Name: From-scratch Chicken Nuggets
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts (about 2 pounds), cut into pieces; 1 yellow potato (about 4 ounces), peeled and roughly chopped; ½ white onion (about 2 ounces), roughly chopped; 3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped; 3 Tablespoons cornstarch; 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 Tablespoon dried parsley; 1½ teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon paprika powder; 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more as needed

From-scratch Chicken Nuggets That are not only healthier than McNuggets, but they’re also addicting! Skip the drive-through for chicken McNuggets, because these are the favorite chicken nuggets you can make at home!

From-scratch Chicken Nuggets

These lighter chicken nuggets are the well-balanced flavor-packed alternative to fast food chicken nuggets. Made fresh at home, you can have them served up for the whole family in no time! You will not deep fry them, yet, they taste JUST as good dipped in ketchup and ranch dressing.

These juicy and tender chicken tenders are evenly seasoned and cooked to a golden brown and superbly crisp coating. With straightforward-to-find spices, the chicken is pureed and shaped into chicken pieces that are just like the nuggets we all know and love. The natural flavor of chicken makes these from-scratch McNuggets better than any fast food or the frozen kind you bake on a baking sheet from a bag.

Ingredients in Chicken Nuggets

Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces
Yellow potato – Peeled and chopped. This adds flavor and extra substance to the chicken!
Garlic – A classic ingredient to always keep on hand!
Cornstarch – This is an adhesive and coating necessary for the nuggets to keep their shape
All-purpose flour – Combined with cornstarch, this makes the satisfying nugget hold their shape
Dried parsley – Optional! But, great for color, especially if serving for a crowd
Salt – to taste
Black pepper – to taste
Paprika powder – This adds flavor and color!
Olive oil – Don’t you love that they’re not deep-fried? So do we!

First, add the chicken, garlic, potato, and onion to a food processor and grind until it’s all completely smooth. Next, add the cornstarch, flour, parsley, salt, pepper, and paprika and pulse a couple more times until fully incorporated.

Then, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat then use a 1-inch cookie scoop to scoop out 10-12 balls of the mix out into the pan. After that, spray the back of a spoon with non-stick spray then press down the tops of the balls to form a single layer nugget shape (about 2-inch pieces).

Finally, let them cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and let them cook for another 2-3 minutes or until cooked through and a golden crust starts to form. No breadcrumbs, oven, baking sheets, buttermilk egg mixture, or excess oil needed! The menu items from your favorite fast-food restaurant are now served at home without a deep fryer!

Straightforward from-scratch chicken nuggets with chicken breast are golden and crisp on the outside and juicy and tender inside. They’re freeze-ahead friendly, oven friendly, and air fryer friendly, so make extra.

Dry them on a paper towel, large baking sheet, or platter, these nuggets are ready for dipping! If you have many to feed, consider making several batches because they will be eaten quickly! With a side cup of milk, some BBQ sauce, or dips you love, these nuggets have less sodium than the McDonald, Burger King, Chick Fil A, or other fast-food chains.

Freezing and Making Ahead

Freezing: Make chicken nuggets, then place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Freeze until solid then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen until golden brown and crisp.
Make ahead: Cooked nuggets can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in a hot oven until warmed through.

How To Reheat:

Put the frozen chicken tenders 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: Put in the air fryer at 375 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes, shaking halfway through, until heated through.

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Prep 20 minutesTotal 45 minutes

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts (about 2 pounds), cut into pieces
1 yellow potato (about 4 ounces), peeled and roughly chopped
½ white onion (about 2 ounces), roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika powder
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more as needed

Method

Add the chicken, potato, onion and garlic to a food processor and grind until it’s all completely smooth.
Add the cornstarch, flour, parsley, salt, pepper and paprika and pulse a couple more times until fully incorporated.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat then use a 1-inch cookie scoop to scoop out 10-12 balls of the mix out into the pan.
Spray the back of a spoon with non-stick spray then press down the tops of the balls to form a nugget shape.
Let them cook for 2-3 minutes then flip and let them cook for another 2-3 minutes or until cooked through and a golden crust starts to form.
Repeat the cooking process with the remaining chicken mixture then serve with ketchup and garnish with freshly minced parsley if desired.