Buffalo Chicken Nuggets are the ultimate levelled up nuggets! Tender and moist nuggets in the most crispy and delicious corn flake breading. Tossed in buffalo sauce and served with ranch to dip.
Buffalo Chicken Nuggets Recipe
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Everyone loves chicken nuggets. They are not always the most healthy option but when you make them at home you can control exactly what goes in them and they are a healthy high protein meal!
We are huge fangs of chicken nuggets! If you love nuggets are much as we do you also have to try our Copycat McDonald's McNuggets. PS - did you know you can make chicken parmesan sliders with chicken nuggets for a quick and easy dinner?!
What Are Buffalo Chicken Nuggets
Buffalo Chicken Nuggets are the best levelled up nuggets. Homemade nuggets are protein packed and made with ground chicken. The chicken is seasoned with garlic, onion, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Buffalo sauce is mixed into the chicken to keep it extra moist and flavor packed.
The breading on these nuggets is healthier than takeout. It's made with corn flakes and panko breadcrumbs. The nuggets are air fried, baked or pan fried and then tossed in buffalo sauce and served with ranch (or blue cheese) to dip!
What to Serve with this Dish
- Loaded twice Baked Potatoes
- Baked Potato Slices
- Greek Feta Potato Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Greek Beet Salad
Ingredients
- Ground Chicken - store-bought ground chicken is a healthy, lean and high protein meat. Making your nuggets at home means you can control what goes in them without any added fillers. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs and/or breast and purée it in a food processor.
- Buffalo Sauce - one of our favorite sauces! It's mixed into the ground chicken which helps keep the chicken extremely moist and flavorful. The nuggets are also tossed in the buffalo sauce. You can use store-bought or homemade.
- Garlic & Onion Powder - used to season the ground chicken. Fresh garlic is overpowering in nuggets so we recommended powdered.
- Smoked Paprika - adds a nice smokey flavor that compliments the buffalo sauce.
- Corn Flakes - this cereal is a secret weapon in the kitchen! Everyone knows about Italian bread crumbs and panko bread crumbs but corn flakes are the real secret here!! Once you crush them up they have the most amazing crunchy and flakey texture. They are perfect for chicken nuggets, chicken strips, and fish (we love our corn flake crusted fish recipe!)
- Panko Bread Crumbs - mixed in with the corn flakes to give the nuggets and extra crispy texture.
- Salt & Pepper - used to season both the chicken and breading
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Nuggets
Full Printable Recipe at Bottom of page
Prepare the Nuggets
- In a medium sized bowl combine all of the chicken nuggets ingredients. Mix until evenly combined. Set aside while you prepare the breading.
- In a shallow bowl add the corn flakes. Use your hands to crush the corn flakes into very small pieces. Add the panko breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop the chicken mixture and roll it into a meatball. Then gently flatten the meatball to shape the chicken nugget. Repeat until all nuggets are shaped. The recipe will make around 25-30 nuggets.
- One at a time, coat each chicken nugget in the breading, use your hands to gently press the breading into the chicken to ensure it sticks.
Cook the Nuggets
- AIR FRYER COOKING METHOD
Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Working in batches, add 8-10 chicken nuggets to your air fryer at a time (do not overlap or stack the nuggets, only add enough for an even layer). Spray the nuggets with cooking spray on both sides. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
PAN FRIED COOKING METHOD
In a large skillet or deep pot, heat enough oil on medium-high heat to come 2” up the sides (about 1-2 cups of oil depending on the size of your pan). Working in batches, carefully place the nuggets in a single layer into the heated oil and fry for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Remove the nuggets from the oil and drain on paper towel or wire rack.
OVEN BAKED COOKING METHOD
Preheat oven to 400°F Line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray with with cooking spray. Place the chicken nuggets on the sheet pan leaving a space between them. Spray the tops and sides with cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes, then flip the nuggets and bake for another 6 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). - While the nuggets are cooking, prepare the buffalo sauce. If using store bought skip this step. In a small bowl combine the melted butter and hot sauce. Stir until evenly combined.
- Once the nuggets are cooked, add them to a large bowl. Pour the buffalo sauce over top and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing to dip. Enjoy! (Optional, garnish with sliced chives or green onions).
