Chicken Nuggies

Serves

4

Total Time

45 min

Difficulty

Medium

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Recipe-

Summary

chicken nuggets were always one of my favorite school lunches back in the day, and let’s be honest- any adult who claims they don’t like a good, fried chicken nuggie is lying. this slightly elevated homemade recipe uses battered ground chicken for that nostalgic texture, without the cafeteria mystery meat (was it chicken? was it rubber? we may never know). the key to achieving a light and airy coating is to mix the dry ingredients with ice cold seltzer water, similar to tempura batter. for a Schoolisha-approved experience (if you know, you know), serve them with a dipping sauce of ketchup mixed with honey- it may sound weird, but i promise it’s delicious!

Ingredients

FOR THE NUGGETS

  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. seasoned salt
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. paprika

FOR THE BREADING

  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ cup + ⅓ cup cornstarch, divided
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. seasoned salt
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • 8 oz. cold seltzer water (or approximately ¾ can)
  • vegetable or canola oil (for frying)

Instructions

  1. begin by adding ground chicken and seasonings to a large mixing bowl. with gloved hands, mix seasoning into the chicken.
  2. working with a few tablespoons at a time, compress chicken mixture by hand to form nuggets. place onto a parchment lined baking sheet, then set in the freezer for thirty minutes before proceeding.
  3. while nuggets are freezing, add flour, half of a cup of cornstarch, and seasonings to a bowl. pour in seltzer water and stir until batter is smooth.
  4. once nuggets are chilled and firm, remove from the freezer and dip into the remaining cornstarch to coat.
  5. add a 1 ½- 2 inch layer of oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat, aiming for a temperature around 350ºF. working in small batches, drop in battered nuggets and fry for 3-5 minutes per side. serve with dipping sauce of your choice.

Chicken Nuggies