Over the past few weeks we’ve spent a fair amount of time out in town, shopping for gifts, and we have often found ourselves away from the house with no lunch plans. Chipotle is our emergency standby, but sometimes we’re tempted to grab Chick-fil-A since they’re everywhere (there are 30 of them within 20 miles of our house!). But as Melissa at Hunt.Gather.Love. points out, regardless of how you feel about Chick-fil-A’s stance on current social issues, the quality of their food alone should be enough to boycott the restaurant chain. For example, let’s take a look at the ingredients list for their nuggets:
100% natural whole breast filet, seasoning (salt, monosodium glutamate, sugar, spices, paprika), seasoned coater (enriched bleached flour [bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, nonfat milk, leavening [baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate], spice, soybean oil, color [paprika]), milk wash (water, egg, nonfat milk), peanut oil (fully refined peanut oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness and Dimethylpolysiloxane an anti-foaming agent added).
So I set out to recreate these chicken nuggets, and most importantly, reduce the ingredients list of this dish from 30+ ingredients down to 10 with minimal compromise on taste.
You’ll Need:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup dill pickle juice
1 egg, mixed
2 tbsp buttermilk or cream
1/4 cup tapioca starch (potato or arrowroot starch okay)
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp each salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 dash ground cayenne pepper
1/2 cup lard or coconut oil for frying
Step one: cut up your chicken into 1″ chunks. Place the chicken chunks in a ziplog bag and add the pickle juice; marinate in the fridge for an hour.
After an hour, open the bag and pour out any excess pickle juice. It doesn’t have to be perfectly drained, just not totally juicy. Add the egg (mix it first) and the buttermilk/cream, and mix together, then let sit for five minutes. Again, open the bag and pour out the excess liquid, if there is any. Texture is important at this point – the pieces should be wet but not swimming in a soup of pickle/egg/creamy goodness.
Prep your dry ingredients by stirring them all together.
Add the dry ingredients and mix them together in the bag, by a combination of shaking, rubbing, and pleading. It’ll take a few minutes, so this is a good time to warm up your skillet of lard/oil on medium heat.
Fry your chicken pieces, flipping every few minutes, until nice and golden brown. It should take about six to eight minutes per batch. Don’t overcrowd the skillet; it took me four batches to cook all two pounds of chicken. Drain the chicken pieces on paper towels as you cook the others, and keep them warm in the oven at 170 degrees.
That’s it! Serve with a dipping sauce like my barbecue sauce, or maybe some honey mustard.
They look great! I am pinning this :)
I loved Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets before going Paleo, so I’m intrigued and definitely interested in trying this recipe out! Pin-worthy this is.
I loved Chick-fil-A nuggets but they didn’t love me and these wont either :( Unfortunately! They look delicious though. Could you suggest some nightshade free spices that might make a good variation? I’m terrible with knowing what spices go together and with what. Also, do you think coconut milk would work instead of the Dairy?
A tablespoon of mixed cumin and basil (half tablespoon each) would be a serviceable substitute for paprika.
Jimmy, thanks, great idea.
Marie, as Jimmy said, cumin is a good substitute, and basil is a nice touch. If you want to make it dairy free I would just omit the dairy instead of substituting with coconut milk, as the taste might not go well with the pickle juice :)
Ahh. I lost the site! Forgot to bookmark it and comp crashed. Found it again today thanks to US wellness meats facebook post. Thanks for the suggestions :) Much appreciated.
Marie, glad you (re)discovered my site! :)
A bit of a late reply, but I just made mine with coconut milk and it’s still very delicious!
I’ve never been all that big on Chik-Fil-A, and have always had a hard time understanding their cult-like following. However, I do love me some good fried chicken, be it in nuggets or on the bone. I shall have to make this. Soon.
What kind of pickle juice would be best?
Hey Wanda, good point – just your average dill pickle juice is ideal. I’ll adjust my recipe now, thanks for the question!
So curious about the pickle juice – I don’t keep pickles around the house very often, is there a preferred substitution or would a simple brine be ok? I have to admit, I do get a giggle every time I think about it though (I dunno, something with me and the word pickle…).
Heavv, the pickle juice acts as both a brine and a way to bring a more savory, umami taste to the nuggets. Sauerkraut juice would work as well, if you have any, although I would dilute it a little with some water. Otherwise, a tsp of salt mixed with 1/2 cup water should work as a pretty good brine.
