✔ Updated · new method, step photos + make-ahead tips
These copycat McDonald’s chicken nuggets are made the way the real ones are: finely ground white chicken, shaped into the four classic shapes, dipped in a light tempura batter and fried until crisp and golden.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: freeze the shaped nuggets until firm before battering. Cold, firm nuggets keep their shape and stay juicy while the batter crisps.
Freezing the shaped nuggets before frying keeps them juicy, and a quick second fry at a higher heat gives that thin, crackly coating. Make a big batch, freeze the extras, and you have nuggets ready any night of the week.
Why You'll Love These Nuggets
- Just like the real McNuggets, with tender ground chicken inside a thin, crisp tempura coating.
- The four classic shapes, ball, bell, boot and bone, so they look the part too.
- Freezer friendly: fry a big batch, freeze the extras and reheat them in the air fryer.
How Does McDonald’s Make Chicken McNuggets?
McDonald’s says its Chicken McNuggets are made with white boneless chicken, coated in a light tempura batter, partially fried and quickly frozen, then cooked in the restaurant. That’s why they have a smooth, even inside and a thin, crisp shell rather than a breaded crust.
This recipe follows the same steps at home. The chicken is ground until fine, shaped, frozen, battered, then fried twice: once to set the batter and once to crisp it. You get the same texture without any special equipment beyond a food processor.
How to Make McDonald's Chicken Nuggets (Step-by-Step Photos)
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Don't over-blend. Pulse until the chicken is finely ground and sticky, not a smooth purée, so the nuggets stay tender.
- Freeze before frying. Firm, cold nuggets hold their shape in the batter and don't overcook while the coating crisps.
- Keep the batter cold. Ice-cold water or club soda gives the lightest, crispiest tempura coating.
- Fry twice. The first fry sets the batter; the second, hotter fry makes it crisp and golden.
- Use a thermometer. Keep the oil at 350°F, then 375°F, and check that the centers reach 165°F (74°C).
McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets (Copycat Recipe)
4
servings25
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minutesCopycat McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets: finely ground chicken breast shaped into the four classic shapes, frozen, dipped in a light tempura batter and double-fried until crisp and golden.
Ingredients
- For the Nuggets
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cornstarch, for dusting
- For the Tempura Batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional)
1 large egg
1 cup ice-cold water or club soda
- For Frying
6 cups neutral oil (canola or peanut), for deep frying
Directions
- Make and Shape the Nuggets
- Pulse the chicken, egg and salt in a food processor 10 to 15 times, until finely ground and sticky. Stop before it turns completely smooth.
- Spread the cornstarch on a plate and line a tray with parchment. With wet hands, shape heaping tablespoons of the mixture into the four classic shapes (ball, bell, boot and bone), about ½ inch thick. Dust each one in cornstarch and set it on the tray.
- Freeze the tray for 30 to 60 minutes, until the nuggets are firm. Frozen nuggets hold their shape and stay juicy in the hot oil.
- Batter and Fry
- Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C) in a heavy pot, at least 2 inches deep.
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, salt and mustard powder. Whisk in the egg and ice-cold water until smooth, like thin pancake batter.
- Dip the frozen nuggets in the batter, let the excess drip off, and fry in batches for about 3 minutes, until pale golden. Drain on a wire rack.
- Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the nuggets again for 1 to 2 minutes, until deep golden and crisp, and the centers reach 165°F (74°C). Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces.
Recipe Video
Notes
- If it is hot outside and you want to make a big batch of chicken nuggets, place each filled baking sheet in the fridge as chicken that stands outside for hours can become hazardous.
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Variations and Make-Ahead
- Air fryer: skip the wet batter. Dust the frozen nuggets in seasoned flour, spray with oil and air fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway, until 165°F inside.
- Make ahead: after the first fry, cool the nuggets, freeze them on a tray, then bag them. Reheat from frozen in a 400°F air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes or a 425°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Spicy: add ½ teaspoon of cayenne and 1 teaspoon of paprika to the batter.
- Dipping sauces: make our McDonald's BBQ sauce, hot mustard or Szechuan sauce, or see all McDonald's dipping sauces.
- Got leftovers from the drive-thru? Here's how to reheat McDonald's chicken nuggets so they stay crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are McDonald's Chicken McNuggets made of?
McDonald's says they're made with white boneless chicken, coated in a light tempura batter, partially fried and frozen, then cooked in the restaurant. This copycat uses ground chicken breast and a homemade tempura batter.
Why do you freeze the nuggets before frying?
Freezing firms up the ground chicken so the nuggets keep their shape in the batter and the hot oil. The inside stays juicy while the coating crisps.
Can I make McDonald's chicken nuggets in an air fryer?
Yes, but use a dry coating instead of the wet batter. Dust the frozen nuggets in seasoned flour, spray with oil and air fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until 165°F inside.
What are the four McNugget shapes?
The four classic shapes are the ball, the bell, the boot and the bone (sometimes called the bow-tie). Shaping them at home is easiest with wet hands.
How do I store and reheat homemade nuggets?
Refrigerate cooked nuggets for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 400°F air fryer or a 425°F oven until hot and crisp; the microwave makes them soggy.
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These sound so wonderful. I know my grandchildren would love them.
My daughter would love this recipe!
A1
My son would love them!
Delicious!
sounds yummy and easy!
I’m definitely trying this recipe
This sounds amazing. I can’t wait to try it
Very delicious!
