Copycat McDonald's Chicken McNuggets Recipe
Nothing beats the nostalgic thrill of McDonald's Chicken McNuggets. Maybe they taste like childhood, remind you of a road trip you took, or just help you get your fast food fix. Regardless, you know what you're getting and you know what it's going to taste like. But did you know there's a McDonald's chicken nuggets recipe you can make at home?
Sure, you could go to the drive-in and get some Chicken McNuggets. But if you make them at home you can use higher quality ingredients, modify for allergies, and slightly tweak the recipe to your liking. You could also probably make these in an air fryer. You can also get the satisfaction of having learned a cool new trick. With this recipe from recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge, you can feel like you have uncovered the secrets of Ronald McDonald. You only need 22 minutes, some chicken, and some basic ingredients to make this recipe, so let's go!
Gather ingredients for this McDonald's chicken nuggets copycat
To make this copycat Chicken McNuggets recipe, you'll need chicken — 20 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breast (add it to the ever-growing list of popular chicken breast recipes) which should be cut into small pieces. Other than the chicken, the rest of the ingredients in this recipe are pantry staples you probably already have at home. You'll need an egg, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, water, and 4 cups of vegetable oil. You'll also need a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper.
Blend the chicken
You read that right — put the chicken in a blender. How else do you think McNuggets get that smooth, creamy texture? Place the chicken, half the salt, and all of the pepper in a blender or food processor and blend it on high until smooth.
Get a large plate and put 1/4 cup of the cornstarch on it. Empty the chicken mixture onto the plate and begin to form the shape of the nuggets, coating them in the cornstarch. "It can just be a bit messy," Olayinka warns. She suggests wearing gloves if you have them.
After you've shaped the nuggets, put them in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm them up.
Make the breading and heat the oil
Mix the remaining 3/4 cup of cornstarch, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, egg, remaining salt, and water together in a mixing bowl. Heat up the vegetable oil in a pot on medium to high heat. Once the oil is hot enough to fry the nuggets, get the chicken out of the freezer.
How do you know the oil is hot enough for frying? One of the easiest and safest ways is to stick the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If bubbles start to form and bubble up, the oil is hot and ready. If it looks like you're about to boil pasta — i.e., a ton of bubbles — the oil is probably too hot and you should let it cool a bit.
Batter, fry, and serve the nuggets
Place one nugget at a time into the batter, and then transfer immediately into the oil. Fry for 7 minutes, or until golden brown. If you want to spot check a few of the McNuggets to make sure they're cooked through, use an instant-read thermometer and check that their internal temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit once out of the oil. Repeat this process until all chicken nuggets have been cooked and serve right away.
What to serve with copycat McDonald's Chicken McNuggets
Copycat McDonald's Chicken McNuggets
When you're craving McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, but not craving that long drive-thru line, try this easy copycat recipe. You won't know the difference!
Ingredients
- 20 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup of cornstarch, divided
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of water
- 4 cups vegetable oil
Directions
- Place the chicken pieces into a blender with ½ teaspoon salt and the black pepper and blend on high until smooth.
- Put ¼ cup cornstarch onto a large plate.
- Transfer the chicken mixture from the blender to the plate and coat in the cornstarch, shaping the mixture into nuggets.
- Place the nuggets in the freezer for 20 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, add the remaining ¾ cup of cornstarch, all-purpose flour, egg, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and water. Mix together.
- Pour the vegetable oil into a large pot and bring the heat up to medium-high.
- Once the oil is hot enough for frying, take the nuggets out of the freezer.
- Place one chicken nugget at a time into the batter, and then transfer immediately into the hot oil. Fry for 7 minutes, until golden brown.
- Repeat the process until all chicken nuggets are cooked.
- Serve hot with the dipping sauces of your choosing!
Are these copycat McDonald's chicken nuggets healthier than the original?
There are plenty of reasons to try this copycat McDonald's chicken nugget recipe out. For many, that reason might be a desire to improve the quality of their diet while still enjoying the tastes they know and love. So, are these copycat nuggets healthier than the ones sold at McDonald's?
A genuine answer to this would require a lot more time than we have here. Luckily, we've already done a deep dive into what's really in McDonald's Chicken McNuggets for anyone looking to sink their teeth into the subject. The fast food world is (perhaps surprisingly) often eager to share as much info as possible with the public when it comes to what exactly is going into their food and therefore their bodies.
Despite their best efforts, fast food restaurants like McDonald's have failed to fully recover from the "Super Size Me" era of public criticism. And for good reason: Fast food is generally high in sodium, fat, and loaded with preservatives – all things which our nutritionists are saying are bad for us. With a copycat recipe such as this, you can control at least some of those elements and minimize the ingredients list.