If you live in the South, you know all about Chick-fil-A. Even after being a vegetarian for years, I found myself still craving their chicken and lemonade! When we moved to the North and I started adding meat back into my diet, I wondered how I could get the golden goodness of their chicken delivered. Now that we’re back home and with the restaurant so close, I still barely get to sink my teeth into one of their sandwiches or popping a nugget. But that’s okay, because, I think I’ve come pretty close to making their signature chicken nuggets at home.
We have this dish about every three months. It curbs a craving and it’s a lot friendly on our budget.
The secret to a great Chick-fil-A Copy Cat flavor lies in two stages of the recipe. While marinating the chicken in a variety of spices, it is essential to use pickle juice. Yes. P-I-C-K-L-E J-U-I-C-E. It makes the chicken juicy and tangy. And let me repeat: season the chicken too. What ever dish you’re making, you should always season the chicken too, not just the batter. Got it?
Okay, so, I generously seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper, seasoning salt, celery salt, and dill. Then, after mixing it up, I covered the whole thing in milk (with vinegar, because I’m a bad Southern Girl and have no buttermilk. I recommended buttermilk.) and pickle juice. Marinate over night.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, combine flour, powdered sugar, and brown sugar in a shallow bowl. Heat oil in a dutch oven until it’s hot, but not burning. Coat your chicken in the flour mixture and brown in oil. Two minutes on one side, two minutes on the other side, and drain on a paper towel. Then eat up a few before the kids get their hands on them!
Sweet, crunchy goodness |
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