This looks absolutely delicious; it’s been at least 2 years since I last had anything Chick-fil-A, but boy… I might have to make this soon.
Can I substitue White Rice Flour for the Arrowroot?
TS, I would think it would be okay, but not great, because rice flour tends to not stick to the meat very well. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out. But by all means, if you can eat it, definitely try it with tapioca, potato, or arrowroot starch! :)
Wow this is genius! Great work on this recipe! And your photography is amazing! I just found your blog and I am loving it. And thank you for pointing out the lies that Chick Fil A always advertises about, its so annoying how everyone actually thinks its okay to eat it daily. Or even eat it at that. Anyways, I cannot wait to try these. Thanks for the great recipe.
These look delish! Thank you for sharing, I will be making them sometime this week :)
i just finished eating a few. delicious recipe! thank you!
Also, fyi, i used coconut cream, and though i don’t know what the flavor is sans coco cream, i feel compelled to say it didn’t alter the flavor.
good to know, thanks! :)
I used 1/8 cup White Rice Flour and 1/8 cup arrowroot and it came out just fine.
TS, awesome, thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I have also used garbanzo bean flour and baked mine.
Nice recipe, not really necessary to take a jab at Chik-Fil-A though.
Hi Lea, I understand your point, but I feel that it’s absolutely necessary to take a jab at Chick-fil-A, for the simple fact that they market themselves as being a healthful lifestyle choice: http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Healthful-Lifestyle
Their solution for people wanting healthy/light options? Eat their salads with a chargrilled chicken sandwich. Their chargrilled chicken has 26 ingredients:
Chargrilled chicken (100% natural whole breast filet, water, contains less than 2% of sugar, butter flavored vegetable oil [soybean oil, palm kernel oil, soy lecithin, natural & artificial butter flavor, TBHQ, beta carotene], yeast extract, seasoning [sugar, spice, paprika, soybean oil], modified food starch, salt, sea salt, natural flavors, dextrose, potassium phosphate, maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, paprika)
I have no problem with companies offering the food that customers want to eat, regardless of how unhealthy it is. But to play it off as if it’s healthy is another thing altogether, and in my opinion, negligent. I could make the same case for every fast food joint out there, as everyone seems to cut corners at some point, with consumers’ health getting the short end of the stick. Chipotle uses soybean oil, and refuses to list their ingredients to the public.
So to me, I feel that it is important to use this site as a platform to reinforce the fact that a) we should avoid industrial food producers as much as possible and b) we can make a much healthier alternative for a fraction of the cost. That’s the whole point of my website – to show that we can take food and health matters back into our own hands. I’m not one to badmouth things for the sake of badmouthing them, but when it comes to our nation’s health and longevity, I get a little fired up :)
I think what you’re doing is awesome! I gotta be honest I used to LOVE Chick-fil-a, but knowledge is power and the more I learn the more I cook at home!
Hi Candace, thanks for the feedback. I agree that cooking at home is ideal, and very empowering!
ChickFilA’s grilled nuggets are the ONLY fast food option available to my kiddos. We eat them once every 3-4 months. Chipotle is about the same. I’m ok with having safer options for the occasions that we choose to eat on the go – but I never think for a second that they are healthy choices!
Ive made them twice. Yummy!!! Thanks so much!!
This looks amazing! I’ll definitely have to make this. We have a local restaurant which is famous for their wings, most people think they are the best in town, and I’ve found that adding a little bit of this yucatan sunshine hot sauce almost replicates the flavor. A bit of habanero with carrots to sweeten the heat. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007ZU6R6E
All I wanna know is if they taste like Chick fil A nuggets and i’m all in.. and may never eat there again.. if i can fry them up like this at home..
I love love love Chick-fil-a. Gonna have to try this but can i do baked instead of fried??
Allie, you can definitely try baking them. My only fear is that since it’s a liquid-based coating, the coating may slide off as it sits on a baking sheet. Give it a try and let me know how it goes – probably 425 for 15-20 minutes.
Definitely making these soon!
These were excellent, thank you!
These are awesome. I just made them for a house full of hungry boys. The marinating in pickle juice is a novel idea. The nuggets came out tender and tasty; we didn’t even do a sauce.
