Chick Fil A Nuggets Recipe | Tastes Just Like the Restaurants

These Chick Fil A nuggets taste like you ordered them from the restaurant, but you can easily make them at home with this recipe! And the nuggets turn our super crunchy and juicy with the most addictive flavor. 

The Best Chick Fil A Nuggets

Chick Fil A  chicken nuggets are without a doubt one of their most iconic offerings, and with good reason. Those salty, kinda sweet, bite-sized pieces of juicy breaded chicken are seriously so addictive.

But, while I love some occasional takeout, there's nothing like being able to recreate that same delicious flavor at home.

And with this Chick Fil A nuggets recipe, you can do just that!

These tender, flavorful chicken nuggets, are coated in a crunchy breading and seasoned to perfection inside and out! And of course, they're not complete without this copycat Chick Fil A sauce, so you can have the real experience all homemade.

Plus, the great thing about this recipe is that it only takes about 15 minutes to prepare the nuggets, and 15 minutes to fry them up. And if you prep a big batch ahead of time, you can have these Chick Fil A chicken nuggets at home whenever you want! 

By the way, for a complete Chick Fil A experience, you can make these Chick Fil A chocolate chip cookies for dessert!

Oh, and if you're looking for a healthier recipe, give this spicy southwest salad and chicken noodle soup a try (yup, just they're just like the ones Chick Fil A has).  

INGREDIENTS

Since these Chick Fil A nuggets are so darn delicious, you might think you need some out-of-the-ordinary ingredients to make them.

But, as you’ll notice, they are made with simple pantry staples you can find anywhere!

Here’s everything you’ll need to make them:

• 1 large egg
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup dill pickle juice
• 1 pound chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Neutral oil for frying, like canola or peanut oil

Now, the secret ingredient that is used to make the chicken so tender and juicy is pickle juice.

I know it sounds kind of strange, but trust me, it's essential for getting the iconic flavor.

And if you're someone that likes pickles, you have to give these fried pickles a try sometime!

HOW TO MAKE CHICK FIL A NUGGETS

As far as chicken nuggets go, these Chick Fil A nuggets are surprisingly easy to make.

Literally, all you have to do is marinate the chicken, coat them with some seasoned flour, then fry. Simple as that!

All told, this recipe takes about 30 minutes total minus the marinating time.

And if you get the prep out of the way in the morning, all you have to do is fry the nuggets and in about 15 minutes dinner is served!

With all that said, let’s get into the details for this one-of-a-kind recipe.

STEP 1: PREPPING THE CHICKEN & BREADING

First, cut the chicken into chunks (nugget size) and add all of it to a bowl with the beaten egg, milk, and dill pickle juice.

Make sure everything is evenly combined and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Then, take out a medium bowl and mix the flour, paprika, pepper, salt, confectioners sugar, and baking powder.

STEP 2: COATING THE CHICKEN NUGGETS

Now that the two components for the chicken nuggets are ready to go, heat 2 cups of vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep frying pan.

And if you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, you can test the temperature by placing a wooden chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If it bubbles steadily - but not too rapidly - from around it, it’s ready for frying.

While you're waiting for the oil to heat up, take the marinated chicken and cover each one completely with the breading mix. Gently press it in to make sure the breading really sticks.

STEP 3: FRYING THE CHICKEN NUGGETS

Once the frying oil is ready, start frying the chicken nuggets a few at a time. If you’re using a smaller pot or pan, work in batches to avoid overcrowding.

Cook them for a few minutes until they’re golden brown on all sides then transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels or a drying grid.

Serve the Chick Fil A chicken nuggets with this homemade Chick Fil A sauce - or even some Wingstop ranch - and enjoy!  

AIR FRYER CHICK FIL A NUGGETS

Ok, so if you want to make these with less oil you can also cook them in an air fryer!

To make air fryer chicken nuggets, follow all of the steps above until you're ready for frying.

Then preheat the air fryer to 370°F (185°C) and spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Air fry the chicken nuggets for about 8-10 minutes, turning them over at the halfway point.

The key here is to give the chicken enough room to cook evenly, so make sure they are lying flat and do it in batches if you need to.

HOW TO STORE CHICKEN NUGGETS

So, this chicken nuggets recipe makes about 4 servings, which is the perfect amount for a family dinner! 

And I definitely recommend doubling up this recipe to have extras for later. They store super well and actually are delicious reheated.

The cooked fried nuggets will stay good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

The best way I’ve found to reheat them is in the air fryer, at 370°F (185°C) for a couple of minutes until warmed through. Or you can pop them in the oven at the same temperature for a few minutes.

FREEZING CHICKEN NUGGETS

You can also freeze the nuggets if you plan to keep them longer. Cooked chicken nuggets will store for around 2 months and raw breaded nuggets will last for up to 3 months.

To freeze nuggets either cooked or raw, space them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until hardened. Then, transfer them to a freezer bag and store them until needed.

You can fry or air fry them from frozen if you increase the cooking time.

Frying raw frozen nuggets will take about 10-12 minutes and air frying should take about 25-30 minutes.

WRAPPING IT ALL UP

And that’s how to make copycat Chick Fil A nuggets!

They are so crispy, juicy, flavorful, and just taste incredible.

At our house, these are always a big hit for dinner, especially with the kids.

In fact, I’ve had a few people tell me they liked these more than the ones from the restaurant!

Anyway, I hope you love this Chick Fil A nuggets recipe as much as I do.

Be sure to leave a comment below if you tried it and let me know what you think.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to check out our Youtube channel and Instagram for more recipes!

More Copycat Recipes

If you liked these Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets, we have a ton of other copycat recipes from popular restaurants. And all of them are super easy to recreate at home!

Give one of these a try next:

• Chick-Fil-A mac and cheese
• Little Caesars cheese bread
• Zaxby's chicken fingers
  
• McDonald's McGriddle
• Cheesecake Factory four cheese pasta