Copycat Chick Fil A Nuggets

Close up of Chick fil a style fried chicken nuggets on a plate, honey mustard dipping sauce in a bowl in the background

Skip the fast-food and make these delicious copycat Chick-Fil-A nuggets at home, paired with some homemade waffle fries, of course. Einkorn flour friendly, this recipe makes six 8-count servings.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, lunch

Cuisine American, Copycat, Fast Food

Keyword Chick Fil A Nugget Recipe, Copycat Chick Fil A Nuggets

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 303kcal

Cost $8

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into chunks
1/2 cup dill pickle juice
1/4 cup buttermilk or whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour (120g) we use einkorn flour
1 1/2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
coconut oil for frying (at least 1" deep)

Instructions

Cube your thawed chicken into small pieces (about 1" cubed, max) and place it in a bowl or bag with the pickle juice and milk. Let sit for about 20 minutes, or in the fridge for several hours.
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Make sure the bowl is large enough to also hold the chicken.
Get the oil heating while you prep the breading and batter the chicken. You'll want the oil to be about 350°F for frying.
Using a slotted spoon, scoop the chicken from the liquid and place it into the flour/seasonings mix. Once all the chicken has been added, turn and mix the chicken until everything is well coated. This may take a few minutes.
Once your chicken is well battered, add the chicken to the frying pot. The amount you can do at once will vary based on the size of your container, but you don't want to crowd the chicken. Only put enough chicken in for a single layer along the top of the pot. Fry for 5-7 minutes (depending on how crispy you want the chicken).
After frying, place the chicken on a towel for only 30-45 seconds before transferring to a regular plate. This helps keep the chicken crispy. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Here are my best tips for freezing and reheating these copycat Chick Fil A nuggets:

Drain and move - Just like when you're making a single batch of this recipe, drain the nuggets for only 30-45 seconds and then move them onto a parchment lined baking tray.
Freeze and bag - Once you have all your nuggets fried and drained, you'll want to freeze them on the tray for about 4 hours (or overnight) and then transfer the frozen nuggets into an airtight container or bag for long-term storage. Store for up to 3 months.
Reheating - To reheat in the oven or an air fryer, place nuggets on a baking tray (or in the air fryer basket), in a single layer, and heat at 425°F for 8-10 minutes, or until crisp.

Nutrition