serve with Chick Fil a Nuggets
For a more authentic feel, I like to serve my copycat nuggets with a side of waffle fries. You can serve yours up with just about anything though. French fries, curly fries, mashed potatoes, or even fresh cut veggies and fruit. Whatever you’d normally like to eat with your chicken nuggets is fine!
Can I use a different cut of chicken?
Yes, you can definitely use a different cut of chicken like a chicken tenderloin or even thighs (although thighs would be less authentic) Just make sure to cut them up into the right sized pieces or use them as chicken strips.
How long are leftover copycat chick fil a nuggets good for?
Leftover nuggets can be kept stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. For the best tasting results, I recommend reheating them in your air fryer. This will help them to crisp back up and warm up.
How long is chick fil a sauce good for?
You can keep your chick fil a sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. This should give you plenty of time to use it up, either with your nuggets or as a nice sauce drizzled over cheeseburgers, yum!
What are some frozen nuggets that taste similar to Chick-fil-A’s?
While nothing can truly replicate the taste of Chick-fil-A’s famous nuggets, there are some frozen options that come close. Some popular brands include Tyson, Perdue, and Applegate. It’s always a good idea to read the label and check the ingredients to make sure they fit your dietary needs and preferences.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes To Check Out Soon!
- MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS
- BBQ CHICKEN WONTONS
- CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA
- SWEET & SPICY GRILLED STICKY CHICKEN
- EASY SMOKED CHICKEN LEGS
- LEMON ROSEMARY CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
- CHICKEN AVOCADO QUESADILLAS
- CHEESY BAKED CHICKEN BREASTS
- EASY CHICKEN MANICOTTI
- BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA
- ZESTY ITALIAN CHICKEN
- BACON WRAPPED CHICKEN TENDERS
Skip the drive thru and make your own Chick Fil A Nuggets at home! A few secret ingredients make these nuggets taste just like the real thing. Of course what would these nuggets be without that special Chick Fil A sauce and I’ve included the recipe for that along with these copycat chick fil a nuggets.
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