Mary, that’s awesome to hear! As we all know, boys know their chicken nuggets, so if they liked them that’s a total “win” in my book :)
I tried this recipe last night and it was really good! I do have to say that I did not use the pickle juice as it is loaded with HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. I made my own with white vinegar, water, dill, garlic and black pepper. The chicken marinated in that. I really liked it and will be making it again. :)
Wow, HFCS in your pickle juice? How odd. Great improvisation!
I just made these for lunch and my 5 and 3 year old gobbled them up! My 5 year old even said, “Mom, these taste like Chick-fil-A!” Thank you so much for a fabulous recipe. This is definitely a family favorite:)
Marisol, awesome, thanks for sharing!
I made these for supper tonight. WELL DONE!!! Even better than the “real” thing!!!!
Jenny, awesome!
Yup, had them for dinner! Amazing! Nice job buddy!
These do not disappoint! I’ve actually never had chik-fil-a but I crave fried chicken. These were so tender and totally hit the spot – thank you!
Thanks Tiffany! Be sure to check out my fried chicken recipe if you’re craving the real deal:
http://thedomesticman.com/2012/05/15/gluten-free-southern-fried-chicken/
Gonna give this recipe a try this evening. What is the dipping sauce?
Brian, the sauce I used in the picture was just a spicy brown mustard, right out of the bottle. Honestly, I mostly ate them without any dipping sauce at all :)
Let me know how you like it!
Great recipe. I skipped the cream and it turned out very tasty. Used coconut oil to fry them this time; gonna try lard next time. Perfect recipe for the playoffs this weekend. Thanks!!
Made these for dinner and loved them! I had to make mine dairy free, so I used coconut milk kefir to replace the buttermilk. I also made my own brine using water, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, and salt. I pan fried one batch, and oven Fried the other…I drizzled light olive oil directly over the chicken pieces,before baking and turned the pieces half way through , 425 for about 22 minutes. Both ways worked like a charm, so next time I will stick to the oven to make it quicker! Tank you!
Tessa, thanks for the feedback! I may have to try them in the oven next time :)
Happy NewYear ! ( I’m still in time,I suppose)
Close enough! :)
Anyone know if leftovers freeze well? These look awesome, would be great to make a big batch!
Leftovers? What leftovers? LOL These were so yummy! I used sauerkraut juice instead of pickle juice and fried in coconut oil. Seriously, I’m going to freeze a few pieces to see how they hold up. I’ll post on the results.
Any ideas for an egg substitute (besides flaxseed meal)? My daughter is allergic to both.
Lydia, the egg acts as a binder for the tapioca starch. You could use a little coconut milk and get the same effect.
I made these last night and my 4 year old ate like 12, and my pickle-hating husband said he had to get away from the table before he ate too many. Success! Thank you so much for posting!!
Awesome, thanks for sharing Colleen!
CFA pressure cooks there chx after a quick fry. Just an FYI. Can hardly wait to try them!!
These were really great! I ran across your website a couple of days ago, and this is the first recipe of yours I’ve tried. Already have the ingredients for salisbury steak tomorrow night, and after eating these nuggets, I am excited to see how tomorrow’s turns out! :)
Um, yuck, fast food is the worst, Chik-fil-a or not. We find ourselves in the same situation from time to time–out running errands, hungry and cranky, and nary a quick, healthy option in sight. So I’ve been reading a lot of fast food nutrition statements and ingredient lists and even the “healthy” options are pretty sad. I mean, why should a grilled chicken breast have corn syrup or corn starch added? That said, there’s nothing better than homemade chicken strips/nuggets. I used to make them with panko, but wasn’t sure what to use as a grain-free substitute, so thanks for the recipe!
I love Chick-Fil-A, personally… their food is more “real” than any other fast food I’ve ever had. But cleaning up the recipe is fantastic – can’t wait to try it at home! (I’ve made CFA nuggets at home for years now, using flour & a few seasonings… but now that I have to eat gluten free, it’s nice to have a recipe to fall back on…)
Thanks, Laura!
Do you use tapioca starch or tapioca flour?
Barbara, they are the same thing! They just get labeled differently sometimes.
