Skip the drive through and make these copycat Chick Fil A Chicken Nuggets at home, paired with my famous Chick Fil A Sauce copycat of course!
My kids go absolutely crazy for these tender lil nuggets and so do I!
Nothing brings more smiles than a plate of hot chicken nuggets. These juicy and tender little bites are perfectly seasoned and deep fried to a golden brown and superbly crisp coating.
Chick Fil A Chicken Nuggets Copycat Recipe
It’s “my pleasure” to bring this ridiculously delicious chicken nugget recipe to you today.
We’re working with chicken breasts, marinating them in a quick pickle juice and milk mixture, then coating with a simple breadcrumb mixture before plunging into some hot oil.
YUM!
Ingredients Needed:
Here’s the basic list of ingredient you’ll need in order to make these chicken nuggets. As always, you can find the full printable recipe located below in the recipe card.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- Dill Pickle Juice – just drain from the jar
- Milk
- All Purpose Flour
- Breadcrumbs
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
- Salt & Pepper
- Powdered Sugar – gives the chicken the perfect amount of sweetness
- Baking Powder
- Oil – for a classic chick fil a nugget, use Peanut Oil.
How To Make JUICY Chicken Nuggets
The trick to making JUICY chicken nuggets is all in the brining of the chicken, similar to my Air Fryer Chicken Tenders.
Pickle juice and milk combine like a traditional buttermilk marinade to break down the tough chicken and create a juicy interior.
You don’t want to let it marinate for too long though… just 20 to 30 minutes is all you need.
While your chicken pieces are marinating, mix together the special blend of seasonings and breadcrumbs to coat the chicken.
Drain the chicken and coat each piece of chicken in the simple mixture before deep frying in hot oil.
Why Powdered Sugar?
I know it might sound crazy, but the little bit of sugar that goes into the seasoning blend gives the chicken a delicious, yet subtle sweetness that pairs perfectly with the paprika, garlic powder and pepper.
Similar to how I add brown sugar to my Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast, it tenderizes and makes all the difference!
How To Fry Chicken Nuggets
In order to give these chicken nuggets that iconic Chick Fil A taste and perfect golden brown color, we’re going to fry them in hot peanut oil.
I have a small fryer that can keep the oil at a consistent temperature, which I love to use for this type of recipe.
However, you can also use a heavy bottomed pot on the stove top and use an oil thermometer to keep track of the temperature.
- The temperature of the oil should be 350 degrees F.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot with chicken, as this will drop the temperature of the oil.
- Work in batches and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the nuggets are a deep golden brown.
- Remove fried chicken to a wire cooling rack NOT a paper towel.
How To Freeze and Reheat Chicken Nuggets
This recipe calls for a whopping 3 pounds of chicken, which makes for a LOT of chicken nuggets.
I make these in big batches so I can freeze and reheat throughout the week for quick and easy lunches and dinners.
How To Freeze:
Once your chicken nuggets are cooled to room temperature, place them in a freezer safe bag and pop in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How To Reheat:
You can toss the frozen chicken straight into the oven or air fryer to crisp back up.
- OVEN: Bake in a single layer at 375 degrees F. for 15 minutes, until heated through and crisp.
- AIR FRYER: Toss in the air fryer at 375 degrees F. for 8 to 12 minutes, shaking halfway through, until heated through and crisp.
Chicken Nugget Dipping Sauces
Of course you can’t have chicken nuggets without an assortment of dipping sauces. Here are a few of our favorites…
- Copycat Chick Fil A Sauce
- Ketchup
- BBQ Sauce
- Ranch Dressing
I also love to toss these easy chicken nuggets in my Homestyle Mashed Potato Bowls, Chicken Bacon Ranch Potato Salad, or in wraps or salads!
More Crispy Chicken Recipes To Try:
Craving more crispy chicken? I’ve got you covered with these simple and easy recipes…
- Air Fryer Bang Bang Chicken
- Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Tenders
- Crispy Oven Backed Chicken Wings
- KFC Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe
I can’t wait for you to give these delicious Chick-fil-a chicken nuggets a try! You’re sure to enjoy them!
Chicken Nuggets Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
- 1 cup dill pickle juice
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- peanut oil*, for frying (at least 1" deep)
Instructions
- Start by placing your chicken in a large zip close bag and adding in the pickle juice and milk. Smoosh around to get all the chicken coated and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.Meanwhile heat at least an inch deep of oil to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the flour, breadcrumbs, powdered sugar, garlic powder, paprika, baking powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Drain the marinade from the chicken and discard. Dip each piece of chicken in the breadcrumb mixture, coating completely, and then carefully add to the fryer.Cook in small batches so you do not decrease the temperature of the oil.
