Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Nugget Dupe - Dish with Drew

 Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Nugget Dupe

Chick-fil-A has tested Spicy Nuggets in select markets over the years, but they’ve never made their way nationwide, so I decided to make them myself by reverse engineering their recipe! After working at Chick-fil-A for over a decade, I used what I know about their chicken and breading process to recreate that signature flavor at home with that spicy twist. These nuggets are juicy, crispy, perfectly seasoned, and have just enough heat without overpowering the chicken. If you’ve been waiting for Chick-fil-A Spicy Nuggets to finally show up on the menu, this copycat recipe is the next best thing, enjoyyyy! ❤️

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🧾 Ingredients 🧾

2 Chicken Breasts

For the Marinade:
1 cup dill pickle juice
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Spicy Coater:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons MSG
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper

For the Milk & Egg Wash:
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs

For Frying:
48 fluid ounces of peanut oil, heated to 350°F

👨‍🍳 Instructions 👨‍🍳

1) Trim the chicken breasts by removing any excess fat or cartilage, cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch chunks. 

2) In a mixing bowl for the marinade, combine the pickle juice, cayenne pepper, white pepper, paprika, mustard powder and garlic powder. Place the cut up chicken breasts into the marinade and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes.

3) In a separate mixing bowl for the milk and egg wash, whisk together the eggs and whole milk.

4) In another separate mixing bowl for the spicy coater, combine the all-purpose flour, white sugar, salt, MSG, baking powder, paprika, white pepper, cayenne pepper, mustard powder and course ground black pepper.

5) Pour the peanut oil into a large heavy-bottom pot and heat over medium to medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F. A digital thermometer is highly recommended.

6) When the chicken has finished marinating, drain it and transfer it to the egg wash. Toss to fully coat.

Notes: Do not coat the chicken in the flour mixture (next step) unless your oil is fully preheated. Letting the coated chicken sit too long before frying can cause the breading to clump or fall off.

7) Remove the chicken from the egg wash, allowing excess liquid to drip off, then transfer to the flour mixture. Toss with your fingers until evenly coated.

8) Shake off excess flour.

9) Carefully lower the chicken nuggets into the 350°F oil in batches. Fry for 5–7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Notes: Chicken is safe at 165°F. Removing at 160°F allows carryover cooking to bring it to temperature while keeping the nuggets juicy.

9) Remove the cooked nuggets and place on a wire rack or paper towels. 

10) Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes: These nuggets reheat really well in the air fryer or the oven; I often make large batches ahead of time and reheat them as needed. The nuggets will stay fresh for 3 days in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. 

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