Delicious and Crunchy McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Recipe

The Chicken McNugget is the Leader of All Nuggets (But Not Inventor)

The McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets recipe wasn’t actually invented by McDonald’s, not by a long shot. The chicken nugget was invented by a food scientist by the name of Robert C. Baker from Cornell University. He created the method to bind breading to chicken which could be frozen and then cooked later. At that time, this was innovative stuff; but nobody really was into it.

Baker’s work set the stage for food processing techniques; but no company really saw the opportunity for 30 years, until McDonald’s came along.

McDonald’s Changes the US Economy

In 1980 McDonald’s released the Chicken McNugget and the response was overwhelmingly positive. It became an instant success and became one of the most popular items on the menu.

If you want to be technical, the man responsible for bringing the Chicken McNugget to McDonald’s was Herb Lotman of Keystone Foods and his team, who partnered with McDonald’s. Lotman is credited for the process to mass produce frozen breaded chicken nuggets and dealing with all food safety, consistency, and supply chain issues.

Everything Changes From Beef to Chicken

McDonald’s is single handedly responsible for changing the food industry and moving people from beef to chicken. The Chicken McNugget has a unique crunch and flavor that none of the rivals have ever been able to match. This type of supply and demand sounds like a great shift for the American people right?

Well, unfortunately the massive surge and demand for chicken led to a scaling nightmare for chicken farming that can produce high quality chicken meat. The restaurant group works with a number of suppliers to source their chicken meat: Keystone Foods, Tyson Foods, OSI Group, and Cargill. Having multiple suppliers with strict guidelines is why you can walk into a McDonald’s and they’ll never tell you they are out of Chicken McNuggets (the same goes for their other meats).

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The Chicken McNugget is Loved By Celebrities

McDonald’s spends a lot of money on marketing and advertising, but if you have a product that is REALLY good (Tesla, Apple, Nike) sometimes the product speaks for itself with virility and free promotion by musicians and celebrities. Below are just a sample of celebs that are outspoken on their love for the McNugget.

• Katy Perry: The pop star has mentioned her fondness for McDonald’s, specifically citing Chicken McNuggets as a go-to snack.
• Kylie Jenner: In a video she posted on her social media, she has been seen enjoying McDonald’s, including Chicken McNuggets.
• Chrissy Teigen: Known for her love of food and cooking, Chrissy Teigen has shared several of her cravings on social media, including McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets.
• Justin Timberlake: He has talked about his love for McDonald’s in general in past interviews, and he was even part of a McDonald’s marketing campaign.
• Kim Kardashian: Kim Kardashian has been vocal about her McDonald’s favorites on her social media, mentioning Chicken McNuggets among other items.

McDonald’s has collaborated with several celebrities to create special “celebrity meals,” some of which feature Chicken McNuggets. These meals typically include the celebrity’s favorite McDonald’s items, often with unique packaging or limited-time sauces. Here are some examples:

• BTS Meal: Launched in 2021, the BTS Meal featured 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, and a medium Coke. The unique aspect of this meal was the inclusion of two new dipping sauces—Sweet Chili and Cajun—inspired by popular recipes from McDonald’s South Korea.
• Saweetie Meal: Also in 2021, McDonald’s introduced the Saweetie Meal, named after the rapper. This meal included a Big Mac, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, medium fries, medium Sprite, and Tangy BBQ Sauce. What made it unique was Saweetie’s suggestion to “remix” the meal by putting fries on the Big Mac or creating other combinations.
• J Balvin Meal: In 2020, McDonald’s partnered with Colombian singer J Balvin for a special meal that included a Big Mac, medium fries with ketchup, and an Oreo McFlurry. Although this meal didn’t include Chicken McNuggets, it was part of the same series of celebrity collaborations that included McNugget meals.

Cost Benefits of Making McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets

McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Recipe costs consumers approximately $6.49 per 6-piece package. With the cost of inflation, this number is only expected to rise. In comparison, you can make 12-16 (depending on the size) homemade chicken nuggets for about $6. Keep in mind that this may differ based on locale.

