McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Copycat
This McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets copycat recipe delivers perfectly crispy, golden nuggets with tender, juicy insides. This recipe is for anyone who loves delicious little fast-food bites but wants to avoid processed food. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy them guilt-free.
If you like fast-food recipes, try this Chick-fil-A Nuggets copycat recipe made with dill pickle juice, white pepper, and chili powder, served with homemade honey mustard sauce. For something a little different, try my famous Panda Express Crispy Orange Chicken, seasoned with garlic, ginger, and vinegar, then tossed in homemade orange sauce.
Table of contents
This homemade chicken nugget recipe is easy to make and delivers amazing flavor. I have tried many versions until I came up with this, and I think it’s the closest to the original. The coat, chill, and coat-again method delivers the best results, and it’s totally worth the time and extra step. After that, deep-fry each chicken McNugget until golden brown and perfectly crispy. If you don’t like fried food or cooking with hot oil, try air-frying them.
Why you will love this recipe
- Save money: Making my own version of these tasty nuggets saves me money and time. I can make these for just a fraction of what I would pay at the drive-thru, and I usually triple the batch and freeze some for later.
- Quality control: I can also control the quality of the oil and meat, as well as how much salt goes into my food. I know exactly what I’m consuming when I serve these chicken nuggets.
- Special seasoning: Another bonus is that I can season these however I like. If I want spicy nuggets, I can add red pepper flakes, or if I want ranch-style chicken, I can add my homemade ranch seasoning mix.
- Make extra and freeze them: These chicken nuggets freeze well, cooked or uncooked. I can double or triple the recipe and put the extras in quart-sized freezer bags for another time.
What you will need
- Meat: I like to use skinless, boneless chicken breasts because they are easy to prepare without removing the skin or bones.
- Wet ingredients: Eggs mixed with water lock in moisture and keep the breading glued to the chicken breast.
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour blends well with the seasonings and forms a cohesive coating for a golden-brown crust.
- Seasonings: Besides salt and pepper, I also use garlic powder for umami and a smooth texture, onion powder for sweet onion flavor without any onion chunks, and a bit of ground mustard for a slight tang that sharpens the overall flavor.
How to prepare
Prep the chicken: First, I lay the chicken fillets on a flat surface, cover them with plastic wrap, and pound them to ¼-inch thickness before cutting them into small nuggets.
Beat the egg: Next, beat the egg with 1 cup water in a small bowl.
Dip the nuggets: Now, I mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, and pepper in a zipper baggie and shake to combine. Add a few nuggets at a time, shaking the bag until they’re well coated. I set the coated nuggets aside until they’re all coated. Then, I dip them in the egg mixture, one at a time, until they are all done.
Chill for an hour: Once they are all dipped, I shake them in the flour mixture again, a few at a time, and place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Chill them in the fridge for an hour. Then I coat them in flour again.
Fry the nuggets: Afterward, I preheat the oil in a frying pan to 370 to 375 degrees F. Fry them in small batches, leaving room to breathe, for about 5 minutes per side.
Drain and serve: When they are done, I place them on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to drain, then serve with my favorite dipping sauces.
Expert tip
Preventing soggy nuggets
Follow the instructions to get crispy chicken nuggets every time. But rushing or missing one thing can make them soggy. First, pound them to the same thickness so they cook evenly. Otherwise, some won’t be as done as the rest. Also, make sure the oil is at least 365°F. I prefer 370-375 degrees F. If the oil is too cool, the chicken will absorb it instead of frying. Also, the pan needs enough room. They need enough room, it will trap moisture and steam instead of frying.
More tips to consider:
- Want to make this recipe faster? Mix all the batter ingredients to make a wet mixture, then dip each piece of chicken before placing it on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Then freeze for If it doesn’t haveefore frying.
- For extra crispy nuggets, replace half the flour with cornstarch.
- Make these in advance and freeze them. Then fry them when you’re ready to serve.
- Don’t skip the dry mustard. It really makes a difference in the flavor and the emulsification.
- Keep the batter thin. You don’t want these to be coated like fried chicken.
- Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Different meat: Use ground pork or turkey instead of chicken. It tastes similar but different enough to stand out from regular chicken nuggets.
- Spicy nuggets: Add red pepper flakes to the flour mixture for a spicy kick.
- Breadcrumbs: Use breadcrumbs or panko instead of flour for a different flavor and texture.
- Baked nuggets: For a healthier version, spray with olive oil and bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Air fryer: Another way to make these is in the air fryer at 375 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Serving suggestions:
Chicken McNuggets have to be served with dipping sauces, of course. I have a wide variety of tasty homemade choices on my blog, including buffalo sauce (slightly spicy and sweet), tangy 5-minute honey mustard, and my rich umami teriyaki sauce, which takes less than 20 minutes to make. My favorite is this homemade barbecue sauce, sweet, salty, spicy, and tangy all at once.
I also like to serve French fries with these because that is what we usually get at the restaurant. These crispy potato wedges are my kids’ favorites. They’re thicker than traditional fries, so they have more bite and flavor, and they’re perfect for dipping in ketchup or sauce. For dessert, I serve these air fryer copycat McDonald’s apple pies. We used to get them at McDonald’s, but now I make them at home because they don’t put enough apples in theirs.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezing: I freeze leftovers in quart-sized freezer bags so I can take out just what I need. They will stay fresh for 3 to 4 months.
