Unapologetic Cookbook: Chicken Nuggets
I know they’re meant to be convenient, but hear me out
Time: 55 minutes + 5 Hour Marination
Ingredient Availability: 5/5
Difficulty: 1/5
Yes, I did do a chicken nugget/tender comparison test a few months ago and now we know where to get the best ones. However, we all should know by now that most homemade foods wipe the floor with even pretty goof restaurant versions. This chicken nugget recipe from Joshua Weissman’s Unapologetic Cookbook just might be one of those recipes that not only save you money, but give you a better product in the end. Let’s find out.
Key Ingredients & Omissions:
The ingredients for this recipe are very simple, so you should be able to source everything you need with a quick trip to the average grocery store. One change I made was to buy bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs instead of boneless, skinless thighs, which saves a few dollars. Of course, I removed the bone and skin before starting this recipe. The trade off is just 5-10 minutes. Also, I had about a half pound more chicken than what the recipe calls for.
Tools:
Frying Vessel
Bowl (s)
Cooking Review:
Marinate Chicken: 8 minutes
Once I removed the bone and skin from my chicken, I cut it into bitesized pieces and put them in a bowl. Next, I measured out the two cups of buttermilk and stirred in the salt to dissolve it. The recipe says to pour the buttermilk over the chicken with the salt, then stir to dissolve , but it’s probably easier to do dissolve the salt in the buttermilk separately. I poured the buttermilk over the chicken, mixed it a bit, covered it, and put it in the refrigerator for 5 hours.
Dredge & Fry: 45 minutes
I combined the flour with the seasonings and let my oil come to temperature in a wok. Once the oil was hot, I coated some of the chicken pieces with the dredge and transferred them to the wok. Each batch took 5-7 minutes to cook through and I had a total of 4 batches. After each batch, I transferred the chicken to a wire rack to cool and drain.
Analysis:
These nuggets have a very crispy, crunchy, flavorful exterior. That exterior pairs very nicely with the tender, juicy, well seasoned interior. These chicken nuggets are very tasty. There’s plenty of flavor all the way through, so there’s no need for sauce. When compared to the chicken nuggets and tenders tested earlier this year, this recipe yields a result that is far superior in every way. There’s a little sweetness, likely from the smoked paprika, which is very pleasant and a little reminiscent of that test’s winner. Plus, because this chicken is the thigh meat instead of breast meat, these are more juicy and tender than all those tested. If you don’t mind waiting a little bit, these nights will not only be better than what you can get from nearly any fast food restaurant, but also more cost effective. This recipe gets a 10/10. There’s nothing I’d change about it.
