Crispy and golden brown, these homemade fried chicken nuggets are dredged in seasoned flour, dipped in buttermilk, and coated with crunchy Panko breadcrumbs for a family-friendly dinner in about 30 minutes!
Table of Contents
MY KIDS LOVED THEM!!!
– Tyler
Video: How to Make Fried Chicken Nuggets
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- When you make a chicken nuggets recipe at home, you can control all of the ingredients that go into your dish. These easy homemade chicken nuggets are made with 100% boneless, skinless white meat chicken (rather than fat and filler!).
- You can use 2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 2 lbs. of chicken tenderloins (the tender muscle located underneath each of the chicken breasts). I find that the tenderloins are quickest and easiest to work with because they’re already in strips, so you can just use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to dice them crosswise into nugget shapes.
- The flour adds flavor to the meat and helps the buttermilk adhere to the chicken. The baking soda is important because it raises the pH level of the chicken, breaking down the peptide bonds and jumpstarting the browning process so that the nuggets get even crispier.
- Buttermilk adds flavor to fried chicken, tenderizes the meat, and it keeps it juicy. It also provides an acidic element that reacts with the baking soda in the seasoned flour to help brown and crisp the nuggets.
- If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own buttermilk by placing 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup and adding enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes.
- Panko breadcrumbs are a Japanese-style breadcrumb made from white bread without the crusts. The lighter, airier Panko breadcrumbs absorb less grease and stay crispier for longer than a traditional breadcrumb.
- All-purpose seasoning can be used in place of individual spices when seasoning the flour.
Directions
This easy fried chicken nuggets recipe only requires a few minutes of prep and a few minutes in the skillet! You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Coat the chicken pieces in seasoned flour.
- Dip the chicken in a mixture of buttermilk and egg.
- Dredge in Panko bread crumbs. Let the chicken rest on a wire rack for a few minutes. Giving the breaded chicken time to dry helps the breading adhere to the meat when it cooks.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil to 350°F. Use either peanut oil or vegetable oil to fry the chicken nuggets. I typically use peanut oil because it’s affordable, it has a high smoke point, and it will not flavor your meat. I like to use a deep-fry thermometer to make sure that the oil reaches and stays at a consistent temperature of 350°F (for the crispiest nuggets). If you don’t have a thermometer, add a drop of water to the pan — if it sizzles, the oil is hot enough for the chicken.
- Working in batches, fry the chicken nuggets until they’re a deep golden brown, about 2-3 minutes total, flipping halfway through. Don’t overcrowd the pan with too many pieces at once (which will bring down the temperature).
- Transfer the fried nuggets to a paper towel-lined plate and season with additional salt while they’re still warm.
- Repeat frying the remaining chicken nuggets.
- Keep the chicken nuggets warm in a 200°F oven while you continue frying the remaining batches. Never cover your warm fried chicken nuggets with foil. This traps steam and moisture, which will make the nuggets soggy.
Serving Suggestions
Pair homemade chicken nuggets with easy sides like fried apples, baked potato wedges, coleslaw, mac and cheese, Southern-style green beans, or bakery-style corn muffins. Don’t forget a simple side of bread and butter pickles, ketchup, bbq sauce, ranch dressing, or honey mustard dipping sauce! Add a glass of homemade grape juice, too.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Fried chicken nuggets are best when they’re warm, fresh and crispy.
- Leftover nuggets will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days; however, they will not be quite as crispy when reheated. The leftovers can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You do not need to defrost them before reheating — just warm directly from the freezer.
- How to Reheat: Preheat your oven or toaster oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, place the nuggets on a baking sheet. Next, reheat the chicken nuggets until the breading feels hot and very crispy, about 10 minutes for room temperature chicken nuggets or 15-20 minutes for frozen chicken nuggets (flip halfway through). You can probably do this in the air fryer, too!
Followed the recipe exactly and they were delicious! Thank you for a great recipe.
– Min
Did you make this recipe?
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Watch How to Make It
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Crispy and golden brown, these easy homemade chicken nuggets are a simple, family-friendly meal!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins, cut into small pieces
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 4 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large Ziploc bag or bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Place Panko breadcrumbs in a separate shallow bowl.
