Chick-fil-A Nuggets are a perfect copycat with no pickle juice, made with all white meat and a crispy, seasoned breading fried in peanut oil.
Chick-fil-A Nuggets are a sore subject in our house because we are evenly divided between these nuggets and KFC popcorn chicken. As a mom, when we’re out and about to stop in a fast food option I tend to go with Chick-fil-A or In-n-Out just for small wins that make me feel like at least they seem freshest.
Chick-fil-A has become our non-burger favorite spot. It also helps that they make the best lemonade of all time (recipe coming soon). One of my only frustrations with them is the lines and the cost. Anytime we go there is a giant line in the drive-thru and with little kids in the car my patience is usually shorter than the wait.
So when we buy these chicken nuggets I also drive through to get popcorn chicken to avoid hearing about the “I don’t like sweet nuggets” from the peanut gallery. Yes, Chick-fil-A nuggets have a hint of sweetness in them (recreated here with powdered sugar), I personally like them but given my options I would probably choose a less sweetened version of chicken nuggets.
Looking for more Copycat recipes? I have a TON of them on the blog! Here is a whole Index of Copycat Recipes.
Tools Used in the making of these Chick-fil-A Nuggets:
Lodge Cast Dutch Oven: – I use this dutch oven for a lot of frying and braising.
Pig Tail Flipper: – I use this *almost* more than I use tongs in the kitchen. Flipping is so quick and doesn’t smash foods.
Spider Strainer: Love these strainers for quickly draining oil away and scooping out fried food.
Breadcrumbs: Great plain breadcrumbs, I normally use panko, but for this recipe I recommend these.
Breading Station: I use this because the pans are wide with a flat bottom. If you have small rectangular plates use those, I wouldn’t use curved bowls for breading stations as it could knock some breading off.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 pound chicken breasts cut into 1" chunks
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 3 inches of peanut oil
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the breadcrumbs and process until very fine.
- In a large ziplock bag or a bowl add the chicken pieces, the milk and the eggs and combine. (I usually just close the bag and squish it together)
- Put the chicken in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
- In a large dutch oven fill it 3 inches deep with peanut oil and heat to 365-375 degrees (medium high heat until a piece dropped in immediately bubbles up but doesn’t burn quickly).
- Put the breadcrumbs, flour, powdered sugar, Kosher salt, white pepper, chili powder in a bowl and whisk together.
- Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and let dry for a few minutes.
- Fry in batches (avoid crowding them) until golden brown (2-3 minutes) and remove to a sheet pan.
- Don’t drain on paper towels, it’ll create steam and soften the nuggets.
Nutrition
Awesome recipe! Family loves it! Have made several times and never disappoints! Thank you
Super kid friendly and adults love it too!
I have made this recipe several times and the family loves it. Now they want me to make Chick fil a sandwiches. Can I follow this recipe for the sandwich patties or do I need to adjust? Thank you!
Glad you asked! Try my Chick-Fil-A inspired Crispy chicken Sandwich and don’t forget the lemonade!!
https://dinnerthendessert.com/chick-fil-a-inspired-crispy-chicken-sandwich-and-lemonade/?swcfpc=1
Very good recipe. It has good reviews, so I wasn’t apprehensive at all. I seasoned the wet mixture, similar to the dry mixture. That’s the only thing I did different. If you are a home cook and like knowing the ingredients in your food, you’ll like this recipe. I think it’s better than Chik Fila, cause it isn’t as salty.
What a great review! Thanks Jasmine!
I love your recipes. They are easy and delish. Thank you sooo much.
Hi Sabrina first of all I want to let you know that every of your recipes I try are delicious thank you so much! I m was wondering I can freeze them for later use? And if I can how is the best way to do it? Thank you for your time
I would get to the step of breading, then freeze in a single layer baking sheet. Once frozen you can fry from frozen at 350 degrees until cooked through.
Thank you Sabrina. I truly enjoy your site. This, like all your recipes are so good !
Good recipe. I would suggest making a double batch of the flour mixture as it gets goopy soon
OMG! This recipe is spot on. Thank you so much Sabrina. Keep the great recipes comin’.
Omg! Thank you so much for posting this! We’ve been on a quest to find a good dupe for Chik Fil A nuggets and had a hard time. We went thru 3 different ones. They were mostly tasty but definitely no where near Chik Fill A style. But this! Perfect! My 12 yr old is ecstatic! He LOVES the real ones and they hold a special place for us because at 8 yrs old he was diagnosed with leukemia. After 2 and a half years of intense chemo he is doing amazing. But at one point, he was so sick from the chemo, he wouldn’t eat. We tried everything. He got down to 39 lbs at 9 yrs old but then he tried Chik fil a nugget because there was a store inside the Wolfson’s Children’s Hospital. He loved them so much and it was thee only thing he would eat. He ate them every single day. I let him have as much as he wanted. But we had help from charities and such so I could get them like that but now, we can’t afford them. He hasn’t had them just since before the pandemic. But thanks to you, I can make them! We had them last night and they were fantastic! Thank you, again! Great job figuring it out!
This is fantastic! My new go to for any fried chicken. A home tweak is that we cut the chicken into tenders and instead of using 2 tablespoons of salt, we use 1of salt and 1 of MSG. Doesn’t taste like Chick-fil-A, tastes better :).
I’m wondering, can you use corn starch in place of the powdered sugar?
Powdered sugar makes the recipe/breading sweeter. I would replace part of the flour with cornstarch, but if you want to eliminate the ‘sweet’ taste you can get rid of it!