- Fry for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is a deep golden brown, then place chicken on a wire cooling rack to cool slightly. Keep cooking until all chicken is done. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
PIN THIS IMAGE TO SAVE THE RECIPE:
One Skillet Mexican Beef and Rice
Becca
The breading fell off
J
Needs an egg wash prior to battering, and celery salt added to the seasoning. Otherwise great recipe
Mateo
I don’t think you get get much better than this! I made them once and since, doubled the recipe and froze them since they freeze so well. I just make sure to not over fry them. Thank you!
Sarah N.
This is a family favorite. Even my pickiest kid who hates pickles asks me to make this at least once a week…zero complaints about what’s for dinner (okay, maybe complaints about the vegetable served with the chicken).
Brenda
I’m wondering if I could marinate the chicken overnight?
Shawn
Overnight should be just fine. I wouldn’t do more than 24 hours though as the chicken could get tuff.
Priscilla
This was so good!!! Thank you! My kids gobbled it up without question. I’ve tried many recipes but this one really hits it just right!
Ma'am moms
Grandkids, loved it! Followed the recipe, but only used 1/2 cup of pickle juice. ( not a pickle lover, sorry). The sauce they said was just like the original but better.
Sheri
Did I miss it?… where is the baking powder used?
María
In the breading mix
Elizabeth Rodriguez
I was wondering the same thing because baking powder is not mentioned in the instructions .
Gigi
I made this for dinner using tenders and they were a hit! I marinated the tenders in the pickle brine while I was at work and cooked them up using this recipe. It was delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Patricia Randazzo
Haven’t tried this yet, but did not see baking powder on ingredient list included in the instructions.
Dana
My kids really enjoyed this. Thank you for the recipe.
I followed the recipe exactly, except that I marinated the chicken for about 2 hours, and I used vegetable oil because I didn’t have peanut oil. The kids said it didn’t taste like chick FIL a (probably because of the wrong oil) but they liked it just the same.
One note: The coating was enough to cover exactly the amount of chicken I had, which was about 2.3 lbs. Maybe I’m just heavy-handed with the coating, or maybe I cut the chicken pieces too small. In any case, it worked out nicely. But if you really have 3 lbs of chicken, per the recipe, you may need more of the breading.
Matt Smedley
my kids loved this!
one tweak that worked well for me was to grill the chicken in a george foreman type countertop grill for a couple mins – then coat with the mixture and drop in the oil – I found it helped the nuggets be a little more firm and also used less of the coating mix (I think) while still giving the iconic flavor
Lauren
How many pieces in a serving?
Bill
Three tablespoons of powdered sugar is way too much — if you want them to taste like CFA nugs. I was thinking that as I prepared the recipe. I’d go maybe a teaspoon. These were good but not CFA, which is what I was looking for.
Shawn
Feel free to reduce the sugar amount to your desired taste. Thanks for your feedback!
Rose
Can you bribe them for a day or two ? Or just the 20-30 mins?
Rachel
I marinated for 1 hr and it was amazing! Use buttermilk instead of whole. So much better.
Laurie
They taste like the real thing! I made the sauce too. So yummy!
Minta Boggs
I’m sorry, for asking another question but do you use a deep fryer when making these or an air fryer or a skillet? I was confused when I read that you put them in a fryer. Can you please explain this to me as I don’t want to mess them up.
Rachel
I used my cast iron.
Minta Boggs
Can you cook them in a skillet of oil instead of an air fryer? Would they be just as good?
April O'Brien
Chicken fil a sure isn’t using an air fryer. I feel traditional pan frying will be just fine.
Melissa Esplin
Spice blend is perfect! I tried the oven method you mentioned in another comment, (400F for 20 min + oil spray,) and they’re delicious, and more experimenting is warranted. Next time I think I’ll try incorporating some egg into the coating, slathering peanut oil on the baking sheet and spritzing it on top (I didn’t put any oil on the sheet this time, thank goodness I used tin foil, lol! Sprayed the nuggets with PAM before baking,) and put them under the broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end. I broiled the one tray and it was a significant improvement. Thank you so much for saving me at least $45 on lunch for the fam!
Frank
Made these in the air fryer—quick spritz of canola oil and they turned out perfect!!
Alanna
I was wondering if you could make these in the air fryer! What temperature did you use and how long did you cook them for? Thanks in advance!
Michelle
I replaced the milk with Buttermilk and it made it almost exactly like the original!!!
Soadlabadi
Thank you for every I wish happy Halloween to and family
Sarah
I let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes in the pickle juice and milk but I didn’t get the tangy flavor I was expecting. I think I’ll leave them to marinate for a couple hours next time. Otherwise, these were tasty chicken nuggets. This was a first for me and definitely won’t be the last time I make these.
Arla
My family loved them!
Brianna
I made a gluten and dairy free version and it was delicious! I substituted in almond milk, gluten free flour (pilsbury) and gluten free bread crumbs
Denise B.
