Description
Crispy, golden homemade chicken nuggets made from tender boneless chicken pieces coated in a seasoned flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixture, then pan-fried to perfection. Served hot with your favorite dipping sauces, these nuggets are a delicious and easy-to-make comfort food favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Breading
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs (panko or regular)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano (optional)
For Frying
- Vegetable oil (about 1/4 inch for frying)
Serving
- Ketchup, BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, or honey mustard for dipping
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut the chicken breasts or thighs into bite-sized pieces, approximately 1 1/2 inches each, ensuring uniform size for even cooking.
- Set Up Breading Station: In a shallow bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika, mixing well to create the seasoned flour coating.
- Beat the Eggs: In a separate shallow bowl, beat the two eggs until smooth and well blended.
- Prepare Breadcrumb Mixture: In a third shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the grated Parmesan cheese and dried oregano if using, to add extra flavor.
- Bread the Chicken: Dredge each piece of chicken first into the seasoned flour mixture, coating thoroughly and shaking off any excess flour.
- Dip in Egg: Next, dip the floured chicken pieces into the beaten eggs, ensuring an even coating for the breadcrumbs to stick.
- Coat with Breadcrumbs: Finally, press each piece into the breadcrumb mixture, covering completely with the crumbs and gently pressing to adhere.
- Heat Oil: Pour about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat. The oil is ready when a breadcrumb dropped in sizzles immediately.
- Fry the Nuggets: Fry the breaded chicken pieces in batches, avoiding overcrowding, cooking for about 3-4 minutes on each side until they turn golden brown and are cooked through.
- Drain Excess Oil: Remove fried nuggets using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- Serve: Serve the homemade chicken nuggets hot with a selection of your favorite dipping sauces such as ketchup, BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, or honey mustard.
Notes
- Ensure the oil temperature is medium heat to avoid burning the coating before the chicken is cooked through.
- Cut chicken into uniform pieces for even cooking times.
- For a healthier option, bake the nuggets in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Parmesan cheese and oregano in the breadcrumb mix add a nice flavor but can be omitted for a more basic nugget.
- Use panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch.
- Leftover nuggets can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best results.