Powdered sugar and corn starch taste different. If you do this then the recipe will taste different.
This has no pickle brine. Won’t taste like chic-fil-a.
Chick-fil-a actually does not use a pickle brine! I can confirm, I work there. 🙂
Wow! Doubled the recipe and it turned out great! Generous portions for my family! They all loved it. I would sprinkle some more regular salt on immediately after frying! Skip the CFA sauce and Dip in ketchup for the best flavor!
I just made these and WOW! Easy-peasy and tasting 99.5% like the real deal. I had to use vegetable oil and only had Italian breadcrumbs and no food processor and used a pasta pot to heat the oil with no thermometer so I was a bit afraid to take the first bite but honestly, WOW!
My teenage boys went CRAZY over these! The first thing they said was “Can you make those tomorrow too?”.
Only difference I did was use Italian seasoned bread crumbs (that’s all I had in the cabinet)
Thank you so much for sharing that with us ?
My teenage boys went CRAZY over these! The first thing they said was “Can you make those tomorrow too?”.
Only difference I did was use Italian seasoned bread crumbs (that’s all I had in the cabinet)
Thank you so much for sharing that with us ?
I use this recipe all the time! I add a touch more powdered sugar. I also use prepared bread crumbs. So good!!
These were good. Not a perfect copy but darn close. I had already done the pickle juice brine before looking for a coating recipe and I think it gave it the zing others mentioned the recipe lacking. I also think a double dunk in the dreg and milk will make for a better coating.
These were amazing! Used all the ingredients listed above and they tasted so similar. Being Canadian, we have missed Chick-fil-A so thank-you for your efforts putting this copy cat recipe together.
The only thing I did differently was added all the dry ingredients to the food processor. Easy peasy!
Not really a comment but a question per say. I have been trying to find a recipe for the classic Gliers Goetta that can only be found in Southern Kentucky and most of Ohio. I have been afraid to make it so I’m hoping to get a brave soul to try it. Ever tried it or made it?
I have not! I will have to look into that, thank you for the suggestion!
These are excellent!!
This recipe is great! I saw some comments about needing more seasoning or increasing the sugar, but I followed the recipe exactly as written and the nuggets came out amazing! I also made a gluten free batch for my sister using Bob Redmill’s 1 to 1 gluten free flour and gluten free breadcrumbs and they came out delicious!
Hi Sabrina,
This was wonderful! Contrary to others who have posted, I’ve tried the pickle juice brine recipes and it did not enhance the flavor. Also, I’ve made them in the air fryer; the secret is a quick dunk in the peanut oil prior to air frying. Most of it drips off, but you’re left with a slightly healthier deliciousness! Thank you for such a fantastic alternative to going out—especially with rising costs we are facing.
Made these with gluten free bread crumbs and gluten free flour. They were great. Thanks!
Yay, so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Hi, I followed the recipe and my nuggets came out bland. I sprinkled salt at the end and it did bring out some flavor. It did not taste anything like Chick Fil A. The nuggets lacked those crumb parts that you find on the Chick Fil A nuggets. I may just process half of the crumbs. Was I supposed to double dredge? Season the egg wash? I’ll try this recipe again, but my way. I think I have to double the salt, pepper, chili powder, maybe add some MSG to give it that umami flavor. Also, season the chicken and the milk. Thank you for inspiring me to make the nuggets, my first time ever making nuggets at home.
Thank you for trying this recipe. I’m sorry they didn’t turn out so well but I’m glad you have the inspiration to keep cooking.
So the nuggets were good! I did soak mine in pickle juice and yeah i didnt really notice any thing different about it.
I would really emphasize setting them *dry out* after putting the breading on cuz my second batch turned out way better than my first.
I guess the one thing was that i spent about 18$ on ingredients and it took almost an hour and a half to make. And thats not the recipe makers fault hahah thats just how it is. At least this is an alternative to supporting homophobes!
ASS
What kind of bread crumbs are used please?
Thanks.
These are AMAZING. My family actually liked them better than Chick-Fil-A! The only subs were vegetable oil instead of peanut oil and finely ground black pepper instead of white pepper. My twelve year old sister is super picky and she loved them. Definitely a new menu staple. Thank you so much Sabrina!!!
Love this recipe, use it all the time. Question: can you bread the nuggets a couple of hours in advance or would they lose texture that way?
Thanks,
N
I believe they would love texture
Is that “love” or “lose” texture???
So delicious. My very picky 8 year old stuffed himself! I have a terrible habit of not measuring with recipes like these and next time I’m going to follow the proportions to a T. They were so close to chick fil a, i dont know if I could have told the difference in a taste test. Definitely a keeper.
Amazing! My boyfriend ate them all and I had to make more! He even said they were BETTER than the real thing! 10/10
My family of eight loved these nuggets! We decided they need a bit more sugar, but otherwise they are such a win for us. Will definitely be making again. Thanks so much
Tried other copycat recipes and this is the one that tastes nearly identical (and better because it’s SO fresh!) The only change I made was using spicy breadcrumbs that we already had on hand and omitted the chili powder.
I would have given 5 stars except for two issues…
First off the whole point of making things at home is to make a healthier version of an unhealthy favorite. That being said, why would you add sugar? There is no need to add the sugar and they still taste great. Secondly by Air Frying them instead of pan frying them in fatty oil makes them so much better for you and they still come out crispy and delicious.
Hi Monica, we make this at home to cut the cost, no where in the blog do we state its to make it a healthy version. We add the sugar because Chick Fil A nuggets are a bit sweeter than the average nuggets. Air frying does sound delicious though!
