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Chick-Fil-A Nuggets are so easy to make at home so you can skip the drive-thru. 

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets are so easy to make at home with 4 secret ingredients to make this recipe taste exactly like the ones you get at the drive-thru!

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets are so close to the real thing you won’t be able to tell a difference!!  They don’t take too long to make and come out spot on!  So if you are craving those delicious little nuggets on Sunday when they are closed, just whip up a batch yourself!  These are everyone’s favorite chicken nuggets!

We love Chick-Fil-A, their nuggets are delicious with just that little hint of sweetness.  Their sandwiches are to die for.  Their waffle fries are what dreams are made of.  And you can get ice cream with your kid’s meal?!?  It really one of the best fast food restaurants there is.

Now no trip to Target is complete without stopping by Chick-Fil-A and picking up some lunch, they go together hand in hand and create such an awesome day.

I could sing the praises of Chick-Fil-A all day long but there is one thing I do not love about them, the price.  It is pricey.  I know, I know, we are paying for quality and service but with 2 boys who already eat like linebackers, my wallet does cry a little when I pull into that drive-thru.

I decided to try my hand at making Copycat Chick-Fil-A nuggets at home for those days I don’t feel like spending half my paycheck on nuggets lol or hauling all the kids out to the drive-thru or it’s Sunday :/  It’s always Sunday when the nugget cravings hit the hardest lol and this is the perfect chicken nuggets recipe and it tastes just like the real deal.

I have four secrets to making the perfect Copycat Chick-fil-a nuggets at home.  This is such a great recipe to make delicious nuggets right at home.

These things are essential in making your copycat nuggets taste authentic.  The chicken needs to marinate in the pickle juice/milk mixture for about 30 minutes to an hour before cooking to provide the perfect nugget. The crackers get pulverized and mixed with the powdered sugar and a few other ingredients to make an amazing crispy coating.

They take a little fry in some peanut oil which is the final piece to the recipe.  Throw some frozen waffles fries in the oil and you have an amazing meal you won’t believe didn’t come from the drive-thru.  You can also throw these into the deep fryer if you have one. 

So next time you have a serious Chick-fil-a craving just whip up a batch of these delicious copycat chick-fil a nuggets and your whole family will be happy!

INGREDIENT LIST

Boneless chicken breasts- You can also use chicken tenderloins cut into small pieces.
Milk-  Any milk you have on hand will work great.
Pickle juice-  This needs to be dill pickle juice to really get that homemade chick-fil a flavor. This is a secret ingredient for this chicken nugget recipe.
Crackers- Townhouse, Ritz, any buttery cracker is fine
Bread crumbs-  Make sure you are just using plain breadcrumbs, not seasoned.
Flour- Just plain all purpose flour is all you need.
Paprika-  This adds flavor and color.
Black Pepper- This also adds flavor.
Salt-  You definitely need some salt in this recipe.
Powdered sugar-  I know this sounds strange but trust me it is essential to getting that copycat chick fil a taste.
Peanut oil-  Chick-fil-a uses peanut oil to do their frying but you can use any oil you prefer like canola oil.

How to Make Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

1. Mix the milk and pickle juice and add the cut up chicken pieces to it and let sit 30 mins to an hour.
2. In a food processor add the cracker, breadcrumbs, paprika, pepper, salt and powdered sugar and pulse the breading mixture till fine.
3. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture.
4. Pour enough peanut oil in your pan that it will cover the nuggets and let it get hot.
5. When oil is hot enough drop in the nuggets and let them fry until golden brown.
6. Drain on a paper towel and serve!!
7. For a true Chick-fil-a meal drop some frozen waffle fries in the oil and cook till done.
8. You can store these in an air tight container for up to 3 days. 

Can I use boneless skinless thighs?

Sure!  Now Chick-Fil-A uses white meat, so you won’t get an exact copycat taste but it would still be tasty!

Will this recipe work for a sandwich?

Yup!! Just use the same method and recipe above but don’t cut the breasts into nuggets.  Then just put them on buttered buns with pickle slices, yum!!  You can also use whole tenderloins to make chicken tenders.

Can I use another oil?

You sure can!  Feel free to switch to canola or vegetable oil if your family has allergies.

What can I dip these in?

Now you can buy all your favorite Chick-fil-a sauces like their polynesian sauce at the grocery store!  But you can also just dip these in your favorite dipping sauce from home like barbecue sauce, ranch or honey mustard.

Products I used to make this dish:

Spider Utensil: This is my favorite for getting fried foods out of that hot oil!

Cooling Rack: My favorite rack for cooling fried foods and baked goods, it’s huge!

Ceramic Skillet: My favorite pan for frying!  Heavy duty so the heat distributes evenly!

Peanut Oil: This is THE brand of peanut oil to use!  We love it!!

Chick-Fil-A Nuggets

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Marinade Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets are so easy to make at home with 4 secret ingredients to make this recipe taste exactly like the ones you get at the drive-thru!

Print

Ingredients

• 4 chicken boneless skinless chicken breast chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup pickle juice
• 1 sleeve crackers townhouse, ritz, any buttery cracker is fine
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 t paprika
• 1 1/2 t pepper
• 2 t salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• peanut oil for frying for those with nut allergies use your regular oil, it will still be delicious!

Instructions

1. Mix the milk and pickle juice and add the cut up chicken pieces to it and let sit 30 mins to an hour.
2. In a food processor add the cracker, breadcrumbs, flour, paprika, pepper, salt and powdered sugar and pulse till fine.
3. Dredge the chicken pieces in the cracker mixture.
4. Pour enough peanut oil in your pan that it will cover the nuggets and let it get hot.
5. When oil is hot enough drop in the nuggets and let them fry until golden brown.
6. Drain on paper towels and serve!!
7. For a true Chick-fil-a meal drop some frozen waffle fries in the oil and cook till done.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 700Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 2504mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 3gSugar: 27gProtein: 42g

Want more copycat recipes? Check these out!

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Copycat Meximelts

MONTEREY CHICKEN {COPYCAT RECIPE}

COPYCAT CAPTAIN D’S CRUNCHY BATTERED FISH