Homemade crispy chicken nuggets, made with real chicken breast and a few other ingredients. They will win over the whole family: kids who love fast food and adults who, if you hand them over to the “mec,” look like they need to leave for the front. They are not complicated to prepare; it is a really simple recipe and, importantly given how little time we have, you can easily make them in advance and reheat them for a few minutes in the oven or air fryer without losing their crunch. Chicken nuggets were invented by a certain Robert C. Baker, a professor of Food Science in the United States in the early 1960s. Baker created the method to keep ground chicken compact and make the breading adhere so they could be fried without falling apart and remain crispy. The invention aimed to increase chicken consumption, which had dropped significantly. They became famous thanks to McDonald’s and are now eaten almost all over the world. Making them at home with genuine ingredients is the right compromise between those who love them and those who hate them, pleasing both adults and children.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 20 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: American
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 14 oz chicken breast
- 1 slice white sandwich bread (crust removed)
- 1 tsp sweet mustard
- Half shallot (small)
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- Half tsp sweet paprika
- to taste salt
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 egg
- to taste cornstarch (or all-purpose flour)
- to taste breadcrumbs
- to taste cooking oil (preferably peanut oil (for frying))
Tools
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Bowl large bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Frying pan
- Paper towels
- 1 Plate
Steps
With this recipe and quantities you can make about 20 pieces.
Start by cleaning the chicken breast of fibers and any small bones and cut it into large pieces.
Remove the crust from the slice of bread and tear it into pieces. Put all the ingredients into the bowl of your food processor.
Place the chicken pieces, the bread, 1 teaspoon of mustard, a pinch of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika, half a shallot, the salt and 1 teaspoon of oil into the food processor and turn it on. Chop very well; the mixture should be smooth and homogeneous.
Now, with oiled hands, divide the mixture and form about 20 balls.
Flatten the balls between your hands, giving them the typical nugget shape. Roll each chicken ball in cornstarch and then quickly in the egg, which you have previously beaten with a fork.
Now coat each nugget with breadcrumbs, pressing slightly with your hands to make them adhere well.
Heat the frying oil in a pan suitable for this purpose. When it is hot, fry each nugget for a few minutes, turning them on both sides. Do not add too many pieces at once so as not to cool the oil too much.
When they are nicely golden, drain them and pat them dry on a sheet of paper towels.
If you have any nuggets left over, you can store them in a closed container in the refrigerator for a couple of days. You can also freeze them.
To reheat them you can use a non-stick pan or, even better, put them in the air fryer for a few minutes.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
How do I know when the oil is ready for frying?
I use the old grandma’s method: I put a piece of dry bread in the oil and when I see it start to color it means it’s time to start frying.
What if I don’t have cornstarch?
Use all-purpose flour or rice flour.
