Make homemade nuggets with this easy to make chicken nuggets recipe. (2024)

This chicken nugget recipe produces perfectly seasoned and tender nuggets with a crispy coating that are perfect for dipping and dunking!

This budget-busting copycat recipe is so easy, with its savory mixture of ground chicken, sour cream or mayo and crunchy Panko crumb coating.

With a baked and air-fried option, this will become your favorite go-to chicken nuggets recipe!

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

• Homemade chicken nuggets are a healthy and wholesome snack that is popular with kids and grown-ups alike!
• Baked instead of deep-fried, this copycat recipe is healthier than McDonald’s or any drive-through!
• Super convenient chicken nuggets can be made in batches and frozen raw or cooked and cooled for instant snacking!
• Make chicken nuggets in fun shapes using cookie cutters or add in some bold seasonings for game day appetizer platters!

Ingredients and Variations

Chicken: Ground chicken produces denser nuggets that keep their shape and are easier to hold. Buy it ground or grind your own for the freshest flavor. Add ground turkey or pork for a juicier nugget.

Seasonings: A little bit of sour cream makes the chicken extra juicy, but you can also use plain yogurt or mayonnaise. For extra tasty nuggets, add some taco seasoning, Italian seasoning, or a zesty Cajun blend.

Breading: The secret to keeping nuggets crispy is the combination of Panko and parmesan cheese! Use crushed corn flakes, crushed Ritz crackers, or crushed pork rinds for a lower carb nugget.

Variations: Leftover chicken can be used to make chicken nuggets! Simply chop chicken into uniform pieces and pulse on the “mince” setting (with the S-blade) of your food processor until the meat has a smooth consistency. Sneak in some shredded zucchini or carrots for a boost of nutrition, if desired!

How to Make Chicken Nuggets

1. Combine breading ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
2. Whisk egg in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Mix chicken, Panko, sour cream, and seasonings in a medium bowl, as directed in the recipe card below.
4. Scoop 20 equal portions of chicken onto a plate and press into nuggets (or use cookie cutters).
5. Brush each nugget with egg wash and press both sides into breading mixture, pressing the breading in.
6. Bake until nuggets reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Cool 2 minutes before serving.

Air Fryer

1. Cook chicken nuggets in a single layer in an Air Fryer preheated to 375°F for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through.
2. Keep batches warm in the oven and re-crisp them all in the Air Fryer before serving.

Delicious Dips

Chicken nuggets and dippers naturally go together! Homemade ranch and blue cheese dressings are popular choices, but tangy bbq and Carolina Gold sauces, even red pepper jelly, are great to add to a buffet table.

How to Store Chicken Nuggets

• Keep leftover chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat under the broiler or in the Air Fryer until warmed through.

Can You Freeze Chicken Nuggets?

Chicken nuggets freeze perfectly ready-to-cook or already cooked!

Uncooked:

• Place uncooked breaded nuggets on a lined cookie sheet (not touching, or they will freeze stuck together) with parchment paper in the freezer for 1 hour.
• Transfer to a freezer bag where they’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze chicken nuggets in smaller quart-sized bags for easy portioning.
• To bake frozen chicken nuggets, partially thaw them by laying them out on a baking sheet and then add 3-5 minutes to the usual cooking time.

Pre-cooked:

• Cooked and completely cooled chicken nuggets can be placed in zippered bags to freeze for 3 months.
• Reheat pre-cooked chicken nuggets in the oven or air fryer until they are just warmed through.
• Enjoy as is or top a salad or make them into a wrap for a portable lunch!

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