Here’s how that breaks down:

Nuggets:

• Ground chicken: $4.00/lb
• Salt: 2 teaspoons x $0.02 = $0.04
• Black pepper: 1 teaspoon x $0.10 = $0.10
• Garlic powder: 1 teaspoon x $0.10 = $0.10
• Smoked paprika: ½ teaspoon x $0.20 = $0.10
• Cayenne pepper: ¼ teaspoon x $0.20 = $0.05

Batter:

• Flour: 1 cup x $0.30 = $0.30
• Corn starch: ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (which is approximately 1/3 cup) x $0.15 = $0.20
• Salt: 2 teaspoons x $0.02 = $0.04
• Black pepper: ½ teaspoon x $0.10 = $0.05
• Garlic powder: ½ teaspoon x $0.10 = $0.05
• Smoked paprika: ½ teaspoon x $0.20 = $0.10
• Cayenne pepper: ¼ teaspoon x $0.20 = $0.05
• Egg: $0.20
• Soda water: $0.50

Grand Total: $4.39 (Nuggets) + $1.49 (Batter) = $5.88

Plus, you’re saving money on gas since you’re not leaving your home. What a difference!

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How to Make McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Recipe

Here’s how to make a tasty batch of McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets. 

Step One: Make the Chicken Nugget Mixture

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the ground chicken, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl until homogeneous. 

Step Two: Form the Nuggets

Scoop the chicken nugget mixture into 1-inch balls and flatten into nugget shapes. Place on the prepared baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. 

Step Three: Make the Batter

Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with oil and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350℉. Alternatively, you can use an electric deep fryer. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. 

Whisk in the egg and slowly add the soda water, a little at a time, so the bowl doesn’t overflow. At this point, your mixture will be thin and loose and resemble crepe batter. 

Step Four: Fry the McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets

Remove the chicken from the freezer. Working in batches of 4-5, dip each nugget into the batter twice, then transfer to the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until tan in color. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. 

Increase the oil’s temperature to 375℉ and return the nuggets to the oil, frying for 2 more minutes until brown and crispy. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate and let cool before digging in. 

What to Serve With McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Recipe

Serve your McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Recipe with your favorite ketchup, ranch, sweet ‘n sour, honey mustard, BBQ, or our Copycat McDonald’s Mambo Sauce. 

Storing Leftover McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Recipe

You can store leftover McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 4 months. 

McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Recipe

Get ready to cook up some McDonald's Chicken McNuggets in your own kitchen! We'll follow easy steps to mix, shape, and fry nuggets that taste just like the ones from McDonald's. Grab some basic ingredients, and you're ready to rock and roll. You'll learn how to make amazing nuggets from scratch, impressing everyone with your cooking skills. And then you can thank me later. 😎

• Electric Deep Fryer
• Parchment Paper

Chicken Nuggets

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• vegetable oil or grapeseed oil (for frying)

Chicken Nugget Batter

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch (plus 1 tablespoon)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
• 1 large egg
• 1 ⅓ cups soda water

Final Prep

• Dipping sauce of choice (for serving)

For the Nuggets

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne. Mix until well combined.

3. Scoop the chicken mixture into 1-inch balls and flatten into nugget shapes. Place on the prepared baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes, or until firm.

For the Batter

1. Fill a medium pot a little more than halfway with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat until the temperature reaches 350°F (180°C).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.

3. Whisk in the egg and slowly add the soda water, a little at a time, so the bowl doesn’t overflow. At this point, your mixture will be thin, loose, and resemble crepe batter.

4. Remove the chicken from the freezer. Working in batches of 4-5, dip each nugget into the batter twice, then transfer to the hot oil.

5. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until tan in color. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

6. Increase the oil’s temperature to 375℉ and return the nuggets to the oil, frying for 2 more minutes until brown and crispy.

7. Remove from the oil, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and let cool before digging in.

Main Course

American

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