Juicy and flavore-packed, homemade ground chicken nuggets, that are then golden fried in a skillet.
I have simplified this recipe so that anybody can prepare these fun and tasty family favorite nuggets at home.
TL;DR
I prefer ground chicken nuggets for two reasons to nuggets made with chicken breasts or thighs.
A major plus point is that you can season the chicken mass, adding flavor to the meat. My favorite flavor option has been dried herbs, as you can see in this recipe.
Also, I find it easier to make juicy chicken nuggets with ground chicken instead of chicken breast. Nobody likes dry dull nuggets!
The process involves preparing the flavored chicken mass, and in two separate bowls the seasoned bread crumbs and scrambled raw eggs.
The nuggets are formed with two spoons and then dropped and coated first with the egg and then the bread crumbs. At last, they are fried golden in a simple skillet. No deep frying!
Ingredient Notes
For the Chicken Mass:
- Ground Chicken — Can be lean or not. It shouldn't be soggy or else strain the chicken.
- Allspice, ground — This spice is my secret tip, it enhances the flavor greatly! I recommend grinding whole allspice freshly in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle for the best flavor result.
- Salt and Black Pepper Ground
For the Nugget Coating & Frying:
- Bread Crumbs — Coarse or fine, I like a mid coarse mix of bread crumbs. If they are too coarse, blitz them super fast in a food processor. The finer the bread crumbs, the more egg you will need, and the less bread crumbs in quantity. The more coarse the bread crumbs, the less egg you will require, but instead all the more bread crumbs.
- Salt
- Oregano OR Mixed Herb Seasoning — You can use oregano if that's what you have at home or a blend of dried herbs (without salt). I used a homemade salt-free Garlic Herb blend in the pictures, but I can also recommend an Italian seasoning or a French Herbes de Provence.
- Egg — The larger, the better, so that you don't run out of it while coating your nuggets. You will need to add 2 teaspoons of the scrambled egg to the chicken mass so that the mass holds together and doesn't fall apart that easily.
Process Overview
Step 1
Season the chicken mass, keep aside. In a separate bowl, season the bread crumbs. In a third bowl, scramble the egg.
Mix 2 Teaspoons of raw scrambled eggs into the chicken mass
Step 2
Shape the nugget with two tablespoons into a dense, sticky oval/roundish shape.
Drop the nugget into the egg to coat. Take out the egg coated nugget and toss it in the breadcrumbs for the final coating. Repeat with the remaining mass.
Step 3
Heat a skillet with the oil and fry the nuggets golden on all sides.
Take out and keep on a kitchen towel to soak up excess oil. Serve up hot with a dip.
📖 Recipe
Ground Chicken Nuggets with Herbs Recipe
Ingredients
For the Meat
- 1 Pound Ground Chicken
- ⅛ Teaspoon Allspice Ground
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ Teaspoon Black Pepper
For the Nugget Coating & Frying
- 1 Cup Bread Crumbs average quantity *see Notes
- ⅛ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Oregano or a Herb Seasoning Mix
- 1-2 Eggs *see notes
- 2-3 Tablespoon Oil to fry each batch 1 Tbsp
Instructions
- Place the ground chicken into a bowl and add the ground allspice, salt and black pepper to that. Combine the chicken mass properly and keep aside.1 Pound Ground Chicken, ⅛ Teaspoon Allspice Ground, ¼ Teaspoon Salt, ⅛ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- Combine bread crumbs, salt and oregano (or mixed herb seasoning) in a bowl.1 Cup Bread Crumbs, ⅛ Teaspoon Salt, ¼ Teaspoon Oregano
- Break and scramble the raw egg in a separate bowl.1-2 Eggs
- Add 2 Teaspoons of the scrambled raw egg to the seasoned chicken mass. Mix the chicken mass well.
- Scoop a small portion of the chicken mixture and use two spoons to shape it into a nugget. Pass the mixture back and forth between the spoons, gently pressing and smoothing it into an oval or rounded shape.
- Drop the shaped nugget into the raw scrambled egg to coat. Then take it out (I use a small fork) and toss the egg coated nugget in the seasoned breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly.
- Keep the nugget on a plate at the side and repeat the process with the remaining mass.
- Heat a skillet with a tablespoon of oil at a time (each batch requires 1 tablespoon of oil to fry). Wait for it to heat up and keep on a medium-high setting. Test if it's hot enough by dropping a tiny quantity of bread crumb mix into the hot oil to see if the oil catches on and the mix is frying.2-3 Tablespoon Oil
- Slide a few nuggets into the cooking oil but don't overcrowd the pan. Fry the nuggets on both sides golden and control the heat by keeping it on a medium-high setting. If you keep the heat too high, they will turn out too dark too fast without cooking through properly.
- Take the nuggets out of the oil when they are done cooking and place them on a plate lined with a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.
- Repeat the cooking process with the remaining nuggets, but heat a tablespoon of oil, always first, before frying the next batch golden.
- Serve up hot with your favorite dipping sauces.
Notes
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl large for the chicken
- Silicone Spatula to mix the chicken mass
- 2 Small Mixing Bowl one for the seasoned bread crumbs and the other for the egg
- 2 Tablespoons to shape the nuggets
- Stainless Steal Non-Stick PFOA-free Frying Pan to fry the nuggets
- Wood or Bamboo Spatula to move around the frying nuggets
- Tongs to take out and move nuggets in the pan
Nutrition
Serving
The nuggets are at their best when they are still hot or at least warm. We love them at home with a dip and that can be Ketchup, a Mayonnaise or another dip.
Here are some dips that you can prepare to serve along:
- Mayonnaise Aioli (as seen in the photo below)
- Fry Sauce
- Mayocue
- Spicy Mayochup
- Curry Ketchup
- Spicy Sriracha Mayonnaise
Storing
Leftovers
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat them in a pan, in an oven or in the microwave gradually.
That said, try to avoid reheating because these ground chicken nuggets are at their best after they have been freshly prepared and cooked. They lose their juiciness when reheated.
Freeze
You can freeze these too. Prepare as per the instructions but do not fry them. Instead, place the raw nuggets on a tray, next to each other with some distance, in the freezer.
Wait for them to freeze hard, take out and transfer the hard frozen nuggets into a freezer container that you can close. Keep them in the freezer until you intend to use them.
Frozen nuggets are good for about 2 months in the freezer.
To thaw, place the nuggets overnight in the fridge. Pat them dry if there is any excess water and then move on to the frying process as per the instructions in this recipe.
You can defrost them too gradually on a low-heat setting in the oven or in the microwave.
More like this
Comments
No Comments