Store-bought chicken nuggets are convenient, but their mushy texture and bland flavor can’t compare to homemade versions. We wanted a straightforward recipe for nuggets we would be happy to have on hand. Brining the chicken prevented it from drying out and seasoned the bland breast meat. We cut the brining time in half by slicing the meat into nuggets beforehand. Ground-up panko bread crumbs combined with flour and a pinch of baking soda encouraged a crispy browned exterior on our nuggets. Using whole eggs to help the coating adhere made the nuggets too eggy, but the whites alone didn’t have as much binding power. We found that using egg whites and resting the nuggets before frying solved the problem. Don’t brine the chicken longer than 30 minutes or it will be too salty. If using kosher
chicken, do not brine in step 1. To crush the panko, place it inside a zipperlock bag and lightly beat it with a rolling pin. This recipe can easily be doubled.
Ingredients
- ½ cup yellow mustard
- ⅓ cup honey
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 (6-to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs, crushed
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 quart peanut or vegetable oil
- Whisk mustard and honey together in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Whisk 2 cups cold water, 1 tablespoon salt, and Worcestershire together in large bowl to dissolve salt. Cut each chicken breast diagonally into thirds, then cut each third diagonally into ½-inch-thick pieces. Add chicken to brine and refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly beat egg whites in shallow dish until foamy. Combine flour, panko, onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, garlic powder, and baking soda in second shallow dish.
- Working with a few chicken pieces at a time, dip in egg whites, allowing excess to drip off, then coat with flour mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer to plate and let sit for 10 minutes (do not discard remaining flour mixture). Working in batches, return chicken to dish with flour mixture, turning to coat and pressing gently to adhere.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Fry half of chicken until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, adjusting burner if necessary to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees. Transfer to paper towel-lined rack, return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken.
- Serve with honey mustard sauce.
