Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets with Pickle Juice Marinade and Sweet Breading
By Mason Brooks
Prep
45 min
Cook
5 min
Total
50 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
For a family dinner option to eat at home like takeout from Chick-Fil-A, follow these breaded chicken nugget recipe instructions. Pickle juice used as a marinade ingredient adds sour flavor, and confectioners' sugar used as a breading ingredient adds sweetness to match the flavors of Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are cut into 1-inch pieces and soaked in dill pickle juice for 30 minutes to 1 hour or overnight. Remove the chicken from the pickle juice and coat it with a milk-and-egg mixture. Coat the chicken pieces with powdered sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, and flour. Peanut or canola oil is used to fry the chicken until crisp.
The coating process is correct if all pieces are completely coated before placing them in the pan and the finished nuggets are browned in 3 to 5 minutes. Use 350°F oil and fry small batches of coated pieces to ensure even browning. Browning too many pieces at once will lower the oil temperature and affect coating quality.
Serve Chick-Fil-A nuggets and other sides warm with sauces, including ketchup and barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, honey mustard, and Polynesian sauce. Other side options include homemade recipes for French fries and macaroni and cheese, as well as lemonade recipes. Cool leftover nuggets thoroughly before freezing. Reheat frozen nuggets in a single layer on a baking sheet or in an air fryer.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Children with experience eating store-bought pickles will recognize other flavorings in homemade pickles because store-bought pickles include pickle juice and powdered sugar.
- Great for family meals because chicken pieces take 3 to 5 minutes to fry after coating.
- A batch serves four people and saves time by not requiring separate orders of nuggets and extra sides at the drive-thru.
- Leftover-averse cooks can make money on recipe leftovers by using the tips in this article to freeze and reheat the prepared recipe in an oven or air fryer at a later time.
- Picky eaters may like sauces they are familiar with. Other ingredients, such as chicken, flour, egg, milk, and mild paprika, can make it easier for picky eaters to consume foods.
- The process can be done at home with a heavy pan or deep fryer for frying and resealable plastic bags to simplify making the breading mixture.
Ingredients
- •2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- •1 cup dill pickle juice
- •1 large egg
- •1 cup milk
- •1 cup all-purpose flour
- •1 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
- •1 tsp paprika
- •1 tsp pepper
- •1 tsp salt
- •peanut oil or canola oil (for frying)
Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces and place them in a medium bowl.
- 2
Pour the pickle juice over the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes or overnight.
- 3
Drain and discard the pickle juice.
- 4
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.
- 5
Add the chicken to the egg-and-milk mixture and toss to coat.
- 6
In a large resealable bag, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, paprika, pepper, and salt.
- 7
Seal the bag and shake to combine the flour mixture.
- 8
Drain the excess egg mixture from the chicken.
- 9
Add the chicken pieces to the bag with the flour mixture.
- 10
Seal the bag and shake until the chicken is evenly coated.
- 11
Heat the peanut or canola oil in a large, deep skillet or fryer to 350°F.
- 12
Working in batches, carefully add the chicken to the hot oil.
- 13
Fry for 3–5 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- 14
Do not overcrowd the pan.
- 15
Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- 16
Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
258
Protein
19g
Fat
5g
Carbs
34g
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