Crispy, crunchy Homemade Chicken Nuggets are a favorite with kids and adults in my house.
Turn chicken nuggets into a complete meal by pairing with mac and cheese and a salad or vegetable.
You could also pair with fries or tots or something like that. I'm just partial to mac and cheese.
Try one of these easy mac & cheese recipes or simply use store-bought, frozen or boxed; no judgment here:
Related Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
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This recipe for pan fried chicken nuggets was originally published March 7, 2016, as part of a sponsored campaign with Collective Bias, Inc and its advertiser.
Photos and recipe card updated January 2022.
Ingredients
- Chicken - boneless/skinless breasts or tenderloin
- Flour - all-purpose
- Eggs
- Water
- Breadcrumbs - Italian style/seasoned or Panko
- Seasonings - salt, pepper and garlic powder
- Oil - Vegetable, Canola, Avocado or other high smoke point oil
See recipe card for ingredient quantities.
Instructions
Start by pounding chicken to an even thickness. This is important for even cooking.
Cut chicken into whatever size you prefer for your nuggets.
Set up a breading station (see how below) and coat the chicken in flour, egg+water and breadcrumbs.
Add oil to frying pan and heat.
Fry chicken pieces in batches, being sure not to crowd the pan.
Flip nuggets over (carefully) and fry the other side until crispy and cooked through.
Test for doneness using a quick-read thermometer.
Use tongs of a slotted spoon to remove nuggets from pan.
Helpful Hints:
- Place plastic wrap or a Ziploc-style bag over chicken before pounding to help keep contamination down.
- Place cooked nuggets on a paper-towel lined plate. This will help remove any excess oil.
How to set up a breading station
This step seems to intimidate people but it's actually easy. This is the same method I use when making Chicken Parm and Eggplant Parm.
Set up three shallow bowls in a row. One bowl should have the eggs mixed with water, another for the breadcrumbs and a third with flour.
To bread chicken, dip in the flour first, followed by the egg and finish off with breadcrumbs.
Substitutions
- Breadcrumbs - Panko is a great alternative option
- Oil - Instead of vegetable oil, use your favorite high smoke point oil
Variations
Add your own seasonings to create new flavor profiles.
Equipment
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FAQ
No. Pan frying comes out just as crispy as deep frying.
Yes, if you prefer to bake instead of fry, bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes.
The number one reason for soggy nuggets would be overcrowding the pan when frying. Crowding the pan will create steam, therefore will make the breading soggy.
350 degrees F.
Reheat properly stored leftovers in an air fryer or baking in the oven.
Printable Recipe Card
Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast or tenderloin
- ½ cup flour all purpose
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 ½ Cup breadcrumbs or panko, seasoned
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, kosher
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Place chicken in a bag or under plastic wrap and lightly pound with a mallet to an even thickness. Cut chicken into desired size.
- Create a breading station by placing each flour, breadcrumbs and egg mixture in shallow bowls. Season the breadcrumbs with salt, garlic powder and pepper.Dip each piece of chicken first in flour, then egg and then crumbs to completely coat.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Once oil comes up to 350°F start frying chicken in batches, being sure not to overcrowd the pan.Cook 2-3 minutes per side. Check internal temperature with a quick-read thermometer and make sure chicken is cooked to 165°F.
- Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove cooked nuggets from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle a little salt over them if desired. Repeat with remaining chicken. Add more oil if needed in between batches.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Chicken must be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked chicken that previously touched the raw chicken.
- Wash hands after touching raw chicken.
- Never leave cooking food unattended, especially when frying.
You can see more food safety guidelines at USDA.gov
Debra @ Bowl Me over says
Every kid's gonna love that meal, perfect family meal!
foodyschmoody says
Plus it gives us adults an excuse to eat those yummy kid foods we secretly love!
