Chicken nuggets

Ingredients

• 500 gchicken breast
• 5 sliceswhite bread or sliced sandwich bread
• 85 mlmilk
• 85 gcream cheese
• 1.2 teaspoonsdried onion
• 1 teaspoonpaprika
• to tastesalt
• as neededplain flour
• 2eggs
• about 150 gcornflakes
• as neededpeanut oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the chicken

   Rinse the chicken breast, pat it dry with kitchen paper and cut it into pieces.

2. 2

   Add the mixture

   Put the chicken in a food processor and add the torn white bread, milk, cream cheese, dried onion, paprika and salt.

3. 3

   Blend and shape

   Process until smooth and evenly combined. Use a teaspoon to scoop walnut-sized portions, roll them into balls and flatten them.

4. 4

   Keep them irregular

   The nuggets do not need to be identical; their uneven shapes are part of their character.

5. 5

   Crush the cornflakes

   Put the cornflakes in a food-safe bag and crush them with a rolling pin or meat tenderiser. Alternatively, pulse them in a blender.

6. 6

   Set up the coating

   Arrange three trays: one with flour, one with the eggs beaten with a pinch of salt, and one with the crushed cornflakes.

7. 7

   Coat the nuggets

   Dip each nugget in flour, then beaten egg and finally cornflakes, pressing the coating on so it adheres well.

8. 8

   Fry until golden

   Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Once it is hot, fry the nuggets until golden on all sides.

9. 9

   Drain and season

   Lift the nuggets out in batches with a slotted spoon and drain them on absorbent paper. Season with salt after cooking and serve hot.

10. 10

    Serve with sides

    If you like, serve the chicken nuggets with chips, ketchup and mayonnaise.

What are chicken nuggets?

Chicken nuggets are bite-sized pieces of chicken, usually coated and fried until crisp. This version takes an American-style favourite and blends the chicken with bread, milk and cream cheese for a cohesive, seasoned mixture.

The cornflake crust gives these homemade nuggets their distinctive crunchy outside. Their deliberately irregular shapes keep them looking rustic and make them easy to form by hand.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 615 calories, 37g protein, 67g carbs, 25g fat.

Chicken provides most of the protein, while the bread, flour and cornflakes contribute much of the carbohydrate. The cream cheese, eggs and oil used for frying account for a substantial share of the fat. Pair a portion with vegetables or salad alongside the suggested chips to make a more balanced plate.

Building the chicken mixture

Bread and dairy: the white bread, milk and cream cheese are blended with the chicken to make a soft mixture that holds together when shaped. Cut or tear the bread into smaller pieces so it processes evenly.

Seasoning: dried onion and paprika add flavour throughout the mixture, while salt seasons both the inside and the finished crust. Start with the listed salt to taste, remembering that the coating and sides can also be seasoned.

Getting an even coating

Three stages: flour gives the egg something to cling to, and the egg helps the cornflakes adhere. Keep the trays in order and coat each nugget on all sides.

Cornflake crumbs: crush them until there are no very large flakes, but avoid turning them into fine dust. A mix of small pieces and crumbs makes a textured crust.

Shaping and frying

Shape: use a teaspoon to portion the mixture into walnut-sized balls, then flatten them. The pieces need not match exactly, but keeping them roughly similar in thickness helps them cook at a similar rate.

Hot oil: fry in a large pan once the oil is hot, turning the nuggets so they brown on all sides. Avoid crowding the pan; cook in batches if needed so the pieces have room to colour.

Doneness and serving

Check: the coating should be golden all around, and the chicken should be cooked through in the centre. If the outside browns before the middle is done, lower the heat and give the pieces more time.

Serve: drain the nuggets on absorbent paper and add the final salt while they are hot. Chips, ketchup and mayonnaise are suggested accompaniments; a salad or vegetables can add freshness to the plate.

Planning the 20-minute cook

Set out the flour, beaten eggs and crushed cornflakes while the chicken mixture is ready to shape. Having the coating trays organised makes it easier to move from shaping to frying without a pause.

The stated total time is 20 minutes, so keep the frying pan and serving plates ready before you begin cooking. Depending on pan size, frying in batches may add time.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pat the chicken dry before blending so excess surface water does not loosen the mixture.
• Scrape down the food processor if pieces of chicken or bread are left around the sides.
• Crush the cornflakes just before coating so they stay easy to handle.
• Keep one hand for the dry coating and the other for the egg to reduce sticky fingers.
• Fry in batches when necessary to give the nuggets room to brown.
• Drain the cooked nuggets on absorbent paper and salt them while hot.

Variations

• Add black pepper: season the chicken mixture with a little freshly ground pepper.
• Use a different paprika: choose smoked paprika for a deeper, smoky flavour.
• Change the crust: use crushed plain cornflakes if your cereal is sweetened.
• Make the pieces smaller: shape bite-sized nuggets and watch them closely as they fry.
• Serve with a dip: offer ketchup or mayonnaise on the side as suggested.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet chicken: pat it dry before blending so the mixture is easier to shape.
• Uneven shaping: keep the nuggets roughly similar in thickness so they cook more evenly.
• Large cornflake pieces: crush them more finely so the coating sticks over the whole nugget.
• Bare patches: press the cornflakes onto the egg-coated nuggets to help the crust adhere.
• Crowded pan: fry in batches so the nuggets can brown on all sides.
• Dark coating, undercooked centre: reduce the heat and continue frying until the chicken is cooked through.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly, store them in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Reheat in an oven until piping hot; the coating may soften in a microwave.

Frequently asked questions