Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets

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Copycat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets

This copycat Chick Fil A chicken nuggets recipe is as good as it can get without getting in your car and going to the actual restaurant. Chicken bites are tossed in pickle juice (the secret ingredient), powdered sugar, and breading then cooked to golden perfection.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

marinating time1

Total Time1 40

Course: Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: nuggets

Calories: 47kcal

Author: Britni Vigil

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup dill pickle juice
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
½ cup flour
1 ½ tsp paprika
1 ½ tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
½ cup powdered sugar
peanut oil for frying

Instructions

Whisk together the milk and the pickle juice in a large bowl.
1 1/2 cups milk, 1/2 cup dill pickle juice
Add the small cut up chicken pieces into the juice mixture making sure the liquid covers the chicken. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil. Marinade the chicken anywhere from 1 to 3 hours.
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Crush the crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a large zipper top bag and crushing with a rolling pin.
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
Put the cracker crumbs into a medium mixing bowl and add bread crumbs, flour, paprika, pepper, salt, and powdered sugar.
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 1/2 tsp pepper, 2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Place the chicken pieces into a bag and add the cracker crumb mixture to the bag as well. Shake the bag so the chicken nuggets are covered in the crumb mixture.
Once the chicken is done marinating, add enough peanut oil to a deep frying pan so there will be enough oil to cover the chicken nuggets and heat the oil to 350-360 degrees.
peanut oil for frying
Now that the oil is heated up, slowly add each chicken nugget into the hot oil and let them fry until they reach a golden brown color. This typically takes about 2-3 minutes as long as the oil is 350-360 degrees.
Cook the chicken in batches until all of the chicken is fried.
Let them cool slightly then enjoy warm with your favorite dipping sauce!

Notes

Test the oil’s temperature with a kitchen thermometer. Don’t have a thermometer, put a small piece of bread (like just a crumb) in the oil and if it sizzles, it’s hot enough to fry. If it doesn’t, keep heating!

If your oil gets too hot, make sure to let it cool down before you start frying the nuggets in it. The breading will burn quickly and ruin all of your hard work if the oil is too hot.

Don’t skip the powdered sugar. It’s what gives the nuggets their signature taste – that and the dill pickle juice!

Store leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within five days. Reheat by placing them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a cold oven. Set the temperature on the oven to 350 degrees and warm up the chicken nuggets with the oven.

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