These were amazing. We’ve attempted chick-fil-a nuggets before and they were….meh, ok. This recipe was so easy and so good. My 13 yr old, the pickiest of all picky eaters, absolutely loved them. Thank you!
Virginia
Not Chick-fil-As nuggets (they’re my favorite) but still absolutely delicious. I wish I would have let mine sit a little longer (30 minutes) and I subbed the chicken breasts for strips and cut them up. Still just as good. Definitely writing this recipe down for the future. It’s the best one I’ve tried by far!
Melanie
My kids couldn’t get enough of these! It made so much that I saved half for the following day. They said it definitely had a stronger pickle juice flavor the next day but that didn’t slow them down from gobbling them up! Thank you! I just wrote this recipe on a recipe card for easy finding in the future.
Jennifer Hill
Thank you, thank you, thank you! My nuggets were never good, dry and not seasoned too well. These were fantastic my kids went back for seconds and my husband thought they were amazing! Thank you and the tip about freezing them is great too, will definitely make some for the freezer next time. I did these with gluten free flour because we have a gluten allergy and they were still delicious!
Lisamichelle
Hello,
Can you tell me how much pickle juice to measure out with the milk?
Wendy J Sharp
1 cup of dill pickle juice mixed with a 1/2 cup of whole milk. Place chicken in bag add above ingredients and marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Mike P.
I have made this twice now. 1 3lb batch, and now a 6 lb batch. Both turned out amazing, and the kids just gobble them down. No need to wait in that ridiculous drive through line, just make them at home! Also, as the recipe suggests, these are easy to freeze, and reheat perfectly! My kids and I thank you! Milk and pickle juice? Who would have thought?? Amazing marinade! I really can’t give this recipe enough praise!
Shawn
That’s so awesome! I’m so happy you guys are enjoying them!
Kelsey
Just wanted to note that you mention baking powder in the ingredient list but not in the recipe
Mike P.
I noticed that too. I just mixed it in with all the Dry ingredients. Made it twice now, one 3lb batch, and one 6lb batch. Turned out perfectly!
Keri
Do you know if you can bake these? If so do you know the temperature and for how long? They look amazing!
Shawn
I haven’t tried these baked yet. If you give it a try let us know how it turns out.
Jasmine
These are perfect! I didn’t have whole milk so I substituted buttermilk. I also used panko instead of the bread crumbs because that is what I had on hand. I paired them with chic fil a dipping sauce sold at my local grocery and it was perfect! My 5yr old loved them too!
Scarlett
Can you use regular sugar if you don’t have powdered sugar? Also all I have on hand is zesty pickles for the juice. I hope they still come out good. Trying this tonight for dinner.
Joey Thompson
That ain’t the lords chicken. Really bland
Cheyenne
They tasted just okay. Pretty bland, actually. I followed the recipe perfectly but I was disappointed. They looked exactly like the original, but the taste wasn’t there at all. I don’t think I’ll try them again.
Shawn
I feel like the thing that really takes them to the next level is frying them in peanut oil. Did you make sure you did that?
gina hatfield
looks yummy
Kim
Would I be able to grill these without the breading and get the same flavor as their grilled chicken nuggets? Thank you
Shawn
I haven’t tried them this way. I am not sure how they would taste grilled without the breading. If you give it a try, let us know!
Dave
Our neighbors have a tradition of getting a big batch of Chik-Fil-A nuggets for their Halloween party. This year that was not possible because Halloween was on a Sunday so I offered to make them at home for the party. I followed this recipe except I used half plain and half panko bread crumbs to add a little texture. I also marinated the chicken in a bowl instead of a ziploc bag. Made 6 lbs of chicken. The nuggets were a big hit and several people at the party asked our neighbor how he got Chik-Fil-A on a Sunday!
Shawn
That’s so great to hear! Way to go Dave!
Madeline
Hi, I was wondering how many nuggets 6 lbs made?
Jen
Tastes great exactly how chick fila makes it. Will be doing this more often. Not hard to make at all!
Shawn
So great to hear Jen! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Debra
Can you use a air fryer at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes also? Thanks
Judy M.
Help! I marinated the chicken in the pickle juice 2 nights ago & forgot them in the fridge! Do you think they’ll still be okay to use? I’ve heard over marinating isn’t good. Thanks.
Shawn
With this recipe, you might notice a strong pickle flavor from the chicken if you marinate for too long. If that doesn’t bother you, then you could still use it. Hope that helps!
Paula
I can’t get enough of chicken recipes! Thank you for sharing!
Shawn
So glad you are enjoying the recipes Paula!
Jane
Shawn, this recipe sounds wonderful! My mouth was watering as I read it. I’m wondering how I could bake it in the oven since we are limiting the amount of fried foods we eat. Thank you so much!
Shawn
I haven’t tried to bake these from start, but I would think if you did 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway, you should be good. I would also spray them with cooking spray or oil prior to baking so they get a nice golden brown.