I have made many chicken nugget recipes over the years. Some have been good, but not exactly what we have been looking for. I have been trying, in some way, to come close or top the nuggets that are so loved by kids. Something I can make in bulk and have on hand for those busy nights that I just want an easy dinner. I have always stayed away from deep fried nuggets because I wanted a healthier option but somehow I forgot about cooking them in a skillet. It’s not deep fried, but it still gives that satisfying crust and keeps the inside juicy. It wasn’t until the last year or two that we have opted for real Parmesan cheese instead of the stuff that comes in the green can (and that has brought new depths of flavor to old favorites!). I haven’t tried making chicken nuggets in probably that long as well. It was time to change that.
I put a little of this and a little of that together and decided to pan fry the nuggets instead of bake them. I was so glad I did. They were so good my kids were dancing around the kitchen “m-mming” and telling me how great they were. I think we found “it” the recipe we will treasure forever. The recipe my daughters will want to add to their family heirloom cookbook scrapbooks. Even my husband liked them. I liked them. For goodness sake, pan fry your nuggets! It makes a world of difference. If you have already been doing that, then excuse my excitement. The ingredients I threw together weren’t much (any?) different than the majority of chicken nugget recipes out there but the technique made all the difference.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces. Butterfly the breast before cutting into pieces if you wish, so they cook quicker.
- Vegetable oil
- 1/2c flour
- 1 egg, scrambled
- 1c seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/4c grated Parmesan cheese
- 1tsp paprika
- 1tsp onion powder
- 1tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Place the flour in a bowl, the egg in another bowl, and the breadcrumbs and remaining ingredients in a third bowl. Mix the breadcrumbs and seasonings.
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Once warm, place enough vegetable oil in the bottom to lightly coat the bottom.
- Dredge chicken in flour, dip it in the egg, then roll it into breadcrumbs. Place chicken in the skillet, no closer than about half an inch to allow proper cooking. You will do several batches. After cooking for a few minutes, flip the chicken and cook until cooked through. This may be about 4 minutes per side, but it depends on how thick your chicken is – thicker chicken will take longer to cook.
- Remove it from the skillet and allow it to try on paper towel. Once it cools a bit, take a bite and enjoy!!