With young ones in the house, I know I’m not the only one who sees chicken nuggets on the menu almost weekly. I’m in a rush and the already made ones work, but let’s face it, things just taste better homemade, and this Copycat Chick fil A Chicken Nugget Recipe and honey mustard sauce is amazing!
What really sets this Copycat Chick fil A Chicken Nugget Recipe apart from the rest is brining your chicken bits in dill pickle juice. By brining your chicken pieces for 30-60 minutes, you add a little extra juice to meat that can tend to dry out easily.
Brining vs Marinating
Brining is a salt-based solution that adds juiciness to proteins with a tendency to dry out. Depending on the ingredients, brines can also impart subtle flavors. Works best with poultry, pork, and hearty fish like catfish or salmon.
Marinating is a mixture of an acid (vinegar, citrus, white wine) and a base (oil, full-fat yogurt, honey) that adds intense flavors. Marinate if you’re looking for strong flavors. This works best with beef, lamb, pork, poultry, shellfish, and vegetables. ~ Men’s Health
Copycat Chick fil A Chicken Nugget Ingredients
Copycat Chick fil A Chicken Nugget Recipe
This Copycat Chick fil A Nugget Recipe is amazing! You won't be disappointed with these juicy bite size pieces of chicken.
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size cubes
- 1/2 cup Pickle Juice
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 Egg
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp Powdered sugar
- 2 teas Salt
- 1 teas Pepper
- 1 teas Chili Powder
- Oil for frying
Chick fil A Honey Mustard Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- In a small bowl marinate the Chicken cubes in the Pickle juice 30-60 minutes then drain well.
- In a heavy pot or Dutch oven Heat 1 – 1 ½ inches of oil to 350˚-360˚.
- In a shallow dish whisk together the Buttermilk and Egg.
- In a second shallow dish or sealable container combine the Flour, Powdered Sugar, Salt, Pepper and Chili powder.
- Place half of the Chicken into the Buttermilk and stir to coat. Transfer the Chicken to the Flour and coat.
- Cook in the hot oil 3 ½ - 4 minutes until deep golden brown, drain on brown paper bag or paper towels.
- Repeat with second half of chicken.
- Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Chick fil A Honey Mustard Sauce
- Combine all sauce ingredients and mix well.
- Chill until serving time.
Notes
Chic-fil-A uses peanut oil for frying.
I prefer ranch or BBQ sauce with my chicken nuggets. My husband is ketchup all the way, and the boys really do love the Chick fil A honey mustard sauce. The dipping possibilities are endless!
This Copycat Chick fil A Nugget Recipe is so moist your chicken nuggets might not even need a dipping sauce. I know the horror of having a chicken nugget without the famous Chick fil A sauce recipe?!
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