The chicken nuggets are the classic chicken croquettes you eat at fast-food establishments, but when made at home, they are tastier and undoubtedly of better quality! Crunchy on the outside and succulent on the inside, homemade nuggets can be customized to suit your tastes: add your favorite spices, experiment with different breadings – for example, gluten-free – and choose your preferred cooking method: chicken nuggets can be fried or baked: you’ll always have tasty and crispy chicken croquettes!
To prepare chicken nuggets at home, simply grind chicken breast in a food processor with a bit of bread, and add spices (garlic powder if you like it, and smoked paprika), a bit of soy sauce, and some mustard. To make the chicken croquettes as crispy as fast-food ones, you’ll prepare a special breading: first, dip them in a batter of water and flour, then coat them with breadcrumbs. Homemade chicken nuggets are a delight that will win over both adults and children. With this simple recipe, you can make crispy and flavorful chicken croquettes using natural ingredients and without preservatives!
You might also be interested in:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 5 people
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: American
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for about 30 chicken nuggets
To prepare gluten-free chicken nuggets, I used gluten-free bread and breadcrumbs and replaced all-purpose flour for the batter with superfine rice flour. Also, ensure the following ingredients are labeled “gluten-free”: soy sauce, mustard, rice flour.
- 1.1 lbs chicken breast
- 2.8 oz bread (crumb; gluten-free for me)
- 1 pinch garlic powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp paprika (smoked)
- to taste pepper
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup water
- 2.8 oz all-purpose flour (or rice flour)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste breadcrumbs (gluten-free for me)
- to taste peanut oil (for frying; or extra virgin olive oil for baking)
Tools
- 1 Mixer
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Pan high edges for frying
- 1 Whisk
How to prepare chicken nuggets, baked or fried
To prepare chicken nuggets, start by cutting the chicken breast into pieces and placing it in a mixer (1). Add the bread cut into chunks (2).
Chop for about a minute, then add salt, pepper, paprika, mustard, garlic powder if you like, and soy sauce (3).
Chop again to blend the ingredients well and obtain a homogeneous mixture (4). With the mixture, form slightly flattened nuggets, about 3/4 inch in size (5).
Once the mixture is used up, prepare the batter: put the flour in a bowl and add the water (6).
Briefly mix, then also add the egg (7) and, stirring with a whisk or a fork, pour in the oil (8). In the end, you’ll have a fairly fluid batter.
Dip the chicken croquettes one by one (9), briefly drain them to remove the excess batter, and roll them in breadcrumbs (10), ensuring it adheres well to the entire surface of the croquettes.
Now proceed with cooking: if you decide to fry the chicken croquettes, heat plenty of peanut oil in a pan or deep fryer up to 356°F, then dip the croquettes a few at a time, cooking them for about 5 minutes and turning them occasionally.
When they are golden, drain them (11) and let them dry on a sheet of paper towel (12).
If instead you want to bake the chicken nuggets, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Bake them in a preheated oven at 392°F (fan-assisted) for about 15 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking. When golden, take them out of the oven and serve immediately.
Storage
Homemade chicken nuggets can be prepared in advance and stored raw for a day in the refrigerator, in a glass container. If you want to freeze them, place them spaced out on a tray in the freezer overnight; once completely frozen, you can transfer them to a plastic freezer bag. When you want to consume them, you can cook them while still frozen, extending the cooking time by about a minute if frying, or 6-7 minutes if baking.
Tips and Variations
You can shape the chicken croquettes as you like, but the advice is not to make them excessively large and to give them a slightly flattened shape so that they cook quicker inside.
Soy sauce is used to give the nuggets a more savory taste and to perform the function that some flavor enhancers like monosodium glutamate have in the food industry. If you prefer, you can omit it.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I skip making the batter?
Yes, if you don’t feel like making the batter, you can dip the chicken croquettes only in egg and breadcrumbs, but the result will be a bit different. The batter is used to make the breading more substantial and crispy.
