How To Cook Simply The Best Homemade Chicken Nuggets

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Why bother to cook you own Chicken Nuggets, when you can get them ready made and fast?

Chicken is typically well-liked by the majority of kids (and grown-ups :D ) they especially seem to enjoy it when it is coated with breadcrumbs. If you are worried about the additives and preservatives in pre-packaged or processed food, you may want to prepare chicken nuggets yourself, for those times when your kids insist on having comfort food.

My homemade chicken nuggets recipe:

It does not take that long to prepare, just about 10 minutes or so, however chicken nuggets will turn out crispier if they are placed in the fridge to dry out for a little while before frying.  The drying phase can take place up to a couple of hours before cooking. After the drying phase, the actual cooking time is extremely fast. The breadcrumbs’ quality makes a difference in the outcome of the nuggets; slightly dry, fresh breadcrumbs will certainly enhance the quality of the nuggets.

You can also use crushed potato chips, and mix it with the breadcrumbs to have very crispy chicken nuggets, I think using potato chips will add too much fat but you can always do as you want. You can use crisps of any flavour, even if some articles and videos on the internet mentions that it is better with Onion Cream potato chips.

Here is my personal chicken nuggets recipe,

Ingredients:

• 1lb / 450g Chicken breast fillets
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 handfuls of breadcrumbs
• 1 cup of crushed potato chips (optional)
• 1oz/30g plain flour
• 1 large egg
• ¼ teaspoon mixed chicken spice (optional)

These amounts are a rough estimate, reduce or increase them depending on the amount of chicken you are going to cook. I use this recipe to serve 3 or 2 if very hungry.

Slice the meat into small, bite sized pieces. 

Get four plates or bowls. The first bowl will be used for the flour which would have been sieved and blended with a pinch of salt, pepper and chicken spice. The second bowl is to be used for the egg, which would have been beaten and mixed with a half tablespoon of vegetable oil or water and pinch of salt. The third bowl is for the breadcrumbs and the last one is for the finished nuggets.

Immerse each piece of meat in the blended flour and turn it until it is fully coated, the excess must be shaken off. 

Then dip it into the egg and finally coat it with the breadcrumbs/crushed chips.  Then lay it to dry on the plate. When all the pieces have been coated place the uncovered plate in the fridge and allow the pieces to crisp and dry out a bit. An hour or two will get you the best results.

To fry, heat about 3 tablespoons of vegetable or sunflower oil in a big frying pan. When the oil has been sufficiently heated (2 minutes) place all the nuggets that will fit comfortably. 

Turn them over when they become golden. When both sides have been cooked, place them on paper napkin or sheets of hand towel to drain off the excess oil. They can be eaten as soon all of them are cooked; they better when hot.

 I love to have it with green bean, barbecue sauce and honey mustard.

Don't hesitate to leave a comment and share your experience of making chicken nugget at home :)

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Here is an interesting 5 min video that shows you how to cook chicken nuggets at home with crushed potato chips, with easy preparation and cooking :  

For Further Reading,

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