Recipes Chef John's Buffalo Chicken Nuggets 4.7 (11) 8 Reviews 2 Photos A real chicken nugget, at least in the fast food context, is not just a small solid piece of chicken. It's more of a deep-fried, mostly-chicken sausage patty, fabricated from various parts of the bird, such as every legal part. But I like to use chicken thighs. By John Mitzewich John Mitzewich John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on October 10, 2019 Save Rate Print Share 2 Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 5 mins Additional Time: 1 hr 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Servings: 8 Yield: 24 nuggets Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs 2 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®) ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon Buffalo-style hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's® RedHot) 1 tablespoon melted butter Starch Coating: ½ cup cornstarch ⅓ cup self-rising flour ¼ teaspoon salt Directions Place chicken thighs in bowl of a food processor. Add breadcrumbs, kosher salt, paprika, pepper, seafood seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Drizzle in hot sauce and melted butter. Pulse on and off until mixture becomes a coarse paste with very few big chunks, about 18 pulses. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicon mat. Scoop out 24 portions of the chicken mixture with a small ice-cream scoop and place on mat. Cover sheet with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. (Or place pan in freezer for 15 minutes.) Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cornstarch, self-rising flour, and salt into a quart-size zip-top plastic bag. Shake bag to mix thoroughly. Place 3 or 4 scoops of chilled chicken mixture into the bag; shake gently to coat and place on parchment-lined pan. Repeat with the rest of the nuggets. Shape them into flattened ovals, about 5/8-inch thick. Refrigerate pan overnight or until starch on surface is absorbed, flipping over once while they're in the fridge. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Fry nuggets in batches for 1 minute. Drain on a rack over a baking sheet; chill about 1 hour or until you're ready to serve them. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fry the nuggets a second time in batches for 2 minutes. Drain on rack. Tips Chef's Notes: The exact cook time of the nuggets depends on the size and shape. I like to serve these with celery sticks and a bowl of blue cheese dressing mixed with Frank's hot sauce. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 228 Calories 11g Fat 18g Carbs 13g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 228 % Daily Value * Total Fat 11g 14% Saturated Fat 4g 18% Cholesterol 57mg 19% Sodium 767mg 33% Total Carbohydrate 18g 7% Dietary Fiber 1g 3% Total Sugars 0g Protein 13g 26% Vitamin C 2mg 2% Calcium 33mg 3% Iron 1mg 7% Potassium 134mg 3% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption. Powered by the ESHA Research Database © 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved