These nuggets start with a pickle juice brine. The brine seasons the meat and keeps it wet through frying (salt draws water out first, then holds it in).
The coating is flour and cornstarch. Cornstarch crisps harder than flour alone and stays crisp longer after frying.
Fry at 350°F (175°C) for 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Weigh the chicken, watch the oil, repeat until the tray is full.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
900 g (2 lb) boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3 cm pieces
Buy breasts of even thickness so pieces cook at the same rate. Thighs work and stay juicier, but fry 1 minute longer.
240 ml (1 cup) dill pickle juice
Use the brine from a jar of refrigerated dill pickles, not sweet pickle juice. If you have none, 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk plus 10 g (2 tsp) salt works.
240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
Whole milk carries fat that keeps the meat tender. Two percent is fine; skip skim, which thins the brine.
2 large eggs
Eggs bind the flour to the chicken. For an egg-free version, use 60 g (1/4 cup) cornstarch slurry in the milk instead.
150 g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
Standard all-purpose flour, not bread flour, keeps the crust thin. Sift it if it looks lumpy.
60 g (1/2 cup) cornstarch
Cornstarch is the crisp factor; do not swap it for more flour. Arrowroot is a close substitute at the same weight.
10 g (1 tbsp) powdered sugar
A small amount of sugar browns the crust fast. Confectioners' sugar dissolves better than granulated here.
8 g (1 tbsp) fine sea salt, plus more for finishing
Fine salt dissolves evenly in the dredge. Kosher salt is coarser; use 12 g (1 tbsp) instead.
4 g (2 tsp) paprika
Sweet paprika adds color, not heat. Smoked paprika works but will dominate the flavor.
2 g (1 tsp) garlic powder
Granulated garlic blends better than fresh. Onion powder can replace half of it.
1.5 L (6 cups) peanut or canola oil, for frying
Peanut oil holds high heat without smoking. Canola is neutral and cheaper; both work at 350°F (175°C).
Tips & Tricks
Dry the chicken before dredging
Pat the brined pieces dry with paper towels. Wet chicken steams the coating and it slides off in the oil.
Hold the oil at 350°F (175°C)
Use a thermometer and adjust the burner. Below 325°F (160°C) the nuggets soak up oil; above 375°F (190°C) they brown before the center cooks.
Press the dredge on firmly
Squeeze the flour mixture onto each piece with your fingers. Loose coating flakes off and burns in the oil.
Fry in small batches
Six to eight pieces at a time. Crowding drops the oil temperature and gives pale, greasy nuggets.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Brine the chicken
Combine 240 ml (1 cup) pickle juice, 240 ml (1 cup) milk, and 2 eggs in a bowl. Add the 900 g (2 lb) chicken pieces and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours (the brine seasons the meat and holds moisture through frying). The chicken is ready when it looks slightly opaque at the edges.
2. Mix the dredge
Whisk 150 g (1 1/4 cups) flour, 60 g (1/2 cup) cornstarch, 10 g (1 tbsp) powdered sugar, 8 g (1 tbsp) salt, 4 g (2 tsp) paprika, and 2 g (1 tsp) garlic powder in a wide dish. The mixture is ready when no lumps remain and it smells faintly sweet.
3. Heat the oil
Pour 1.5 L (6 cups) oil into a heavy pot to a depth of 5 cm (2 inches). Heat over medium to 350°F (175°C) (a thermometer clipped to the pot is the only reliable check). The oil is ready when a pinch of flour sizzles and rises at once.
4. Dry the chicken
Lift the chicken from the brine and pat each piece dry with paper towels. Discard the brine (dry meat holds the dredge; wet meat loses it). The pieces are ready when the surface feels tacky, not slick.
5. Dredge the pieces
Press each piece into the flour mixture and squeeze the coating on with your fingers. Shake off the excess and set on a rack (firm pressure makes the crust adhere during frying). The coating is right when it looks dry and chalky, with no wet patches.
6. Fry the first batch
Lower 6 to 8 pieces into the oil at 350°F (175°C) and fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. The nuggets are done when golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C).
7. Drain and salt
Move the nuggets to a wire rack and sprinkle with fine salt within 10 seconds (hot oil holds the salt). They are ready to serve when the crust feels hard to the touch.
8. Fry the rest
Return the oil to 350°F (175°C) between batches and skim out loose flour bits. Repeat with the remaining chicken (clean oil keeps later batches from tasting burnt). Serve when all batches are fried, within 20 minutes.
Delicious Variations
Spicy version
Add 6 g (1 tbsp) cayenne to the dredge and 5 g (1 tsp) hot sauce to the brine for a Nashville-style heat.
Air fryer version
Spray the dredged nuggets with oil and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes, flipping at minute 5.
Grilled version
Skip the dredge, marinate 4 hours, and grill at 450°F (230°C) for 4 minutes per side.
How to Store Crispy, Juicy, and Perfectly Seasoned: Copycat Chick Fil A Nuggets 🍗
Refrigerator
Store cooled nuggets in an airtight container up to 3 days. The crust softens after day one.
Freezer
Freeze fried, cooled nuggets on a tray for 1 hour, then bag up to 2 months. Reheat without thawing.
Reheating
Reheat at 400°F (200°C) for 8 to 10 minutes on a rack. A microwave makes them rubbery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do Chick Fil A nuggets taste like pickles?
They are brined in pickle juice, which seasons the meat and tenderizes it. A 2 to 4 hour soak gives the flavor without turning the chicken sour.
Q: Can I make these nuggets without a deep fryer?
Yes, a heavy pot with 5 cm (2 inches) of oil works the same way. Clip a thermometer to the side and keep the oil at 350°F (175°C).
Q: What oil is best for frying chicken nuggets?
Peanut oil is best because it holds 350°F (175°C) without smoking. Canola or vegetable oil are neutral, cheaper alternatives.
Q: How do I keep the coating from falling off?
Pat the brined chicken dry and press the flour mixture on firmly with your fingers. Loose, wet coating slides off in the oil.
Q: Can I brine the chicken overnight?
No, keep it to 8 hours maximum. Longer brining breaks down the meat and makes it spongy.
Weigh the chicken, watch the oil, and repeat until the rack is full. Then tell me in the comments how your crust held up.
Crispy, Juicy, and Perfectly Seasoned: Copycat Chick Fil A Nuggets 🍗
Copycat Chick Fil A nuggets deliver a crunchy, pickle-brined coating and juicy chicken in 50 minutes, with a fraction of the salt and no drive-thru line.
🧂 Ingredients
- 900 g (2 lb) boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 240 ml (1 cup) dill pickle juice
- 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 150 g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 60 g (1/2 cup) cornstarch
- 10 g (1 tbsp) powdered sugar
- 8 g (1 tbsp) fine sea salt, plus more for finishing
- 4 g (2 tsp) paprika
- 2 g (1 tsp) garlic powder
- 1.5 L (6 cups) peanut or canola oil, for frying
📋 Instructions
- 1Brine the chicken — Combine 240 ml (1 cup) pickle juice, 240 ml (1 cup) milk, and 2 eggs in a bowl. Add the 900 g (2 lb) chicken pieces and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours (the brine seasons the meat and holds moisture through frying). The chicken is ready when it looks slightly opaque at the edges.
- 2Mix the dredge — Whisk 150 g (1 1/4 cups) flour, 60 g (1/2 cup) cornstarch, 10 g (1 tbsp) powdered sugar, 8 g (1 tbsp) salt, 4 g (2 tsp) paprika, and 2 g (1 tsp) garlic powder in a wide dish. The mixture is ready when no lumps remain and it smells faintly sweet.
- 3Heat the oil — Pour 1.5 L (6 cups) oil into a heavy pot to a depth of 5 cm (2 inches). Heat over medium to 350°F (175°C) (a thermometer clipped to the pot is the only reliable check). The oil is ready when a pinch of flour sizzles and rises at once.
- 4Dry the chicken — Lift the chicken from the brine and pat each piece dry with paper towels. Discard the brine (dry meat holds the dredge; wet meat loses it). The pieces are ready when the surface feels tacky, not slick.
- 5Dredge the pieces — Press each piece into the flour mixture and squeeze the coating on with your fingers. Shake off the excess and set on a rack (firm pressure makes the crust adhere during frying). The coating is right when it looks dry and chalky, with no wet patches.
- 6Fry the first batch — Lower 6 to 8 pieces into the oil at 350°F (175°C) and fry 3 to 4 minutes, turning once. The nuggets are done when golden brown and the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C).
- 7Drain and salt — Move the nuggets to a wire rack and sprinkle with fine salt within 10 seconds (hot oil holds the salt). They are ready to serve when the crust feels hard to the touch.
- 8Fry the rest — Return the oil to 350°F (175°C) between batches and skim out loose flour bits. Repeat with the remaining chicken (clean oil keeps later batches from tasting burnt). Serve when all batches are fried, within 20 minutes.
Tomasz writes precise, method-first recipes for breads, ferments, and slow braises, drawing on Polish and Central European home cooking. He cares about weights, temperatures, and timing, and explains the reason behind each step so cooks can repeat results. His angle is turning fussy techniques into clear, checkable instructions.
