It was a typical Sunday afternoon when the craving hit – that unmistakable hunger for Chick-fil-A’s perfectly seasoned, juicy chicken nuggets. As any fan knows, Sunday is the one day you can’t satisfy that craving at the restaurant. After a disappointing drive to my local Chick-fil-A, only to be reminded they were closed, I decided to take matters into my own hands. What started as kitchen experimentation turned into a revelation: not only could I recreate those famous nuggets at home, but I could enjoy them any day of the week (including Sunday!) and customize them exactly to my taste. After numerous tests to perfect the marinade and that distinctive coating, I’m thrilled to share this spot-on copycat recipe that might just be better than the original!
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Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets
Chick-fil-A doesn’t boast the most extensive menu among fast food chains or the most exotic. But the company has developed a huge and dedicated base of diehard fans simply by focusing on doing one thing right — fried chicken. The iconic chicken sandwich might be its most popular offering, but real fans know there’s no better way to enjoy the juicy, perfectly fried chicken than on its own, with Chick-fil-A nuggets.
But if you’re craving them far from a Chick-fil-A, or worse, it’s a Sunday (when all restaurant locations are closed), there’s no need to worry. It’s surprisingly easy to whip up chicken nuggets like Chick Fil A in your home kitchen without any special gear or ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets recipe delivers all the juicy, perfectly seasoned flavor of the restaurant favorite with several advantages:
- Available any day of the week (including Sundays!)
- Costs a fraction of the restaurant price
- No preservatives or processed ingredients
- Customizable to your spice and flavor preferences
- Perfect for meal prep and freezing
The secret to these nuggets lies in two key elements: the overnight chicken bouillon marinade that infuses the meat with savory flavor, and the unique coating that combines flour with finely crushed saltine crackers for that signature Chick-fil-A crunch. The result is tender, juicy nuggets with a perfectly seasoned, crispy exterior that will satisfy even the most dedicated Chick-fil-A fans.
Ingredients
You don’t need much in the way of Chick fil A chicken nuggets ingredients:
- Chicken breast (boneless and skinless) – The foundation of these nuggets, providing lean protein that becomes tender and juicy when marinated
- Seasoned salt (McCormick or Morton Season-All) – Adds a complex blend of savory flavors and enhances the chicken’s natural taste
- Chicken bouillon cubes – The secret ingredient that infuses the chicken with intense, savory flavor during the overnight marinade
- All-purpose flour – It forms the base of the coating, creating structure and helping other ingredients adhere to the chicken
- Saltine crackers (crushed into fine powder) – Provide the distinctive light, crispy texture that makes Chick-fil-A’s coating unique
- Paprika – Adds subtle color and a mild, sweet, peppery flavor to the coating
- Sugar – Just a touch balances the savory elements and helps achieve that perfect golden-brown color when frying
- Water – Dissolves the bouillon and creates the marinade that tenderizes and flavors the chicken
- Peanut oil (for frying) – The same oil Chick-fil-A uses, imparting a subtle nutty flavor and achieving the perfect frying temperature
It’s important to note that this recipe does not contain any dill pickle juice, despite speculation that it’s part of the Chick-fil-A marinade. Insider spoke to an employee who confirmed this several years ago, and there’s no reason to think they’ve changed since. Some, like Lifehacker, believe Chick-fil-A adds a bit of MSG to its brine and breading to amp up the savory flavor.
Ingredient substitutions
Home cooks looking for the most authentic Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets recipe should leave the breading as is, but those in the mood to experiment can add additional seasonings, from chili powder and cayenne pepper to Cajun or Italian seasoning blends.
It’s also possible to answer the question, “Are Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets gluten-free?” with a yes. They can be made that way. Simply swap the regular flour for a gluten-free cup-for-cup blend and replace ordinary crackers with wheat-free ones.
As noted earlier, it’s also easy to change out the peanut oil. Any relatively neutral flavor oil with a high smoking point will work.
How to make Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets at home
I am inclined to believe that they marinate the chicken as well. My solution for this is marinating the chicken in chicken broth. A touch of seasoned salt will amplify the flavor of the chicken. It is the secret ingredient in this copycat nugget recipe.
Making chicken nuggets that taste like Chick-fil-A requires just a few steps, but it does require some planning and patience.
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the chicken pieces in a bowl of water, dissolved bouillon, and seasoned salt. Brine overnight.
- Drain the chicken and discard the brine.
- Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit in a pot or deep fryer.
- Meanwhile, combine the breading ingredients and toss the chicken chunks in the flour and cracker mixture.
- Let the coated chicken rest on a wire rack for a few minutes to help the breading stick.
- Fry in batches until the coating has turned golden brown and the chicken has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For the crispiest chicken nuggets, drain them on a wire rack instead of paper towels.
Equipment notes
While it’s possible to fry these nuggets in a large pot, a dedicated deep fryer will produce the best results.
So, I like to make sure my nuggets are cooked where I can readily measure the temperature of the oil. I prefer to cook the nuggets at 350°F. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 150°F before consuming it.
What goes well with chicken nuggets
Round out your meal with classic waffle fries or French Fries. A side of coleslaw, simple green salad, or roasted vegetables are also great choices. Oh, and check out my copycat Chick Fil A sauce recipe.
Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 cubes chicken bouillon
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Morton Season-All or seasoned salt
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cubed
- peanut oil for frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups saltine cracker crumbs crushed very finely
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Dissolve the bouillon cubes in 2 cups of cool water and add 1/4 teaspoon Morton Season-All. Place cubed chicken in the water, mix, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Heat the oil to 350°F in a deep fryer or large pot. If you are using a large pot, add enough oil so the oil is 4 inches deep.
