Homemade Chicken Nuggets

The best part about this recipe is that you can use it to make any shape you want, even make chicken patties for burgers!

And I know ground chicken isn’t always available in some areas (like mine), but I got my hormone-free ground chicken meat from Coop Grocer (not a sponsored post).

If you don’t like using MSG, hear me out. MSG comes in so many different forms in the market: flavor crystals/powder, liquid seasonings, bouillon cubes, and yes, there’s MSG in cheese, tomatoes, and chips too. If you’ve read this far, you can also leave out the MSG if you prefer. It’s optional, but highly recommended.

Serves 3-4 persons

Prep Time: 1 hour

Chill Time: at least 4 hours

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the Nuggets:

1/3 kg ground chicken

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

3 tbsp milk

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 large egg

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp chopped green onions

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp brown sugar

1 1/2 cup grated cheese

1/2 tsp MSG

For the Breading:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

3 tbsp milk

1 tbsp cold water

2 cups panko bread crumbs

Salt & pepper to taste

For frying:

2 cups oil of choice

PROCEDURE In a big bowl, combine 1/4 cup bread crumbs with 3 tablespoons of milk. Add more milk as needed until the crumbs are moistened but not soggy. Add the rest of the ingredients for the nuggets and mix well. Take note that the cheese is already salty, so you only need a little bit of salt.

Once fully combined, transfer the mixture to a flat container (like a baking tray lined with baking paper) and flatten the surface as much as you can. Ideally, the mixture should be around 3/4-inch ro one inch thick. Chill in the fridge for at least four hours.

Once chilled/firm, remove the chicken mixture from the container and cut into your preferred shape and size. You can also use cookie cutters to get fun shapes. You can chill the cut-outs again before frying.

Prepare the breading stations: add a little bit of salt and pepper to 2 cups of flour in one container; combine milk, cold water and egg in another container; then don’t forget to season 2 cups of bread crumbs with salt and pepper in another container.

Follow the usual pane method: Dredge the nuggets in flour, then dip in the egg mixture, then coat in seasoned bread crumbs. You can freeze the breaded chicken nuggets to hold its shape better when fried.

In a pan, heat 2 cups of oil (I prefer coconut or vegetable oil) and fry the nuggets just like store-bought nuggets. 4-5 minutes per side over moderate heat or until golden brown outside and opaque white inside (yes, this means you should cut one nugget open to check).

Drain fried nuggets on a cooling rack and serve warm with lemon wedges. Best enjoyed with spiced honey, sweet chili sauce, or barbecue sauce.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional chef. Just a foodie who likes experimenting in the kitchen.