This week is our first Football Saturday of the season! And you know what that means! It’s time for me to decide what sort of foods we’ll be indulging in as we watch the games! A while back, I FINALLY got around to trying this recipe for Copy Cat Chick-Fil-A Nuggets! These things are amazingly good, and are definitely a great choice for your football party menu, whether it’s just you & your family or a whole army of football junkies!
I have to tell you, when I first told my husband I was making this recipe, he swore there was no way they would taste like Chick-Fil-A. (He can be quite the skeptic at times!) But when I made them, he and Noah both completely approved! (Yes! Victory!)
Gary was very impressed with the taste, and very surprised by how much they tasted like Chick-Fil-A. I think the secret is the powdered sugar inside. And then the second secret is the use of peanut oil for cooking. Before this I’d never cooked with it, but it definitely turned out great for this. The second time I made them, however, I bought canola oil instead, because it is WAY cheaper (like $3 vs $10).
I would say that the peanut oil definitely gives the nuggets a more authentic Chick-Fil-A appeal, but the nuggets were just as delicious with the canola oil. My husband basically said he couldn’t really tell the difference at all, and he’d rather just have the more budget friendly oil. To quote him, “It if doesn’t save us money, I’d rather just go to Chick-Fil-A, and then we don’t have to cook!” (Good point!)
Anyway…I recommend trying the peanut oil at least once, and then you can make up your mind!
Ingredients:
4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
4 TBSP powdered sugar
4 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
peanut oil (for best results) or canola oil
Directions:
In a medium bowl whisk the egg and stir in the milk.
Chop chicken in to nugget size pieces.
Place chicken in milk mixture,and cover. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. (This will help your nuggets to be extra tender!)
In a gallon size resealable bag combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper. Seal and shake to combine.
Place about 2 inches of oil in a medium deep pot. (I used 2 bottles of Peanut Oil....I can't remember the size of the bottles. It was probably a quart size or a liter.)
Over medium high heat heat oil until hot. (The oil will usually start to swirl a bit when it is hot. But you can easily test it by placing a small drop of water in the oil. It if sizzles, you're ready to go!)
Take 8-12 pieces of chicken at at time and shake in bag of breading mix. Then add the pieces to the pot. (To make it easier and safer, I place the pieces of chicken in a large slotted spoon. Or you may also use tongs.)
Cook the nuggets until they are lightly browned. Stirring them once or twice through the cooking process. (The cook time will depend on how hot the oil is. Mine usually tends to get hotter as I go along, so my first mini-batch of nuggets may take up to 10 minutes to brown, while the final batch takes on a few minutes. Adjust your heat or cook time accordingly! And don't leave your nuggets unattended.)
Once your nuggets are cooked through, use a slotted spoon to remove them, and place them on a plate with a paper towel on top of it (to absorb any excess oil). Be sure to cut one of the nuggets to make sure they are cooked through. Repeat process until all nuggets are cooked.
Serve with dipping sauces like honey mustard, ranch, or barbecue sauce!
https://www.simplysweethome.com/2015/08/copycat-chick-fil-a-nuggets/
Got any favorite copy cat recipes? If some, I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated with Chick-Fil-A. This post is not sponsored, and the opinions are completely my own.
These look delicious!! My family loves Chick-fil-A! I will have to try these. I already make The Pioneer Woman’s homemade nuggets but these looks just as delicious!