Easy and Delicious Homemade McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Recipe
Recreate the iconic McDonald’s chicken nuggets at home with this easy and delicious recipe. Tender chicken breasts are seasoned, shaped into nuggets, coated in a flavorful batter, and fried to golden perfection. Perfect as a snack or meal, these nuggets capture that classic crispy exterior and juicy interior.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 12 nuggets 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Mixture
- 11 oz chicken breasts
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Coating and Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup sparkling water
Frying
- 4 cups frying oil (such as sunflower oil)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Chop the chicken breasts into small pieces and then purée them using a blender or food processor until smooth, creating the base for the nuggets.
- Season the Chicken Mix: Transfer the chicken purée into a bowl. Add half of the paprika, half of the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to the bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine the spices evenly with the chicken.
- Shape the Nuggets: Using your hands, form the seasoned chicken mixture into small nugget shapes. Place the shaped nuggets on a plate or tray and freeze them for 15 minutes to firm up for easier coating and frying.
- Heat the Oil and Prepare the Dry Coating: In a large frying pan, heat the frying oil to 355°F (180°C). Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the flour, remaining paprika, remaining garlic powder, cornstarch, salt, and black pepper for the dry dredge mixture.
- Coat the Nuggets: Dredge each nugget through the dry mixture until fully coated. Then, add the sparkling water to the bowl directly with the flour mixture and stir until you achieve a smooth batter resembling pancake batter consistency. Dip the coated nuggets into this batter to form the final coating.
- Fry the Nuggets: Carefully place the battered nuggets into the hot frying oil. Fry them for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until they turn a golden brown color and are cooked through.
- Drain and Serve: Remove the nuggets from the oil and place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve hot and enjoy your homemade McDonald’s-style chicken nuggets.
Notes
- Freezing the nuggets before frying helps them hold their shape and results in a crisper coating.
- Using sparkling water in the batter adds lightness and crispiness to the coating.
- Maintain frying oil temperature around 355°F (180°C) to ensure even cooking and crispy texture.
- You can substitute sunflower oil with other neutral oils suitable for frying, such as canola or vegetable oil.
- For a spicier nugget, consider adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to the seasoning.
Keywords: chicken nuggets, homemade chicken nuggets, McDonald's style nuggets, fried chicken, crispy chicken nuggets, easy chicken recipe, snack recipes