These nuggets were amazing. Where does this recipe claim to be healthier? You must be SUCH a FUN mom!!
usually copycat recipes are not an alternative because your trying to make a healthy recipe, its just so you can save some money and make an identical version of it at home. Chick fil a nuggets arent really healthy so the copycat recipe wouldnt be either.
What kind of bread crumbs do you use?
Classic bread crumbs, not panko, not seasoned.
At what temperature should I bake the nuggets at and for how long, if reheating after freezing, or refrigeration?
to reheat, I would do 375 for 8-10 minutes or even better I’d use a toaster oven.
Can I use Vegtable oil instead of peanut oil? Will it still taste the same? What would the nutrition facts be with vegetable oil instead and only 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar.
Chick fil a uses peanut oil, there is a slight flavor to it. You can sub vegetable oil, but that’s flavorless, so just realize it won’t be 100% spot on.
Loved it!!!! I followed the recipe step by step, and It came out delicious. The only thing I would use less salt next time, personal preferences, but they are delicious!!!!. I used the oil I had at home to save some money, but next time, I’ll use peanut oil to taste the difference. Thanks!!!?
Loved it!!!! I followed the recipe step by step, and It came out delicious. The only thing I would use less salt next time, personal preferences, but they are delicious!!!!. I used the oil I had at home to save some money, but next time, I’ll use peanut oil to taste the difference. Thanks!!!?
Does not taste anything like Chick-Fill -A very bland.
So sorry you didn’t enjoy it!
Just made this for dinner since their sauce is now available in the store. Was skeptical, but this is both the texture and flavor. Did add salt at the end after frying. Also a whole chicken breast gives you 24 nuggets or more. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!
It was amazing since we live in the mountains and nearest restaurant is 40 miles. Just like eating there. Love it.
Glad to have helped out with a craving, Steve. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Maybe our chick filets’ are different here but although the look was good, these tasted nothing like the nuggets I’ve had. Back to the drawing boards
Our nearest Chik-Fil-A is 45 minutes away in a town we have no other reason to visit often. I have tried so many recipes (pickle juice, etc) and it just never quite got it right. I was very skeptical but yours was the first I had seen to include bread crumbs. I really think this makes the difference! So good and just like Chik-Fil-A. Thank you so much!
Can I substitute kosher salt for regular?
as I do not have it in hand
Sure 🙂
Receipe for chick fa la lemonade thano
Here’s the direct link:
https://dinnerthendessert.com/chick-fil-a-inspired-crispy-chicken-sandwich-and-lemonade/
Great recipe! My daughter and grandchildren are here and the are big fans of Chick-Fil-A. They all loved your version. I made it according to the recipe and I will definitely make it again. Thanks for sharing it!
You’re welcome, Sharon.
I don’t normally leave reviews but this one deserves it. All the flavor was there, spot on.
I did modify a few things and cooked them in an air fryer:
I did let them brine in pickle juice for about 40 min before I started
I used coconut sugar instead of powder sugar, almond flour instead of flour, and almond milk instead of milk.
Still all the same taste; perfect amount of sweetness.
I do prefer to use air fryers but I think for the next time I make this I’ll stick with the peanut oil.
Thank you!!
I’m glad you loved it enough to come back and let me know, Taylor. Thanks!
Had been craving Chick Fila all week and my daughter told me about looking up recipe. They are extremely delicious! Made the copycat sauce too and it’s also a big hit. Thanks for sharing!
Glad to have helped with a craving, Shelley. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Can you use a differnt type of oil besides peanut oil?
Of course! I was just trying to replicate the copycat recipe.
These turn out much better when fried according to directions. This recipe really doesn’t work in the air fryer. SO, with that being said, I fried up a few pounds and then will reheat them in the air fryer. This recipe is pretty spot on, really good! I will be making these again, and again, and again! Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback, Andrea. Reheating them in the air fryer should help keep they crispy.
Hello
Do you have a recipe for a sweet n sour chicken like General Tsos
I sure do!
Here’s the direct link: https://dinnerthendessert.com/sweet-sour-chicken/
You can also use the search bar at the top right of the page and type in sweet and sour chicken to find it. Enjoy!
Loveee this recipe! Has anyone tried to freeze some for a quick make? Would be awesome to be able to just pop some in the oven!
That would work. I’d suggest flash freezing them on a cookie sheet and then moving them to a storage bag so you can easily pull out the amount you’d like. Someone else suggested reheating in an air fryer and that might help to crisp them back up. Good luck!
For sure the right look and texture. Flavor is definitely off from Chick-fil-a. What is missing? Has anyone figured it out?
Maybe it is missing the pickle juice flavor, the original recipe or other copycats use pickle juice to marinate the chicken before coating and frying.
Do you mean butter milk when you mention milk ?
I used milk for this copycat recipe. 🙂
Whole Milk? 2% Fat Milk? Please elaborate
Hi James, I use whole milk.
YES!!! Honestly, sooo close to the real thing. Finally I can enjoy the pleasure of Chickfila while knowing the chicken is organic and free range!!
To top it off, we bought Chickfila sauce from Chick-fil-A and dip ours in there.
Perfect!
Do you think you could make a bunch, breaded and all, and freeze them? Just wondering if you think that would work!
I’d fry them up before freezing. I’d suggest flash freezing them and placing them into an airtight storage bag or container so you can pull out however many you’d like to use each time.