While I’ve never eaten at a chick-fil-la, this recipe intrigued me. We’ve done several versions of chicken nuggets/strips using different combinations of toasted udi bread crumbs. I was working on the marinade etc. tonight and my husband wanted to pull out half of the chicken and do our normal recipie. I talked him into trying it and what a surprise. He absolutely loved it, as did I. Goes great with homemade buffalo sauce as well. Thanks for creating this recipe. Who would have thought to use pickle juice :-)
Jen, glad you took a chance on the recipe, and that it worked out! :)
Made these last night and I’m snacking on some leftovers now. Super fun, super flavorful and super delicious. Who knew pickle juice + chicken would = such deep flavor? Obviously you knew. Thanks for the great recipe and bringing chicken nuggets back in my kids lives.
Made these tonight, very tasty! Thank you :)
Happy to be of service!
What is the best dairy-free substitute? Full fat coconut milk? Has anyone tried almond milk?
Linda, some readers have had good results with coconut milk, I would use that over almond milk because it’s probably a little more adhesive.
Thank you :) I’ll give it a try.
Just made these for my kids. They both were only told I was making “chicken” and when they tried them, both said they tasted like Chik-Fil-A nuggets! Recipe Success!!! They are really good.
Jennifer, perfect! Thanks for sharing.
I substituted coconut flour for the starch, and it was great! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Absolutely unreal what chick fil a puts into their food. Did u all read the list of unpronounceable items? My gosh, a professed Christian company who hates gay people and is killing those that allowed to eat there with the ingredients. Unreal Is all I have to say. A disgrace to America.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it tonight and it’s awesome. My four year old and two year old picky eaters LOVED them! :)
Kristen, awesome! Glad you guys liked them.
Oh my goodness! These are so good! We finally found a nugget that the whole family will eat! Thank you!
Made these today, they were okay. The breading didn’t adhere to the meat, it stuck to the bag instead :( any idea what I did wrong? I want to try them again and hope my second attempt works
Lauren, sorry to hear that you had an issue with the recipe. The only thing I can think of is maybe try and squeeze more juice/egg out next time? The batter does tend to not want to stick to the chicken, so my solution is to stir the chicken around right before putting a new batch into the lard…hope this helps, and that you try it again sometime!
Oh I’m going to try again, just trying to troubleshoot. My hubs really liked the flavor even with the spotty breading ;)
We love this recipe! I use canned full-fat coconut milk to keep it dairy free and it works beautifully. So yummy!
I’m SO excited to try this recipe and HOPEFULLY sneak it into my husband’s crappy regiment of bad foods. ;)
dafuq ? Marinating in pickle juice? Brilliant ! (you had me at pickle juice…)
as for ChickFilA, Dimethylpolysiloxane! ‘nuf said. (yack)
I made this last night and they were terrific! I followed the recipe ingredients exactly because I always like to try a recipe the first time the way it was intended and make changes the next time if need be. The only think I did differently per the instructions was to take the chicken out of the zip lock bag at the end because I was having difficulty getting the egg/cream mixture out of the bag. I put the chicken in a glass dish and worked the dry ingredients by hand. It worked great. I opted for cream, tapioca starch,and coconut oil.
I make the sauce that CFA has in packets by combining mayo, honey dijon mustard, and hickory smoked bbq sauce. Oooh weee. So good. Great recipe you came up with!!
would love to make these but do not have any tapioca starch on hand would it work without it ?
I used white rice flour since I’m allergic to tapioca. They turned out great.
thanks im just trying to figure out if i could use coconut or almond flour instead, due to my autoimmune disorder im trying to stay away from grains – rice etc
Almond is a bit grainy but i love it. I love coconut flour too and would use it for its silky texture similar to tapioca.
Can you email me personally about you Autoimmune problem. I have one too and didnt know grains affected it. Sign2cc@yahoo.com. Thx. Sorry Gluten Dude.
I had chicken wings on hand, so I used them to make this recipe. Cooked them for about 5 minutes on each side. They are so flipping delicious and I didn’t need a bit of sauce or extra seasoning.
OMG All these comments, they must taste like little bites of heaven. I had my most difficult meal experience dining out tonight. It was Pasta Night at the club. What the freaking hell? The only thing I could find to eat safely was little pieces of chicken and some greens. The pasta was everywhere, like a tornado in Okalhoma. Sucking the wind and energy out of evertying around it. I am at the end of day three of my Whole 30. I think it was hard to not fall prey to the noodles and doodads, but I succeeded and will now soak in the hot tub and call it a win! I heart you blog sister. Amen
I made these tonight. Used gluten free flour instead of tapioca starch and no milk because my son is Lactose Intolerant. They came out perfect! Just like Chick-fil-a! Thank you!