Nicole says
No more store-bought nuggets for us! Thanks for sharing this recipe. 🙂
foodyschmoody says
Once you try homemade you'll never go back!
foodyschmoody says
I'm partial to the panko ones too. My kids though, if it doesn't look like the fast food ones they won't touch them so I give them the regular. Kids - what do they know, huh lol 🙂
nancy@skinnykitchen.com says
Yum!!!
peter @feedyoursoultoo says
Comfort food at its best. Funny thing too, I just tried panko on my milanese for a change up. Gives a great crunch.
Patty Haxton Anderson says
I too like the panko for crunch, but I swear the kids go for the bread crumb because it looks like what they eat at a fast food place!
foodyschmoody says
You are exactly right! They prefer what looks like fast food. I try to cut the chicken into the sizes that they get from those places too!
Michelle @ Sunshine and Hurricanes.com says
This is a great dinner for those crazy nights before we rush off to baseball practice!!!
foodyschmoody says
Yes, we're in the same boat - I use these meals for when we are at dance or soccer and I make the meal while the kiddos are showering/bathing etc.
Kristen from The Road to Domestication says
Oh gosh, those look SO much better than drive-thru chicken nuggets LOL
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says
I like your busy day dinner strategy, throw the frozen part in the oven while working on the homemade part. Great tip for those of us who are busy busy... most of us I am sure.
foodyschmoody says
Thanks Michelle - I like to think of it as the real mom's strategy, lol.
Kelly says
So much better when they're fresh - these look really good and crispy on the outside, too. P
foodyschmoody says
Thanks so much Kelly - yes much better when fresh!
Debra says
They are so tasty!
Himani Sawhney says
My daughter loves these nuggets.
Jillian @ Food, Folks and Fun says
I cannot wait to make these for my kids!
Oriana @Mommyhood's Diary says
These chicken nuggets are the perfect accompaniment to the Mac & Cheese.
foodyschmoody says
Thank you!
Linda (Meal Planning Maven) says
I am off to see my grandkids in a few days and cannot wait to try your nugget recipe. I know these will be a winner for sure!
Becki S says
We love some homemade chicken nuggets in our house! They go sooo quickly and my husband actually prefers them cold. We've tried to bake them but it's just not the same, but why would it be without all the yummy-ness that is olive oil 😉
foodyschmoody says
It's funny, you are not the first person to tell me about eating them cold. I guess I better try it out!
Amanda McMahon says
My son likes chicken nuggets, but I don't eat them and my husband and daughter are vegetarian, so this may be a nice option.
Cami @ The Crafting Nook says
This could easily be my girl's favorite lunch ever!!!! Yummmm I could follow too LOL
Great recipe!
Hugs
Alli @ Cupcake Diaries says
I've been drooling over these chicken nuggets
Joy @ Joy Love Food says
We love STOUFFER'S Mac & Cheese at our house too, those crispy chicken nuggets are a wonderful accompaniment, my family would love this meal!
Stephanie says
We do fried chicken and mac & cheese at least once a month, but I'm usually going crazy making it all from scratch. I love your short cut!
linda spiker says
That chicken looks amazing!
brianna george says
Perfect for a busy weeknight. My kids love nuggets.
Manju | Cooking Curries says
I love making a good mac and cheese at home. Those chicken nuggets look great!
Shala says
These are good, my husband didn't think they were spicy enough. Things got chaotic because I had never fried anything or cooked tenders before. In the future I won't use olive oil, will add some seasoning to the flour and will have all the uncooked chicken ready on a plate before turning on the stove! 😉
foodyschmoody says
Yes, I always try to get everything ready ahead of time. If I were making these for just me and the husband I would definitely add a lot more spice but my kids are rather picky so the seasoning from the seasoned breadcrumbs and the salt/pepper in the flour is all they can handle. I tried to make them as kid friendly as possible. Once you master the basic recipe, it's like a blank canvas, you can add as much flavor as you like. I'm glad you tried out something new! thanks so much for letting me know the outcome 🙂