Spicy Chicken Nuggets

This is my go-to spicy chicken nugget recipe. I keep a big batch of the seasoning on-hand in the pantry. The chicken comes out slightly crispy, with an out-of-this-world flavor that’s just a tad smoky and spicy. I serve them with whatever dipping sauce I have on hand, which is usually out of a bottle of wing sauce I have in the fridge. Wing sauces were made for nuggets, too.

Spicy Chicken Nuggets

A Great Batter For Chicken Sandwiches Too!

This approach for making spicy chicken nuggets also makes for absolutely great chicken sandwiches. Just use thin-slices of chicken breast instead of bite-sized cubes. Fry them up (they’ll take a bit longer than the nuggets to cook through). Place them on hamburger buns with spicy mayonnaise, lettuce, onion and tomato. Sit down and enjoy one heck of a sandwich.

I make these in my go-to fryer, a Fry Daddy.

I use a pretty straight-forward air fryer, that doesn’t have a lot of bells (ok, it has a bell for when the timer goes off!) and whistles. It gets the job done.
Spicy Chicken Nuggets
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Spicy Chicken Nuggets

This is my go-to spicy chicken nugget recipe. I keep a big batch of the seasoning on-hand in the pantry.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken nuggets, spicy
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 223kcal

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk
  • hot sauce optional, but nice
  • 2 small chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized bites
  • oil for frying

For the seasoning

Instructions

For the chicken

  • Place the chicken breast pieces into a shallow dish. Add the buttermilk and hot sauce, if using. Turn the chicken pieces a few times to coat.
  • Let chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Make the seasoning (see below).
  • Heat oil to 350 F in a Dutch oven, skillet or deep fryer.
  • Working in batches if needed, remove chicken bites from the marinade. Shake off excess and transfer to the seasoning. Coat well on all sides.
  • Transfer to the hot oil and fry 5-6 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked thoroughly. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  • Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

For the seasoning

  • In a shallow baking dish or large resealable bag or container, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Whisk together.
  • Add in a few tablespoons of the buttermilk from the chicken marinade and mix.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 734mg | Potassium: 427mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 696IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.