17/08/2026
Episode 3: Homemade Chicken Nuggets 😍
Ingredients:
Chicken mixture
500 g boneless, skinless chicken breast, very cold
150 g chicken thigh meat, very cold
2 tsp salt
1 tsp tsp white pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp potato starch
1 egg white
2–3 tbsp ice-cold water
1 tbsp neutral oil
Coating
Wet batter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
3/4 cup ice-cold water
Dry coating
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
Procedure:
1. Cut chicken into small pieces and freeze for 20–30 minutes until very cold but not frozen solid.
2. Add chicken and salt to a food processor. Process until smooth and sticky.
3. Make the chicken emulsion. Add the remaining chicken mixture ingredients. Process while gradually adding the ice-cold water until the mixture is smooth, sticky, and cohesive. Chef tip: Keeping the mixture cold helps extract myosin, which gives the nuggets their characteristic firm, bouncy texture.
4. Shape. Spread the mixture on parchment paper to 1–1.5 cm thick. Chill for 30–45 minutes, then cut into nugget shapes.
5. Coat. Lightly dust each nugget with the dry coating. Dip into the cold batter, let the excess drip off, then coat again with the dry mixture. Press gently to create a crispy, textured crust.
6. Par-fry. Heat oil to 165–170°C. Fry for 2–3 minutes, just until the coating sets and becomes lightly golden. Drain on a wire rack.
7. Freeze. Cool completely, then freeze the par-fried nuggets in a single layer until solid. Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag.
8. Final fry. Fry directly from frozen at 175–180°C for about 3–4 minutes, or until golden and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C.
Now make your own nuggets and tag me! 🙂