- Defrost: Before reheating, I thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating: For crispy nuggets, I reheat them in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Frequently asked questions
They put the chicken breast in a food processor and blend it with an egg until it forms a smooth paste, making it soft and pliable. This is also a great way to mix in the seasonings. There is nothing wrong with doing it this way. If you want to try it, mix it with the seasonings in the food processor, shape it into nuggets, and freeze them for 30 minutes before breading so they hold their shape better. Wetting your hands a bit can also help the paste not stick.
The nuggets may not have been dry when you put them in the bag with the flour. Pat them completely dry before tossing them in flour so it sticks better. Then shake off the excess flour before dipping them in the egg mixture. Dip the nuggets in the flour again, but let the egg drip off first. Then, let them chill for at least an hour to set. Finally, dip them in the flour one more time before frying; make sure the oil is hot, and don’t overcrowd the pan.
Yes, McDonald’s used to make its chicken McNuggets with both white and dark meat. They stopped doing that in 2003 because of a health trend. Although the health difference is small and dark meat offers more moisture and nutrients, the restaurant followed the trend to boost sales. However, using dark meat in this recipe would work just as well, if not better, because it is juicy and has a robust, meaty flavor.
Chilling the chicken nuggets for an hour before frying helps the batter stick to the chicken. It also helps them hold their shape in hot oil rather than falling apart. Making sure the pieces are all at the same temperature is another benefit, so youdon’tt have to worry about uneven cooking.
More finger food:
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McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 chicken breast fillets skinless and boneless
- 1 egg
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt or to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the chicken fillets on a wooden board, cover them with plastic wrap, and pound them to 1/4-inch thickness with a rolling pin.
- After that, cut the chicken breast into smaller, nugget-sized pieces.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg, then add the water and mix.
- In a Ziploc bag, combine the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, mustard powder, and garlic powder, then shake well to combine.
- Add a few nuggets at a time into the bag and give them a little shake.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, arrange them on a plate, and repeat with the rest.
- After that, coat them in the egg mixture one at a time, or in small batches.
- Next, return the coated chicken pieces to the bag and give them a final shake. Do NOT discard the flour mixture.
- After thoroughly coating all the nuggets in the mixture twice, refrigerate them for one hour.
- After refrigerating, coat the chicken nuggets again in the flour mixture.
- Add oil to a deep skillet, saucepan, or fryer, and preheat it to 370°F.
- Fry the nuggets in batches; don't overcrowd the pan, and fry for about 10 minutes, turning once or twice.
- Arrange the fried nuggets on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Let them sit on the paper towels for a few minutes, then transfer them to a serving plate.
- Serve with your favorite sauce.
Video
Notes
Preventing soggy nuggets
Follow the instructions to get crispy chicken nuggets every time. But rushing or missing one thing can make them soggy. First, pound them to the same thickness so they cook evenly. Otherwise, some won’t be as done as the rest. Also, make sure the oil is at least 365°F. I prefer 370-375 degrees F. If the oil is too cool, the chicken will absorb it instead of frying in it. Also, the pan needs enough room. They need enough room, it will trap moisture and steam instead of frying.More tips to consider:
- Want to make this recipe faster? Mix all the batter ingredients to make a wet mixture, then dip each piece of chicken before placing it on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Then freeze for If it doesn’t haveefore frying.
- For extra crispy nuggets, replace half the flour with cornstarch.
- Make these in advance and freeze them. Then fry them when you’re ready to serve.
- Don’t skip the dry mustard. It really makes a difference in the flavor and the emulsification.
- Keep the batter thin. You don’t want these to be coated like fried chicken.
- To monitor the temperature, use a candy thermometer.
My kids love ready meals, but this recipe will keep them away from ready meals for a while. Thanks.
I have never been more excited about a recipe in my life! I’ve been a fan of McDonald’s McNuggets since I was a kid. I can’t wait to make these!
These sounds delicous! Kids will surely enjoy!
SO glad I came across this!! Excited to give this a try!
My kids would love these!! They are awesome!
These are SO good!! I can’t wait to make them for my kids!! YUM!
My family would definitely love this! This needs to happen soon in our house!
Oh yum, thank you! We love McDonald’s chicken nuggets and have them weekly so I am looking forward to try this version.
Even though my kids won’t love these as much as their beloved McDonalds nuggets I’d love to try them! They seem so easy to make.
My boys love chicken nuggets. I will be saving this recipe.
These nuggets look much healthier and like they would have better texture!
I’ve been searching for this recipe! This is perfect can’t wait to try this out! Thanks for sharing this with us!
My grand son would love this! He loves their nuggets and I would love something a little more healthy for him.
My son does like Mc Donald’s nuggets but doesn’t get them often. I must give these a go!!!! I bet he’d love them.
My kiddos would love this! Going to have to remember this! Thank you for sharing!
Love this! I watch kiddos during the week and this is a perfect lunch for them!
They sound so good for a dinner one night. And healthier them Mcdonalds are. Thanks for sharing this with us.
OMG, these nuggets look SO good! I’m definitely trying the copycat recipe this weekend for my kids, thank you for sharing
This McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets copycat recipe looks amazing! I can’t wait to try making them at home. The video is super helpful too, thanks for sharing!
Wow, these copycat chicken nuggets look amazing! I’m definitely trying this recipe this weekend. Thanks for sharing the video—it really helps!