Nuggets are a classic American recipe of fried chicken nuggets. It’s easy to make and is great for anyone who loves the taste and texture of crispy, crunchy, golden brown goodness!
The “homemade chicken nuggets recipe” is a delicious, healthy and easy to make dish. It’s perfect for busy weeknights!
Samantha Skaggs published this on August 15, 2021 and modified it on August 15, 2021. There may be affiliate links in this post.
Chicken Nuggets Made at Home are created the QUICK AND EASY manner, using a copycat “shake and bake” approach that yields easy, delicious nuggets that are a success with both kids and adults!
You should absolutely try The VERY BEST Sloppy Joes, Pizza Quesadillas, or Easy Chili Mac if you’re seeking for additional kid-friendly recipes!
In these parts, it’s officially back to school time! And I have to confess, now that we’ve started a regular routine, I’m feeling a lot more organized. Talk to me at the end of the week, when I’ll be bemoaning early alarm clocks, lunchbox packing, and weekly meal planning.
But what about today? Today, I sent my children to school with a nutritious breakfast and a balanced lunch in their bags. And by the time they got home, I’d already planned, cooked, and prepared supper. I’m not sure what would be a better way to end the first day of school than with Chicken Nuggets Made at Home!
Now that I think of it, I already have a recipe for handmade chicken nuggets/tenders on the site. Let’s face it: my whole family loves them, even down to my pickiest 4-year-old, and it seems that you do, too!
My kids, on the other hand, wanted Chicken Nuggets Made at Home a few months ago when I didn’t have time to dip and bread them.
That’s when I recalled the “homemade” baked chicken of my childhood, courtesy to Shake ‘N Bake, that small box of delight.
So I wondered…could I employ the same quick, easy process that Shake ‘N Bake pioneered, but with natural ingredients instead? I made the decision to give it a go. And, sure enough, the technique worked perfectly.
The EASIEST Way to Make Chicken Nuggets Made at Home
You won’t believe how quick and easy it is to make Chicken Nuggets Made at Home using this method:
- In a gallon-sized plastic bag, combine breadcrumbs, spices, and a highly secret ingredient.
- Add the chicken cubes.
- Shake the bag until the crumbs mixture is uniformly distributed on the chicken.
- Toss each nugget onto a parchment-lined sheet pan with tongs.
- Bake, then savor!
Are you ready to learn the super-secret element that allows this strategy to work? A tablespoon of oil (I use extra-virgin olive oil) should be added to the crumbs and spices in the bag to assist the breadcrumb mixture stick to the chicken. There’s no need for an egg wash, dipping, or a mess!
For perfectly-breaded chicken nuggets, seal the bag and shake firmly. Just make sure there aren’t too many nuggets in the bag at once, otherwise they won’t be equally coated… I discovered that shaking 1 pound at a time was an effective quantity.
I originally made these copycat “shake and bake” Chicken Nuggets Made at Home some months ago…and I’ve made them at least half a dozen times since then!
I’m not saying I don’t like the other nugget recipes in my collection, but this one is simply so damned simple. It doesn’t leave a lot of dishes in the sink (simply toss away the plastic baggie when you’re finished), and supper is served in no time!
Flavors from “Shake and Bake”
I also like how easy it is to change up the herbs and spices in Chicken Nuggets Made at Home to make them taste different.
We like these nuggets with a Greek yogurt-based Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, which we prepare according to the Instructions using your preferred sort of breadcrumbs (I generally use whole wheat breadcrumbs, but Panko are also excellent).
The nuggets are made with Italian breadcrumbs and are wonderful when dipped in marinara.
When I season the breadcrumbs with taco spice, I prefer to serve them with Creamy Jalapeo Dip or a sour cream-salsa mixture.
You may also use this method on other cuts of chicken, such as thighs, drumsticks, and wings, or as a breading for pork chops. You can now make everything your mother “Shake ‘N Baked” in the 1980s!
So take on busy weeknights head-on and make Chicken Nuggets Made at Home in no time! After all, being a dinnertime hero is always entertaining.
More Dinner Ideas for Kids
Chicken Nuggets Made at Home
Chicken Nuggets Made at Home are created the QUICK AND EASY manner, using a copycat “shake and bake” approach that yields easy, delicious nuggets that are a success with both kids and adults!
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Course Description: Main Course
American cuisine
15-minute prep time
Time to prepare: 20 minutes
35-minute total time
Number of servings: 6
calorie count: 248 kcal
Mode of Preparation Stop your screen from turning black.
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F with the oven rack in the middle position. Set aside a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
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Measure the dry breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and pepper into a gallon-sized plastic bags. To blend, close the bag and shake it. Add the oil to the bag, reseal, and shake until fully combined.
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Chicken should be cut into 1- to 12-inch slices. Combine half of the chicken pieces with the seasoned breadcrumbs in a bag. Seal the bag and shake it lightly, rotating it to make sure all of the nuggets are uniformly covered. Remove each nugget from the bag with tongs, brushing off any excess coating and placing the nuggets on the prepared baking sheet (close but not touching). Carry on with the remaining chicken bits in the same manner.
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Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the chicken nuggets are well cooked but not overcooked. Serve heated with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce or any other dipping sauce of your choice.
Notes
- You may make your own breadcrumbs (I prefer dry, stale breadcrumbs over wet, fresh breadcrumbs) or buy store-bought breadcrumbs (I try to find a brand with natural ingredients). I usually prepare this dish with normal whole wheat breadcrumbs, but for crunchier nuggets, I add Panko breadcrumbs. Due to the rougher texture of Panko breadcrumbs, you may need to use more Panko crumbs to get the same level of coverage.
- Feel free to tweak the herbs and spices to change up the flavor of your Chicken Nuggets Made at Home.
- You may increase or decrease the breading mixture as needed, then divide it amongst the appropriate number of freezer baggies. Squeeze out the air and freeze for homemade Shake ‘n Bake whenever you want!
calorie count: 248 kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 662mg | Potassium: 591mg | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1.2mg
The original version of this post was published on August 21, 2017.
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The “air fryer chicken nuggets” are the BEST *EASIEST* Homemade Chicken Nuggets. They come out crispy and delicious, without needing to deep fry them. The only things you need is an air fryer and some breadcrumbs.
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