Homemade Chicken Nuggets with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

I was so in love with this meal I pushed it to the front of my queue so I could share it with you guys right away.

Chicken nuggets are usually thought of as kid food, but who doesn't love crispy, crunchy chicken? I can tell you it's always a hit in this house. And to toot my own horn a bit, I'm really good at frying chicken, at least boneless chicken. Juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside. I've been wanting to make homemade chicken nuggets and I searched for a good recipe for awhile before Our Best Bites published this one.

Yes, this isn't a healthy meal but there's just nothing like fried chicken, is there? You just don't get that same result with baking. Everything in moderation is my motto. The buttermilk and pickle juice marinade is key here. It imparted a delicious, subtly briny tang. I served the nuggets with cheesy zucchini rice, a side dish I always forget I love and kick myself for not making more often.

The homemade honey mustard was the perfect sauce for dipping. SP threw it together while I was finishing up the last batch of chicken and we all loved it. The original recipe calls for lemon juice but we didn't have any so we left it out and it was perfect as-is.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets
As seen on Our Best Bites

1 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup dill pickle juice
3/4 cup buttermilk
Tabasco sauce (I didn't have any)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
2 cups panko
Canola, vegetable or peanut oil

Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. In a gallon-sized food storage bag, combine pickle juice, buttermilk, and about 10 dashes of Tabasco sauce (if using, I didn't have any so I didn't use it and these were still amazing). Add the chicken and seal the bag, then refrigerate it for 1-4 hours.

When ready to cook, whisk together 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, the flour, baking soda, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika in a large plastic food storage bag. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and water. Add the panko to a third shallow bowl. Begin heating about 2 inches of the oil in a heavy pot.

Place the chicken pieces into the flour and shake to coat. Roll the chicken in the egg, then roll to coat in the Panko. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

When the oil reaches 350 degrees, place 1/3 of the coated chicken pieces in the pan and cook, stirring gently and frequently, until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes). Drain the cooked chicken on a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Serve immediately.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Modified from All Recipes

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey

Mix together in a bowl. Serve immediately or cover and chill.