These are delicious, and so very close to the real thing!! The texture and taste of the breading is closer than any other recipes out there – trust me. You have to follow the instructions to a T (Peanut Oil & have a thermometer!!!), or else they’re not going to be the same. I made a couple tweaks to make them absolutely addicting. 1. Added a teaspoon of onion powder 2. Double breaded for that extra crispy exterior. Thank you so much! Nearest Chik Fil A is 2.5 hours away, so this recipe is a life-saver.
This worked great! I didn’t have pickle juice, so I used olive juice instead (basically the same, right? Nope, haha. They came out a little bit too salty. Still good though, so it would work in a pinch, but I’d use less next time.)
Make sure to use the right temperature on these too. The first batch we made came out not quite as crispy as they could have been because the temperature wasn’t quite high enough. If yours come out like–crispy, but only sort of crispy–turn up the heat and try again.
Pro tip to go along with this: Chick-fil-A sells their sauce in 8oz containers, so if you want to skip some steps and buy it straight from Chick-fil-A instead, they make it pretty easy.
Thanks for the recipe!
I’ll have to look for it, thanks!
These are Legit!! My daughter the nugget Queen loved them. Ate 20 in one sitting. So they pass as real chic fil a! I’m saving this one!!
Fantastic!
Can these be made in an air fryer?
I’ve not tested this recipe using an air fryer so I’m not comfortable giving a recommendation.
I made it exactly as written They are good, but it’s lacking the zing flavor. Not sure what, perhaps more chili powder, some black pepper or paprika? Will try again.
I just tried making these in the air fryer, and while they taste decent enough, and aren’t bad, I think that I will fry them according to directions next time for that “true” chick -fil-a experience.
Thanks for the feedback. I know a lot of people have been asking about using the air fryer.
I’ve made them in the air fryer. 360 for 11 minutes!
I loved this! It tasted so much like Chick fil a nuggets. Great recipe!
Arent chik fil a nuggets brined in pickle juice?
I worked at Chick-fil-A and used to prepare the raw chicken, and I can tell you with certainty that no, the chicken is NOT brined in pickle juice.
Really liked the nuggets, I added some kosmos Q garlic Parmesan wing dust to the batter to add some flavor, if you’ve never tried it I highly recommend checking it out.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Really good recipe. I was honestly so surprised how close this recipe is to the original. My partner and I made these tonight and we were shocked at how good everything turned out. One question though; what is the best way to store the leftovers? I want to eat this tomorrow and even share it with my neighbours
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to reheat them in the oven so they don’t get chewy or rubbery. They should take around 10 minutes to reheat in a 350 degree oven. I’m so glad you enjoyed them.
My 5 year old daughter told us she wants to work at Chik-fil-a when she grows up, so we made these nuggets and let her serve everyone. My husband said they were “the best chicken nuggets I’ve ever had” They definitely look like chik-fil-a nuggets and the taste is similar (a little more mild in flavor than chikfila). Frying stuff is so much work though- this is just a very occasional meal.
Am I able to do this in the air fryer?
I haven’t tested it but if you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
Hello! I just made them in the air fryer with success. I spritzed them with oil and shook three times. I set the temp at 390 and cooked for approximately 10 minutes. The color is NOT the same as frying in oil, but the texture is crispy.
Thanks for the feedback, Tricia.
Would olive oil work?
Sure
I LOVE THEM
Sorry but not even close and absolutely bland. I previously used a different recipe that was spot on but unfortunately lost it. Thought I’d try this one and was very disappointed.
I added 1 Tbsp seasoned salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper to the egg-milk mixture. Then, I sprinkled salt on the nuggets after they were done frying. Very tasty.
Yummy and delicious! I used boneless/skinless chicken thighs in place of the chicken breast because that’s all I had available I just made sure to make sure almost all of the fat was removed from the thighs. I did add half a cup of pickle juice to the egg and milk mixture. It came out so, so good I couldn’t stop eating it while I was cooking each batch. I also didn’t have peanut oil so I used avocado oil instead. yummy!
OMG, I can’t believe how close these are to the real thing! I actually had a pack of Chick fil A BBQ sauce and I honestly could not taste too much difference AND I did not have/use peanut oil, nor the eggs, and I drained on paper towels. So, next time I’ll be sure to follow the directions totally and I’m certain I won’t be able to tell AT ALL, that I’m not eating the “real thang!” Thanks for such a great “copycat”?recipe.
My grandson, who is 17, is a picky eater but loves Chic-fil-a nuggets and the Polynesian sauce. I made both your recipes for these last night and he loved them. Actually I don’t believe I’ve ever seen him eat so much. He said they were spot on and wants me to make them a couple times a week.
The nearest Chic-fil-a to us is over an hour drive so you saved us a long drive plus the high cost of their nuggets. Thanks so much and can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
You’re welcome, Gerry.
Followed recipe exactly but this tastes nothing like Chic fil a. It still tastes kinda decent, maybe i just need to play with it a little more
Can I use another oil?
Sure 🙂
These are SO GOOD!!!! Super easy and really delicious. My kids love Chick-Fil-A but we don’t go that after because the lines are always sooooo long, so now I can make them at home!! If you haven’t tried this recipe, what are you waiting for?? Amazing.
Thanks for the kind words, Amanda. Glad to know they’re such a hit!
Very close!
I doubled the pepper & sugar in my last batch and that made a big difference!
These are spot on to the original, and the powdered sugar is the surprising secret ingredient. It’s shocking how many nuggets come from 1 lb of chicken, it’s equivalent to 4-5 Chick-Fil-A 12 piece orders.