- Add the chicken pieces to the bag with the seasoned flour. Seal and toss to coat each piece in the seasoned flour. Working in batches, dip the chicken pieces in the egg mixture and then dredge in the breadcrumbs. Let the chicken rest on a wire rack for a few minutes while you heat the oil.
- In a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil to 350°F. Working in batches, fry the chicken until deep golden brown, about 2-3 minutes total (flipping halfway through). Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray and sprinkle with a little more salt.
- Keep the chicken nuggets warm in a 200°F oven while you finish frying the remaining pieces.
Notes
It’s difficult to calculate the exact nutrition facts for a homemade fried chicken nuggets recipe because the amount of oil absorbed in each piece will vary, and the amount of breading that adheres to each piece will vary. The nutrition provided in the recipe card below is merely an estimate; the numbers assume that about ½ cup of oil is absorbed by the chicken in the cooking process.
Nutrition
Serving: 1chicken nuggetCalories: 76kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 6gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 105mgPotassium: 99mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe Variations
- Baked Chicken Nuggets: Place the breaded chicken nuggets on a wire rack set on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Spritz the nuggets with oil or cooking spray (to help them brown). Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Spicy Chicken Nuggets: Add hot sauce to the buttermilk mixture and a dash (or more) of cayenne to the seasoned flour.
- Regular breadcrumbs: Substitute regular breadcrumbs or even seasoned breadcrumbs for the plain Panko breadcrumbs. The texture won’t be quite as crispy on the outside, but they’ll still be good!
- Deep fry: If you have a deep fryer, heat the oil to 350°F and deep fry the chicken nuggets for a total of about 3-4 minutes, or until they’re golden brown.
- Chicken Tenders: Instead of cutting the chicken into nugget shapes, use whole chicken tenderloins. Follow the same preparation, but cook the tenders for about 3-4 minutes per side.
More Fried Chicken Recipes to Try
This recipe was originally published in April, 2021. It was updated in January, 2025.
Looks great. I need to try them soon. I love Panko. What do you think about air frying the nuggets?
Hi, Dee Dee! I haven’t ever tried it myself, so I can’t give you specific cooking instructions for the air fryer. I know that other folks do that regularly, though. Here’s an example of homemade chicken nuggets in the air fryer: https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/air-fryer-chicken-nuggets-recipe/ You could use those cooking instructions with this breading if you like. 🙂
I live in a house where everyone wants to eat different foods everyday. I have become tired of being a short order cook and have been making just one meal and having people deal with it. It has been very hard to keep going since I hear criticism every time. Tonight I made this and everyone loved it and really liked the crunch: Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I totally understand that frustration. Finding a winner that everyone can agree on is so satisfying. Glad this recipe helped, Erika. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Loving the idea of knowing what’s in my little ones nuggets, do you know how they’d hold up if frozen?
Hi, Gabi! They should be fine! I’ve refrigerated them and then reheated them without issue — they weren’t even soggy. I would let the nuggets cool completely, and then store in an airtight container. Reheat directly from frozen at 350 degrees on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes, or just until warmed through. Hope your little ones approve!
Outstanding!!!
Thank you, Emilee!
Followed the recipe exactly and they were delicious! Thank you for a great recipe.
We’re so happy to hear this! Thank you for trying it out!
MY KIDS LOVED THEM!!!
Hi Tyler,
Amazing! We’re so glad they were a hit!
Have you tried air frying these instead of deep frying?
Hi, Pat! No, I haven’t, but I think it would probably work. Let us know if you give it a shot!
Can these be cooked in an air fryer?
Hi Felicia! We haven’t ever tried it, so we can’t give you specific cooking instructions for the air fryer. We know that other folks do that regularly, though. Here’s an example of homemade chicken nuggets in the air fryer: https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/air-fryer-chicken-nuggets-recipe/ You could use those cooking instructions with this breading if you like.
made these tonight turned out very well. everyone was in awe that I made these nuggets. followed steps other than I used creole seasoning in the flour and on the chicken.
We’re so glad they turned out well for you, John! Thank you for trying them out.