Copycat Chick-fil-A nuggets might even taste better than the real thing! We’ve used Chick-fil-A’s own nutrition information to turn their commercial recipe into something you can easily make at home. Marinated and fried chicken pieces are served with that addicting sauce for an at-home copycat of your favorite meal!
I’m sure we give the impression that we make everything at home from scratch, and could never order takeout. While we do enjoy cooking at home, we also absolutely love eating out. Chick-fil-A nuggets are one of our favorite comfort foods, and you will certainly not be disappointed by this copycat recipe. We love taking some of our favorite restaurant meals and then recreating them in the kitchen. It saves money, typically saves time, and always tastes so much better! We truly apologize for how addicting this recipe is, and how often your family will ask for it. It is that good!
Thanks to published nutritional information, we know exactly what ingredients are used to create Chick-fil-A’s delicious creations. Knowing enough food science and with a big background in recipe development, we’ve been able to re-create their commercial recipe for at-home cooking.
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Milk vs. Buttermilk in Copycat Chick-fil-A Nuggets:
You can use either milk or buttermilk in this recipe, but we always use buttermilk when possible.
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Do I really need to use powdered sugar?
Yes! Powdered sugar is part of what makes this dredging mixture so delicious. The powdered sugar is more fine than granulated sugar which allows it to spread easily throughout the flour and provides browning and sweetness for that quintessential Chick-fil-A taste.
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Peanut Oil Substitutes:
Peanut oil is the standard that Chick-fil-A fries their nuggets in, and is needed to truly replicate that taste. You can always use vegetable oil if there are allergies, but you should know that it will change the flavor.
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Doesn’t Chick-fil-A use pickle juice?
Nope! Chick-fil-A does not brine their chicken in pickle juice. It’s an urban legend that Chick-fil-A has debunked several times. They don’t even use vinegar in their brine, or list any kind of pickling liquid as an ingredient.
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The Use and Safety of MSG:
MSG is what will give your nuggets that true Chick-fil-A flavor. MSG can be difficult to find in stores, which is why we often purchase it on Amazon. You can always omit this ingredient if you can’t find it, though it is a flavor enhancer, and you will miss out on just how good this recipe can be! MSG has been used for more than 100 years to season food. It is a common amino acid found naturally in some foods, like tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, and is also found in practically all processed foods, including your favorite restaurants and takeout.
Anti-Asian hate spurred a distrust of MSG in the 1960s, and despite the many scientific research studies that prove its safety, the myth of the danger of MSG continues to spread. The Stay At Home Chef relies on the science behind food safety, and due to the many conclusive studies, trusts the safety of cooking with MSG.
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Serving Suggestions:
Serve with a side of fries or potato wedges, and with our Copycat Chick-fil-A sauce!
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Storage and Reheating Instructions:
Chick-fil-A nuggets are best eaten fresh, as the breading will soften. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a tablespoon of oil until warmed through, or reheat in a convection oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other delicious chicken recipes:
My kids enjoyed this as much as the real thing. Thank you for sharing!
I feel like I did something wrong but I followed the recipe. The nuggets were very mushy and the batter just tasted like flour. I thought the peanut oil would give it a Chick-fil-A taste but I don’t taste a difference between that and canola. The chicken came out tender and moist but its hard to get past the flour taste.
The flavoring is going to come from the ingredients in the batter. The peanut oil doesn’t bring a difference in flavor. The flour taste should have cooked out with the high heat of the oil. Were you able to check the oil temp and ensure that it was 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit?
I save every recipe you send me,and I make a lot of them.I thank you for sending me your recipes. Keep up with the recipies
Five stars x2, according to my husband. I’ve never eaten at Chick-Filet since they are so very expensive, but he says that the sauce brings them up another level and better than the original. The only thing I did differently was to add about a teaspoon of celery salt to the marinade and salted the chicken before dredging in flour. Thanks for sharing!
They were very very good. I put them right up there with the originals
You can find MSG in almost any American grocery stores’ spice section It’s called “Accent”, and is 100% MSG. Haven’t made the recipe yet, but will soon. I know I rated the recipe, but if anything changes after I make these, I will amend the rating. Thought this may help.
Very good. Didn’t cook with the MSG simply because I didn’t have any on hand (but will be ordering!). I expect it will taste even better next time when I add MSG. I currently live abroad and am missing chick-fil-a so much. This is a good alternative
My 21 yr old son is at Chick-fil-A as often as possible so he is the perfect critic. When I made this recipe he said these nuggets are, “Dead on!”. I was shocked and so thankful! We love Chicfila but don’t have one in our town and not he is making this recipe himself! Thank you so much for your expertise!
I made these tonight and they were a hit! They aren’t exactly like Chick-fil-A because they didn’t melt in your mouth like theirs do. Couple of things I’d do different next time: I’d marinate the chicken longer. Thirty minutes wasn’t enough and I’d definitely use buttermilk or the lemon juice + milk substitute. I might even add a few spices to the dredging mixture, such as marjoram and parsley. This time I used Canola oil. I can’t remember the last time I used peanut oil. Next time I’ll try the peanut oil. I did use the MSG. Had to buy it special because I haven’t used it in years.
I believe chick fil A pressure fries and that is why they are melt in your mouth unlike just frying on the stove. KFC also pressure fries their chicken. With safe devices like an insta pot or a chicken pressure pot you can have nuggets or the sandwich almost identical to what you buy from chikfilA.
Hi Everyone!! Can these be put in the oven or air fryer and if so what degrees and for how long?? Thanks!!❤️❤️❤️