Oh yes, homemade is a much easier on the budget.
Best nuggets I have made at home. My husband said that in his opinion, they are better than Chick-Fil-A. Thanks for the recipe!
do we have to scramble the eggs when making this
I usually just squish it all together in the bag but you can whisk them first if you’d like. Enjoy!
What do you do with the liquid from the eggs and milk do you drain all that out from the chicken before adding to the dry ingredients?
Yes, you take the chicken out of the milk and egg mixture and dredge it in the flour mixture. Enjoy!
taste nothing like Chic-Fil-A. Followed recipe exactly. Good, but not what I was looking for.
How long would it cook in an air fryer and what temperature?
I’ve not tested it using an air fryer.
Have you ever tried to bake these??
They won’t have the same crispiness but you can bake them. Bake at 400 for around 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, flipping once. Good luck!
Just made these tonight with some home grown chicken. Also adapted to GF using GF breadcrumbs and GF flower. Turned out amazingly good. My wife loved them.
as a vegetarian i missed chick fil a chicken so much! so i tried this with seitan instead of ground chicken. it was amazing!!!! i’m so happy i found this recipe!
What can I say. Using quality organic ingredients, these knock the socks off the originals! The ONLY adjustment I made was to up the salt and chili powder just a bit. Don’t think I can eat the restaurant version ever again.
Glad to know they’re such a hit! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Is there an alternative to the eggs? We have an egg allergy in the family.
I haven’t tested it with an alternative. If you decide to try, I’d love to know what works. Thanks
I use JUST egg. It’s a delicious vegan egg that you can scramble, omelet and use for coating. It comes in a clear bottle with the yellow liquid. Imo, tastes better than real egg. Just add salt and pepper as you wish.
I made this recipe tonight. OMG! So delicious! I wouldn’t change a thing. I served it with sweet potato fries and mixed up some honey and mustard for dipping.
My daughter has limited sugar for her diet. Could I eliminate the sugar from this?
I’ve not tested it that way before. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
You can, but they will not be like they are in the restaurant. This recipe makes a surprising amount, so 2T gets distributed quite a bit. Splenda would probably make a good substitute.
Or, you could always try Swerve powdered sugar substitute. 🙂
Do u have to add the white pepper and chili powder
To be a copycat, yes, but if you don’t want to add them they just won’t be as seasoned.
I got chick-fil-a a couple days before and had some extra Polynesian sitting in the fridge so I decided to make this.I ran down to the store down the street grabbed some chicken and potatoes (to make potatoes wedges).This recipe was super easy and simple to make.i hate making chicken because it always ends up raw in the middle but these came out moist,crunchy and deliciousss.when dipping these in my sauce I couldn’t tell the difference between these and the real thing.i’ll be making these again
Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Hi! Anyway you can make these in the air fryer ?
I’ve not personally tested so if you decided to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
I’ve made these in the air fryer before! I just did the coating the same as listed in the recipe and then spritzed the air fryer with some oil, filled the bottom of the air fryer with some of the nuggets, and shook them around a bit so the oil got on them a little. Then, just check them periodically and spritz with more oil if they look too floury! They turned out great!
Have you tried doing this with whole chicken breasts to make the chicken sandwich? Do you think it would turn out okay?
I tried an “inspired” recipe: https://dinnerthendessert.com/chick-fil-a-inspired-crispy-chicken-sandwich-and-lemonade/
But haven’t used this exact recipe to duplicate. Try it with both and see which ones works out best for you. They’re mildly different. Enjoy!
The same recipe is great for the whole breast. just make sure it’s thin enough.
Should I use nonfat milk, since that is the type in the ingredient list from Chick-fil-a? I’m really excited about trying this recipe. Thank you!
Sure 🙂
My daughter found this recipe online and was excited for me to make it. I just finished making this recipe and it came out fantastic! My family and I agree that this is pretty darn close to the real thing, and will be making this on a regular! Thank you for such an awesome recipe!
This is a great basic recipe that really inspired me! On my second try I cut the bread crumbs and flour down to 1/2 cup each and I didn’t process the crumbs. I think it’s a little closer! I also cut back to one egg and half the milk and it was plenty. Just make sure you put it in a container where all the chicken is covered.
This recipe was great. Wondered if without the pickle juice, the strips wouldn’t be as tender. They were so good. Doubled the spices and made copycat canes sauce. My new go to….
I have made this recipe many times now. I make a double batch of the dipping sauce, my husband loves it. One shortcut, is powdered buttermilk, I can make the chicken marinade any time I have a craving. I use the liquid smoke hint, as recommended in the sauce recipe dialogue, and I used my spice grinder to process the panko bread crumbs, as recommended for the chicken dredge. I keep my panko in the freezer just for this recipe. The only thing I add is a slight sprinkling or dusting of Knorr Aromat seasoning on the chicken nuggets after they are fried. The Aromat adds an umami touch to the finished chicken. This is a really easy and tasty copycat recipe.
We use the leftover chicken on a salad too. Yummy cold.
can i save the milk/egg and flour mixture ?
You can make a bigger batch and just take from there but once the chicken touches the mixture, you want to toss whatever you don’t use because you’ve got a contamination risk.
We live in Taiwan and my husband was wanting an American-style meal. I made this for Father’s Day. I made A LOT of chicken, so we invited some South African friends over, too. Everyone raved about the chicken. My own children kept saying it was like Chick-fil-A, and our friends were asking what is Chick-fil-A, haha! I had to make my own panko, but I found a how-to online, too. Everything worked out wonderfully. I am so pleased to have found this recipe and I love how it’s worded. Easy to follow! Thanks, Sabrina! You’re the best!
