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Homemade Chicken Nuggets

These Homemade Chicken Nuggets are made with seasoned ground chicken, coated in a light club-soda batter, and fried until crispy and golden. They are tender and juicy inside, freezer-friendly, and perfect with your favorite dipping sauces.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 36 nuggets
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Nuggets
  • 2 pounds ground chicken
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt see notes if using Morton kosher salt or coarse salt
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch for coating the shaped nuggets
Wet Batter
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt see notes if using Morton kosher salt or coarse salt
  • 2 cups club soda very cold
  • neutral frying oil enough to fill a heavy-bottomed pot halfway
For Serving, Optional
  • dipping sauces such as ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, or ranch
  • crème fraîche optional appetizer topping
  • caviar optional appetizer topping
  • fresh chives finely chopped, optional appetizer topping

Equipment

  • Large sheet tray
  • Parchment paper
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Plate or small sheet tray
  • Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
  • Deep-fry thermometer
  • Fork
  • Paper towels
  • Wire rack, optional

Method
 

Shape the Chicken Nuggets
  1. Line a large sheet tray with parchment paper. Place the cornstarch on a plate or small sheet tray.
  2. Add the ground chicken, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt to a large mixing bowl.
  3. Using clean hands, mix until the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the chicken.
  4. Lightly oil your hands. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture and shape it into a small nugget.
  5. Coat the shaped nugget lightly in cornstarch and place it on the prepared sheet tray. Repeat with the remaining chicken mixture.
Chill the Nuggets
  1. Transfer the tray to the freezer and chill the nuggets for 2 hours, or until firm enough to handle and batter without losing their shape.
Heat the Frying Oil
  1. Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot approximately halfway with neutral frying oil. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Prepare a paper towel-lined plate, sheet tray, or wire rack for draining the cooked nuggets.
Prepare the Wet Batter
  1. While the oil heats, whisk together the flour, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl.
  2. Pour in the very cold club soda. Gently fold with a fork just until combined, breaking up only the largest flour clumps. The batter should remain slightly lumpy; do not overmix.
Batter and Fry
  1. Remove the firm nuggets from the freezer once the oil reaches 350°F (175°C).
  2. Working with approximately 5 nuggets at a time, dip each nugget completely into the cold wet batter.
  3. Lift each battered nugget with a fork and allow the excess batter to drip off briefly before carefully lowering it into the hot oil.
  4. Fry for 4–6 minutes, turning as needed, until the coating is crisp and golden and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
  5. Remove the cooked nuggets from the oil and transfer them to the prepared draining plate or wire rack.
  6. Check the oil temperature between batches and adjust the heat as needed to maintain 350°F (175°C). Continue battering and frying the remaining nuggets in batches.
Serve
  1. Serve the nuggets immediately while hot and crispy with your favorite dipping sauces.
  2. For an optional elevated appetizer, top selected nuggets with crème fraîche, caviar, and finely chopped chives.

Notes

  • Salt conversion: The recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. When using Morton kosher salt or another coarse salt, use approximately three-quarters of the listed amount.
  • Keep the batter cold: Refrigerate the batter or place its bowl over ice between batches. Cold batter slows gluten formation and helps produce a lighter, crispier coating.
  • Do not overmix: The club-soda batter should remain slightly lumpy. Overmixing can make the coating dense or tough.
  • Fry in small batches: Cook approximately five nuggets at a time to prevent the oil temperature from dropping too quickly.
  • Maintain the oil temperature: Check the oil regularly and adjust the heat to keep it close to 350°F (175°C).
  • Check doneness: Ground chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
  • Make ahead: Shape and coat the uncooked nuggets in cornstarch, then freeze them on a sheet tray. Once firm, transfer them to a freezer-safe storage bag. Prepare the wet batter immediately before frying.
  • Reheating: Reheat cooked nuggets in a 400°F (205°C) oven for 7–10 minutes, or until hot and crispy.
  • Serving: Serve with ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, ranch, honey mustard, or another preferred dipping sauce.