Tips for the Best Nuggets
- Chicken - for the most tender and moist nuggets you can use either store-bought ground chicken or grind your own at home. Just add boneless skinless chicken breast and thighs into a food process and purée it. We recommend using a combination of white meat (chicken breast) and dark meat (chicken thighs) for the best texture. For an even leaner nugget you an use 100% chicken breast.
- Breading - for the breading make sure you crush the corn flakes into small pieces. IF the pieces are too big they won't stick to the nuggets. After shaping the nuggets place them into the prepared breading. Gently use your hands to press the breading into the chicken meat. This ensure a nice even coating.
- Buffalo Sauce - the nuggets are extra crispy thanks to the corn flakes and panko. After saucing the nuggets, leftovers will lose their crunch. If you are making a batch for meal prep, or you think you will have leftovers (the recipe makes 25-30 nuggets), we recommend only saucing the nuggets you plan on eating in one sitting. Store leftovers in the fridge and then toss in the sauce when you are ready to serve.
FAQ
To reheat cooked nuggets and maintain crispness, you can reheat in the air fryer or oven at 350ºF until warmed through for about 3-4 minutes. You can also microwave the nuggets for about 30-45 seconds but they will no longer be crispy.
Store cooled nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last up to 4 days.
Yes! This recipe is great for make ahead. For best results, prepare the chicken nuggets and cook them but do not toss them in the buffalo sauce. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to serve. Reheat in the air fryer, oven, or microwave and then toss in the buffalo sauce. This is the best way to keep the nuggets crispy if making them ahead. You can also fully cook the nuggets and freeze them, then reheat and toss in the sauce
Yes! These are freezer friendly! Follow the recipe as usual and cook the nuggets but do not toss them in the buffalo sauce. Store the cooled cooked nuggets a freezer safe bag or container. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat the cooked nuggets, reheat from frozen in the air fryer at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes or in the oven oven at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through. Toss in the buffalo sauce and enjoy!
To make this recipe gluten free use a gluten free cereal for the breading and/or gluten free breadcrumbs of choice.
For a dairy free recipe, use a buffalo sauce that is dairy free.
More Fun Chicken Dinners
- Hunan Chicken
- Louisiana Chicken Pasta (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Skewers
- Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
Enjoy!
- Sab
Buffalo Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
- Cooking spray (or cooking oil of choice)
- 1 cup Buffalo sauce (or 1 cup hot sauce plus 3 tablespoon melted butter)
- Ranch (or Blue Cheese Sauce, for dipping)
Chicken Nuggets
- 2 lb ground chicken
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon buffalo sauce
Breading
- 2 cups Corn Flakes Cereal
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl combine all of the chicken nuggets ingredients. Mix until evenly combined. Set aside while you prepare the breading.
- In a shallow bowl add the corn flakes. Use your hands to crush the corn flakes into very small pieces. Add the panko breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop the chicken mixture and roll it into a meatball. Then gently flatten the meatball to shape the chicken nugget. Repeat until all nuggets are shaped. The recipe will make around 25-30 nuggets.
- One at a time, coat each chicken nugget in the breading, use your hands to gently press the breading into the chicken to ensure it sticks.
- AIR FRYER COOKING METHODPreheat air fryer to 400°F. Working in batches, add 8-10 chicken nuggets to your air fryer at a time (do not overlap or stack the nuggets, only add enough for an even layer). Spray the nuggets with cooking spray on both sides. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).PAN FRIED COOKING METHODIn a large skillet or deep pot, heat enough oil on medium-high heat to come 2” up the sides (about 1-2 cups of oil depending on the size of your pan). Working in batches, carefully place the nuggets in a single layer into the heated oil and fry for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Remove the nuggets from the oil and drain on paper towel or wire rack.OVEN BAKED COOKING METHODPreheat oven to 400°F Line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray with with cooking spray. Place the chicken nuggets on the sheet pan leaving a space between them. Spray the tops and sides with cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes, then flip the nuggets and bake for another 6 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
- While the nuggets are cooking, prepare the buffalo sauce. If using store bought skip this step. In a small bowl combine the melted butter and hot sauce. Stir until evenly combined.
- Once the nuggets are cooked, add them to a large bowl. Pour the buffalo sauce over top and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately with ranch or blue cheese dressing to dip. Enjoy! (Optional, garnish with sliced chives or green onions).
Nutrition
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