How awesome, Rebecca!
Not sure what I did wrong. I followed the recipe exactly and did not taste great at all. No flavor whatsoever. Really disappointing =(
I looked around and saw a number of different recipes which seemed really complicated. Saw this one and it seemed so simple, so I gave it a try. First time I did it with Panko pulsed, but they were too crunchy and oil was to hot. Second time used the bread crumbs you suggested and they were awesome. Powdered sugar works so well, I added some Ancho chile powder to the breading.
I asked my 9 year old daughter if they tasted like chix fil-a and she said”…yes, but better!”
Yay!! Thanks for coming back to let me know, Brian.
I can’t say these taste like Chik-Fil-A nuggets, but this is a solid recipe, and my family actually liked this recipe better than the real thing! The one thing I love is that they aren’t too salty, which is one of my issues with Chik-Fil-A nuggets. Paired with the knockoff Chik-Fli-A sauce, this is definitely a make again!
What kinda breadcrumbs I use !? Should I make my own with wheat bread !? Or which one you recommend !?
I am adding my ingredients to make this. My kids and my toddler 1 year old. Loveeee chick fil a chicken nuggets !
For feedback ! I will love to see a video in how you make this chicken nuggets for clarifications. Thanks
You can easily use your own but in a pinch, I like Progresso bread crumbs.
Thank you! What do you do wit the leftover oil?
You can store it for up to 6 months and reuse. Just make sure that all the food particles have been filtered out before storing.
Very excited to try this recipe but we don’t have peanut oil, only vegetable/canola. Will it still work? any suggestions?
yes though peanut oil does give it a hint of flavor.
These were excellent and super easy to make! My husband says they taste exactly like Chick-fil-A, and my picky toddler ate lots of them.
A total Mom win!
I have a question. It seems like there may be to much egg/milk liquid. Do I drain the extra liquid before putting in the breadcrumbs?
You’ll be removing the chicken from the egg/milk mixture and dredging it into the flour/breadcrumbs mixture before frying. Hope this clears things up. Enjoy!
I keep telling my son I need to find the website I found these nuggets on and send them money and roses. He has an eating disorder called arfid, short for avoidant restrictive food intake. He doesn’t eat much at all and he LOVES these nuggets!!!! I can’t thank you enough! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!
Sorry. I marinated mine in dill pickle juice because according to my sister and step daughter who both worked at Chick-Fil-A, they do use dill pickle juice.
Attempted this before on my own and it sucked. With the exception of the pickle juice, I used this recipe and it was AMAZING!! I never thought about the sweetness of the nuggets! That made a huge difference for me in flavor.
Drenching then in milk, than flour, letting it dry, than egg and bread crumbs made for a wonderfully crispy nugget! Hubby wants me to make them again soon!
This recipe can be adapted for celiacs. I used gluten free 1 to 1 flour and 4C gluten free Panko bread crumbs that I ground up in the food processor.
Made too much, but hubs and I are circling the leftovers like sharks on a feeding frenzy four hours later. Lol
Thank you!
I’m going to make this tomorrow. I looked up the ingredients on the Chick-Fil-A site & did not see pickle juice listed. Did see MSG & soybean oil which is disappointing. Glad to make them homemade without the MSG! My son loves their nuggets. Below is the list of ingredients from the site-
Chicken (boneless, skinless chicken breast meat nuggets, salt, monosodium glutamate, sugar, spices, paprika, enriched bleached flour [with malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, nonfat milk, leavening [baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate], spice, soybean oil, color [paprika], pasteurized nonfat milk, pasteurized egg, fully refined peanut oil [with dimethylpolysiloxane {an anti-foam agent} added])
Hey there! So pickling spices are easily hidden in “sugar, spices” and using a pickle juice at home lets us achieve similar flavors without trying to reinvent the spice blend they’re using. While they don’t use a pre-made pickle juice they do use a lot of ingredients that create this flavor. I have had more people than I can count (many of them kids) swear by the flavor, I hope you try it and like it too!
So do I use any pickle juice?
I didn’t use it but you definitely can.
Can’t wait to try this recipe! As a healthier option, could I do these in an air fryer? Maybe bake and then air fry?
I haven’t tested it this way before. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
It was delicious! ?
This recipe was absolutely amazing! My family loved this recipe this is actually the 3 night I’m making it! All 6 of us couldn’t get enough of the chicken!
I make this with whole grain oat flour & it’s delicious
Awesome! Tastes and looks like the real thing!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for the positive review!
Tried this recipe last night and it was delicious! I made one difference, that was to air fry. I am a Pampered Chef Consultant and our new Air Fryer is wonderful, I will never fry again!
How long did you air fry and on what temp? TIA!
Delicious! Pleased even the most difficult in my family. 🙂 Peanut oil is a must.
Thank you so much for the review Breanna!
The recipe itself has a great flavor but the salt content is over the top, will try again with half the salt also gonna cut the sugar by a third and then it should be just right
Very happy family after eating this.
Better than any chicken place!!!
Thank you,
In complete seriousness, I have never made or had better chicken nuggets. 100% recommend to anyone who likes great chicken tenders/nuggets. I added a little extra salt, used black pepper instead of white pepper, and a bit extra chili powder. AMAZING.
Thank you so much for your kind words. It really made my day.
These are similar to general tso’s chicken. I actually followed this recipe by the book and it came out perfect. Thanks, Sabrina for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Jerry.
