Homemade Chicken Nuggets are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. These easy fried chicken nuggets use ground chicken breast, a light club soda batter, and a perfectly seasoned coating for that classic fast food texture, only better. If you’re looking for a crispy homemade chicken nuggets recipe that’s kid-approved, this one delivers every time.
Why You Will Love This Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe
- Extra Crispy Coating – The combination of self-rising flour, cornstarch (or rice flour), and cold club soda creates a light, airy batter that fries up golden brown and crunchy.
- Juicy Ground Chicken Interior – Blending the ground chicken into a paste gives you that classic nugget texture. They are tender, moist, and uniform.
- Better Than Fast Food Nuggets – These homemade fried chicken nuggets are made with simple ingredients and no mystery fillers.
- Freezer-Friendly Meal Prep – Make a double batch and freeze for quick weeknight dinners, or after-school snacks.
- Versatile Dipping Options – Serve with honey mustard, BBQ sauce, ranch, sweet chili sauce, or even yum yum sauce.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Ground chicken breast – You can substitute ground chicken thighs for a juicier nugget, or even ground turkey.
- Self-rising flour – If you only have all-purpose flour, add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt per cup.
- Cornstarch – Rice flour works beautifully for an extra crispy texture and is naturally gluten-free.
- Club soda – Any unflavored sparkling water or seltzer works. The carbonation helps create a light, airy batter.
- Frying oil – Use vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil with a high smoke point.
How to Prepare Homemade Chicken Nuggets
- Combine the seasonings in a small bowl.
- Place the ground chicken in a food processor with half of the seasoning blend. Blend until it forms a smooth paste.
- Shape the chicken mixture into nugget-sized bites. Place them on a parchment-lined plate or sheet pan.
- Refrigerate the shaped nuggets for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour, 3/4 cup of the cornstarch (or rice flour), and the remaining seasoning blend.
- Gradually whisk in the cold club soda, a little at a time, until the batter reaches a pancake-like consistency. If too thin, add a little more flour. If too thick, add a splash more club soda.
- Place the batter in the refrigerator to chill while the chicken rests.
- Heat oil in a deep pot or fryer to about 350°F (175°C). Do not let the oil get too hot or the outside will brown before the inside cooks through.
- Place the remaining cornstarch (or rice flour) in a shallow bowl.
- Dredge each nugget in the cornstarch, shaking off excess.
- Whisk the chilled batter again. Use a fork to dip each nugget into the batter.
- Carefully lower the battered nuggets into the hot oil.
- Fry for 6–8 minutes, flipping often, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer to a wire rack to allow excess oil to drip off.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
How to Serve and Store
- Serve these homemade chicken nuggets hot with honey mustard, ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, sweet chili sauce, or ketchup.
- Pair with fries, coleslaw, mac and cheese, or a simple side salad.
- Try the viral trend and top the chicken nuggets with crème fraiche and caviar!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in an air fryer at 375°F (190°C) until crispy.
- Freeze cooked nuggets on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why blend the ground chicken? Blending creates that classic smooth nugget texture, similar to restaurant-style chicken nuggets. It helps bind the mixture and keeps the inside tender.
- Why use club soda in the batter? The carbonation in club soda makes the batter light and airy, resulting in extra crispy homemade chicken nuggets.
- What temperature should the oil be? Keep the oil around 350°F (175°C). If it’s too hot, the nuggets will brown too quickly on the outside and remain undercooked inside.
- Can I bake these instead of frying? These are designed for deep frying to achieve a crispy coating. Baking will not give the same texture, but you can air fry at 375°F (190°C) until golden and cooked through.
- Can I make these gluten-free? Yes. Use rice flour instead of cornstarch and substitute the self-rising flour with a gluten-free flour blend plus baking powder.
- How do I know they are fully cooked? The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). The nuggets should be golden brown and firm to the touch.
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Description
These Homemade Chicken Nuggets are crispy on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside. These easy fried chicken nuggets use ground chicken breast, a light club soda batter, and a perfectly seasoned coating for that classic fast food texture, only better. If you’re looking for a crispy homemade chicken nuggets recipe that’s freezer-friendly and kid-approved, this one delivers every time.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground chicken breast
- 3/4 cup self-rising flour
- 1 1/4 cups cornstarch or rice flour, divided
- 1 1/4 cups club soda or seltzer water (cold)
- Oil for frying (neutral oil such as vegetable or canola)
Seasoning Blend:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Combine the seasonings in a small bowl.
- Place the ground chicken in a food processor with half of the seasoning blend. Blend until it forms a smooth paste.
- Shape the chicken mixture into nugget-sized bites. Place them on a parchment-lined plate or sheet pan.
- Refrigerate the shaped nuggets for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour, 3/4 cup of the cornstarch (or rice flour), and the remaining seasoning blend.
- Gradually whisk in the cold club soda, a little at a time, until the batter reaches a pancake-like consistency. If too thin, add a little more flour. If too thick, add a splash more club soda.
- Place the batter in the refrigerator to chill while the chicken rests.
- Heat oil in a deep pot or fryer to about 350°F (175°C). Do not let the oil get too hot or the outside will brown before the inside cooks through.
- Place the remaining cornstarch (or rice flour) in a shallow bowl.
- Dredge each nugget in the cornstarch, shaking off excess.
- Whisk the chilled batter again. Use a fork to dip each nugget into the batter.
- Carefully lower the battered nuggets into the hot oil.
- Fry for 6–8 minutes, flipping often, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer to a wire rack to allow excess oil to drip off.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Keep both the shaped nuggets and batter chilled before frying for best results.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding and lowering the oil temperature.
- Always use a thermometer to monitor oil temperature.
- Let nuggets rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels to keep them crispy.
- Double the batch and freeze for easy homemade chicken nuggets anytime. The batter is enough for at least two pounds of ground chicken.
- This recipe will make approximately 36 chicken nuggets.
- If cutting this recipe in half, keep the seasoning blend as written.
- Easily form the nuggets and mix up the batter ahead of time.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Meal Prep
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American
GET TO KNOW ME!
WELCOME! My name is Melissa Latin aka. Charlotte Fashion Plate. Happy to meet you! I am more than just recipes. I love fashion and style too! Most importantly, I love my Family (my Hubby and my Fur Babies). My Husband (aka my “Kitchen Bitch”) means the world to me. He’s pretty damn cool too. Not only is he one of the nicest guys you will ever meet, he also has had a lengthy career in professional hockey. Not only winning two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early ’90’s, but most recently winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers, amongst many other accolades. If you live in Charlotte and play hockey, or have a family member who plays, be sure to contact him!
Our life has changed dramatically in the past few years with the passing of our two goldendoodles, Vegas and Viva. We were lucky enough to have Vegas for five years (totally wish it was longer). Most recently, losing our Viva to a brain tumor in July of 2020. We welcomed our mini goldendoodle 7, almost seven years ago. We just added the amazing Hazel! Of course, I am always posting tons and tons of photos! Be sure to check out my recipe for Pet Bone Broth! This broth is super rich in nutrients and will provide your pet with a multitude of health benefits!
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