- Combine the flour, cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and paprika in a shallow dish.
- Pour off and discard the excess marinade from the chicken. Coat the chicken with the flour mixture and place on a wire rack to rest for a few minutes to help the coating better adhere to the chicken during frying.
- Fry the chicken nuggets a few at a time until they are golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain on a clean wire rack.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
How to store
Like all fried chicken, Chick-fil-A nuggets are best enjoyed hot and fresh. But the leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
How to freeze
Cooked copycat Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag for one to three months.
How to reheat
To preserve as much of the coating’s crispness as possible, reheat Chick-fil-A nuggets on a baking sheet and bake them in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for about ten minutes.
You can also reheat them in an air fryer. Place the nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer basket and air fry them at 350°F for about three to five minutes.
If you’re in a rush, you can microwave them for 30 seconds at a time until hot, though the steamier cooking environment will result in a less crunchy coating.
Sauces to serve with chicken nuggets
The possibilities are unlimited. You can serve chicken nuggets with a variety of sauces to dip them in.
- Barbecue Sauce
- Buttermilk Ranch
- Chick Fil A Sauce
- Honey Mustard
- Hot Mustard Sauce
- Jan Sauce
- Raising Cane’s Dipping Sauce
- Red Robin Campfire Sauce
- TGI Fridays Jack Daniels Sauce
- Zesty Sauce
More Chicken Fil A copycat recipes
- Chick fil A Mac and Cheese
- Chick Fil A Sandwich Recipe
- Chick Fil A Frozen Lemonade
- Chick Fil A Frosted Coffee
Be sure to check out more of my easy chicken recipes and the best fast food copycat recipes.
They do use pickle juice in their marinade, although I don’t know how much.
The Insider did some investigation on this, here is their take.
I was told by one of our local CFA’s that they only marinade the strips this way, not the filets or nuggets. I tend to believe this because I can eat the filet and nuggets with no problems. But am repulsed by the strips by just the smell.
a bit of good news for those with peanut allergies – the kind of peanut oil (refined) you find in the cooking oil section of the grocery store will not trigger an allergic reaction. only unrefined (usually in a gourmet section, used for drizzling on top of salads, etc) versions will. the refining process denatures the protein that causes the allergic response. i am allergic to peanuts and eat CFA all the time with no issues.
https://peanutallergyfacts.org/2021/11/01/why-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-peanut-oil-allergy/
Could you possibly do an Air Fryer chick-fil-a chicken sandwich/nugget recipe?
I will keep it in mind!
Sorry 10 earth strong meaning birthday
Yep tried these a few times and they are a hit it’s my daughter’s 20 earth strong and request these lol the family lives them thank you you are my go to for a hit
If I was going to try pickle juice in the marinate, what flavor should I use? Dill pickle juice??
Yes, I would use dill pickle juice, it is what is in the restaurant.
We thought these tasted very good!
I tried and loved the Recipe. First time I’ve marinAde anything in pickle juice besides…well…cucumbers lol. I worked for chick fila in high school. I don’t know if they are pre-marinated before packaged to the stories, but I don’t remember smelling anything pickled. We did have to at closing prepare the chicken in a special milk wash that Kinda smelled like the ice cream. If you ever had their chicken that didn’t taste as tender, It probably wasn’t part of that over night marinade. 😂 But this was back in 2001-02.
I Still remember the recipe of Chicken Nuggets from my Grandma. She makes the best nuggets ever and we cousins used to eat all of that. But, this recipe looks little different and delicious for sure. I would love to pass this to my mom so, she can make it at home. Do you have any YouTube channel so i can follow other recipes there too. Thanks again for sharing.
Love your site. Chick fil a is my new favorite to go place. The chicken really does have a pickley flavor. Can you put pickle juice in the marinade?
You can try that if you want to. Let me know how it goes.
Do you rinse after marinating before cooking?
No, there is no need to rinse the chicken.
These were delicious I’ve made them twice and I’m getting ready to make them for a large crowd. It’s for a music recital with 150 people.
Oh, wow! Thank you for this amazing recipe! I can’t believe how easy it is to make!
DUH!!! flour. Story
Thank you for your thoughts. I really feel it is cracker meal. Flour behaves differently.
Hi Stephanie,
Do you think this could be possible in the air fryer? If so what temp & time would you use?
Thank you,
Noreen
I think these could work in an air fryer. I would cook these at 390 degrees, and cook them until they turn brown that should be 8 to 9 minutes. You may need to do this in batches depending upon the size of your basket.
My son loves Chicken Nuggets. I tried your recipe and it is amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Stephanie – By cracker crumbs do you mean saltines or do you mean something more like Ritz, Club or other buttery crackers?
I would use saltines.
Just try Ritz. You will be surprised. Good eating. Personally, I spray my chicken pieces with olive oil. I also mix onion powder and garlic powder and seasoned salt in my Ritz cracker crumbs – no flower. I just purchased a Hot air fryer. gona try that tomorrow.
Dear Stephanie,
Thanks for the recipe! It sounds delicious, and i do want to make them at home cuz Chick FilA is expensive, lol! I will update after I make them. Quick question: The bullion cubes I have are a larger size (1 bullion to 2 cups water). Do you mean 2 small, 1-cup-water-bullion cubes, or do you mean to make it extra concentrated and use the larger cubes with only 2 cups water?
I sure hope I made sense!
Thank you for your time 🙂
Lori
I wrote the recipe for the smaller cubes in mind, so I would make enough for 2 cups of seasoned broth.