Yummy!!
I made this last night and *OMG* they’re amazing!
Really thankful for this recipe. Two of us are gluten free and can’t eat chick fil a fried nuggets anymore. I used King Arthur GF flour and GF breadcrumbs and my son says they are amazing! Thank you!!
Delicious!! Awesome recipe!
Do you use fresh homemade bread crumbs or can version?
You can use either.
Awesome. My kids are raving- and they are teenagers so that says a lot. I didn’t have peanut oil just vegetable oil. They are delicious! My son can’t stop eating them and he never eats!
instead of the dutch oven, can an Instant pot be used? On the saute setting?
I haven’t tested it that way yet. If you decide to give it a try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
I tried the pickle juice version & the kids hated it , they LOVED this recipe !!! Thank you !!!
You’re welcome!
I’m trying this with leftover Christmas turkey.
We’ll see !
Can you use a chicken breast instead of nuggets? I would like to try making a sandwich.
Sure 🙂
Amazing every time. You have a gift!
You’re too sweet, Nellie. Thanks for the 5 stars.
I’ve made these nuggets a few times and they are so yummy and really taste like chic-fil-a
Yay!! So glad you’re enjoying them.
Is there a way to freeze these and cook them later?
I haven’t tested it but I would think you can flash freeze them on a cookie sheet and then place in a freezer-safe storage bag for up to 3 months.
The nuggets were great with the crushed panko bread crumbs in the flour mixer. BUT, to get the chicken to taste exactly like Chick-fil-a, you have to brine the chicken in pickle juice. That is their secret ingredients to make them taste the way they do. Without the pickle juice, their just chicken nuggets.
One of our staff members worked at Chick-fil-a all through High School and can confirm there is no pickle juice in the chicken nuggets 🙂
Sam’s sells some that have pickle juice in them. No way fors chick fil a uses puckle juice. I’ve never tried adding sugar to the mix. Umm
That’s because the nuggets (along with everything else) come pre-marinated now. They used to be soaked in pickle juice.
I cant wait to try this recipe because it is NOT brined in pickle juice. My die hard chick-fil-a loving son loves the nuggets but cant stand the strips. From what I understand they do brine the strips in pickle juice but not the nuggets. I tried a recipe using pickle juice & my son who also despises dill pickles hated it. He easily picked up on the faint pickle taste & said they did not taste like chick-fil-a. So hoping he loves this recipe!!!
We enjoyed this recipe so much! Thanks for sharing it!
You’re welcome!
I used to work there, and pickle juice is the secret. This is a fact!
I worked there too and there is absolutely no pickle juice in the chicken. The chicken breasts come plain and frozen, at the store its thawed, put in a solution of egg wash (buttermilk and eggs) where it sits in the cooler for a few hours. It’s then tossed in the breading and fried. The end, and no pickle juice
My ex husband worked for the company that delivered the frozen chicken. I was brined in pickle juice and seasoned before frozen and sent to the stores.
This is what I thought, because there it doesn’t seem possible that the ingredients listed could produce that slight tang taste.
It’s not pickle juice, but it is brained. MSG, sugar and salt. It’s done after the processing, not in store.
It was good but idk if it was chick fila good. my first time using peanut oil i had it on like level 7 but it seemed like the chicken browned pretty quickly. Anything doing wrong? i dont have a dutch oven. I do have a cast iron but i just used a skillet.
Fantastic, loved by the whole family.
Thanks
This recipe was perfect! The ingredients were inexpensive and were totally worth getting rid of the drive thru wait! I substituted chili powder for paprika and the white pepper for black pepper and it still came out tasting like Chick-Fil a and it was amazing! 5 Stars!
Thanks so much, Sophia!
Your Welcome! ??
Thank for you this dish.
I tried my best to find a way to increase the flavor but each batch was bland. More salt was added and I tried Cajun seasoning. The meat and coating were bland for each flour batch I made.
I might try to use pickle or olive juice then leave it overnight in the fridge. Like a brine? I’m not giving up on this recipe because I did like the coating and my kids did eat their protein portion for the meal. Maybe peanut oil would change the flavor as well since all I had was canola and olive oil??
Again Thanks for all your hard work making these dishes and posting them??
Peanut oil is a MUST! 🙂 the flavor it imparts is a critical piece
I need a *close enough* substitute for the peanut oil due to two of my children developing peanut allergies in the last three years. TIA.
I would suggest sunflower, grapeseed or canola oils as a substitute for frying.
I love love love your sense of humor!! Will be trying your nugget recipe tonight! Thanks so much!!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy them.
I followed this to the letter and it’s AMAZING!!!!! I made 3 lbs. so I would have some left over, but my kids finished them off in seconds and begged for more! This is going to be a staple around our house. The flavor and texture are right on. I’d love to know how well they bounce back from being frozen. Once we have your recipe for Chickfila BBQ sauce we may never have to wait through the line again.
It’s still on my to do list!
Tried it, loved it & thanks for the recipe.
I used canola oil instead because that’s what I had available. Can’t wait to tey it again with peanut oil.
I’ve also heard that chick fil A uses pickle juice in the batter??? I’ll contiue to perfect this.
DO NOT TRY IN AN AIR FRIER!!!! IT does not work, half of it burnt and the other half was raw . it looked really gross. Make sure you do what the direction says. If I could show you a picture you would probably hurl. If you’re smart enough you will know what that means you nincompoop.
Oh no! Thanks for the feedback.
Hi, Im confused about the measurement of peanut oil. How muchnit should be? Thanks!
You want to pour enough peanut oil into your dutch oven so it reaches 3 inches deep. Hope this clears things up for you. Enjoy!
I made these today and will not make again. Tasted nothing like the restaurant and the powdered sugar taste was disgusting.
I happened to come across your website earlier this week and have made 3 dishes so far. Two of the Panda Express copycats (Mushroom chicken and chow mein) and my family LOVED them and the chick-fil-A nuggets last night. They also LOVED them. Thank you so much for posting these recipes. The recipes are very easy to follow. I am not a good cook at all so you have saved my kids and fiance from the terrible dinners I have put on the table in the previous weeks. Bless you Sabrina. I now look forward to cooking when I get home and no longer visit the drive-thru 🙂
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes.
Not even remote to the real thing.
How did it taste
Those look good and I’m sure they’re tasty, but if you’re trying to re-create Chick-Fil-A, you lost me at the breadcrumbs. CFA’s chicken is breaded southern-style, with egg wash and flour, no crumbs.
Made 7 pounds of these last night. The recipe is good but I didn’t think it was close to chick-fil A
You should make a chick-fil-A Polynesian Sauce, recipe!
Adding it to my to-do list! Thanks for the suggestion.
My kids actually loved this and they said they do taste like the ones from chick-fil-a. We wanted to thank you for a great recipe and saving us money. Its funny some of the ingredients are similar to KFC’s original recipe. Now if we could just recreate their BBQ sauce, for now we’re using Sweet Baby Ray’s.
I’m so glad you guys love it! I’ll add their BBQ sauce to my to do list. Stay tuned!
Sabrina, you’re a genius! I made these last night and they came out fantastic! We all couldn’t stop eating them. They were also tastier and fresher than what you buy at Chick fil A. My son ate some for breakfast this morning. He put them in buns! Needless to say, I will make these again and again and…(you get the idea).
Loved reading this! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!
I thought these were great chicken nuggets but they didn’t taste like Chick-fil-A to me. They lacked the same sweet flavor and were in separate need of salt. That being said they were very good as a stand alone nugget recipe.
Easy and tasty!!!!
Thanks for the 5 stars Sherree!
Oh. My. Gosh. I made these for me and my sister for our school lunch and I’m actually blown away! They fried perfectly and tasted like actual heaven. It took me a while, but it was worth every chicken juice, eggy/floury handed, sweaty moment! I will definitely be making this again!!!!
Love it!! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Chic-fil-a used to use pickle juice in their marinade for strips and nuggets, right up until Tyson took over their operation. Now it’s all pre-breaded. Shhh.
I live in Saudi Arabia most of the year, so we suffer from Chick-fil-a withdrawals regularly. I made these tonight and we loved them! I followed the recipe to the letter and it actually made more than a pound and a half of nuggets! When I make them again, I will add salt to the chicken while it’s in the bag with the eggs and milk. We added salt when they were finished frying, but the chicken itself was a bit bland. The coating was spot on! And they looked just like the real thing! Great recipe!!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can I use a deep fryer to make these?
Absolutely!
I used this recipe tonight and it came out awesome! Not exactly like Chick Fil A taste-wise but very, very good. The consistency and crispiness was spot on. It probably would’ve tasted closer to CFA if I’d had peanut oil, which I’ll try next time. Great job!
I made this tonight with rave reviews!! Everyone absolutely loved them. My son especially who can’t get enough of Chick-fil-a nuggets. We don’t live that close to one it’s a town over, so this is perfect. Thank you!!
Yay!! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I just made these today for my 2 1/2 year old who will not eat any meat, only chick fil a nuggets ?. He ate almost all of them! I made exactly as recipe states but will try to cut sugar a little next time. They are perfect tasting though! You did it again, girl! Thank you!
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear this!
This is the best copycat recipe ever! I have a friend who is going to love this! Her little boy will only eat chicken nuggets from there!
Thank you so much Krista!
These look perfect! I have to try this recipe! Thank you!
Just found you and love your site. I am looking for Chick Fil A Dipping Sauce, hoping it is their Honey Mustard not their own sauce but cannot find it. I wish you post had a date on them it would make searching your archives easier.
So sorry, your comment must have gotten stuck in my spam file as I am just now seeing it BUT it must be fate because I just posted the dipping sauce recipe 🙂 You can use the search bar if you’re having an issue finding recipes too.
Where do I find the Chick-fil-A dipping sauce recipe??
Yum! I am going to have to try this recipe soon. The Chick-fil-A here is always so busy, so we rarely go. But I do love their chicken! 😉
Same here! It’s nicer to make at home and skip the craziness! Enjoy!!
I bet these are better than the “real deal!” Homemade is always fabulous! I’ll be waiting for that sauce recipe 🙂
I have two teenagers that eat more of these than I can even tell you! I can’t wait to try this homemade version.
Thanks Dorothy!
These look absolutely perfect! Definitely on my list to try!
Thanks Jocelyn!
How does chikfila use peanut oil with all these allergies? I’m trying this tonight. Minus the peanut oil.
Thanks!!
I made it! Best ever!! Wow thank you. My family is so impressed! I’m mom of the year today!!!
I was trying to stay as authentic as possible and they do use peanut oil but you could definitely use any oil you have at home. I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s nice to get a mom win every now and then, lol!
They use refined peanut oil. refined peanut oil is not considered an allergen since the refining process removes the protein that triggers the peanut allergy. my daughter has a peanut allergy and chic fi la doesn’t bother her at all