Much Better than McD’s
My son would love this
Looks Easy
These look yummy!
Recipe sounded good but was EXTREMELY bland and took forever in the air fryer…. My family and I didn’t even make them very big but they took forever to crisp up! This might be good in the deep fryer but it’s not worth it and is gross because of how bland it is.. don’t recommend
Thanks for the honest feedback, Jenna. The wet batter was the problem in the air fryer, so we’ve added a separate air fryer method: dust the frozen nuggets in seasoned flour, spray with oil and air fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes. For more flavor, salt them as soon as they’re done or try the spicy variation, and I’ve passed on your note about the seasoning.
This recipe sounds good! It would be great for meal prepping.
I will definitely be trying this recipe for my grandchildren.
I’m giving this recipe a 5…now I need to make it
They look way better than McDonalds
These sound so awesome! I will surely try it.
Made these tonight. A couple words of caution.
1. Don’t make them too big. I used a full spoon for mine. Before I cooked them they were about the right size, afterwards they were HUGE!
2. Dunking them is the batter is a royal pain.
The flavor was spot on, just made mine too big.
All of my kids Love these!
Can you cook them in an air fryer instead of oil? If so how long for?
Absolutely, great thing about the air fryer is I find they turn out really tender & juicy. About 6-7 minutes is all you’ll need in the air fryer and they’ll become crispy quickly. I’d recommend pre-heating the airfryer first for 8-10 minutes.
Thank you so much. I can’t wait to try them.
Are chicken fillets the same as boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or are they just thin cutlets or scaloppines?
Umm….. freezing stage now but the prep far exceeds 10 mins!!! Its been almost an hour between shaping and dipping like its a mess. Hope they are worth it! Ill be back to let everyone know how they turn out.
Thanks for letting us know, Elisabeth! You’re right that 10 minutes was far too short, so we’ve updated the card to 25 minutes of prep plus 30 to 60 minutes in the freezer, about 1 hour 25 minutes in total. Shaping gets quicker with wet hands once you get the hang of it, and I hope they were worth the wait!
I am not a fan of white meat, but grind it up into chicken nuggets and voila!!! These are fantastic!
Could this be done in the oven or would it come out weird?
Do you think it would work the same with bought minced chicken as opposed to blending the breast myself?
Hi I am planning to make this for the kids tomorrow, and I just went out and bought mustard, got home and then though is she talking about English Mustard ? or that Yellow squeezy American mustard (the stuff you put on hotdogs ? 🙂 which I am not sure is real mustard 🙂 = many thanks for reply 🙂
Made these for my granddaughter and they turned out so good. I used an air fryer for mine.
The cornstarch gives the breading a KFC crispy when you fry them. I noticed when they were baked it came out exactly like McD’s… But better!!
These were fantastic! The only thing I did different was use pre-ground chicken. I will definitely be making these again, in a larger batch to freeze some!
Glad to hear you enjoyed these Sara.
This recipe looks great, and I can’t wait to try it. What kind of oil is best for these?
I find peanut oil works best for frying. It takes a lot longer for it to burn like other oils.
Thanks for the tip, Lori! Peanut oil is a great choice for these, which is why the recipe lists canola or peanut oil. Its high smoke point helps it hold steady at 350°F and then 375°F for the second fry.
By golly these are chicken McNuggets! As the author states, they are a little tedious to make the first time. Next time I’ll know what I’m doing. Husband wants me to use this batter for other fried food. He loved it so much.
I have a gluten allergy so I used an all purpose gluten free flour instead but these came out AMAZING! I didn’t fry them twice, I fried it once and put it in the oven at 385 for 8 mins but I will definitely be making this again. They tasted just like McDonalds nuggets
Thank you so much for the comment. Really good to hear the recipe worked out well for you and proving they can turn out well when you change up the recipe slightly.
It only says three fillets but I need to know how many pounds chicken breast come in different sizes
Good point, Angela! We’ve updated the recipe to list the chicken by weight: 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breast. A typical breast is 6 to 8 oz, so that’s about 2 average breasts.
I am making these for my daughter this weekend. Trying to break unhealthy habits as McDonald’s chicken nuggets, fries and a Dr. pepper is her absolute favorite meal. I will be trying the air fryer method. Can’t wait to follow up.
i’ve made these before tasty. can i use ground turkey instead?
Glad you enjoyed them! Yes, ground turkey works: pulse it with the egg and salt as written, and since it’s softer, make sure the nuggets are frozen firm before battering. As with chicken, cook until the centers reach 165°F.
Excellent recipe they turned out great! One thing I did differently, though, was to split up the freezing time. After shaping and coating the nuggets in corn starch (I suggest making them a little smaller than you think they should be) lay them out on a parchment lined cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. This way they’ll be partially frozen when you dip them in the batter and it makes the job much easier and less messy. After coating each nugget in the batter return them to their spot on the parchment lined cookie sheet, cover once more with plastic wrap, and put them back in the freezer for the remaining 30-40 minutes before cooking. I also found that, so long as I’m deep frying them in batches of 6 (and they aren’t more than a 1/4″ thick) I don’t need to fry them twice, they get perfectly done by just putting them in oil and setting a 5 minute timer.
Has anyone tried this with an egg replacer? Either way, can anyone recommend an ideal egg replacer for these (flax eggs, or aquafaba, etc.)?
We haven’t tested an egg replacer, so I can’t promise results. In the batter you can try leaving the egg out and using a little extra ice-cold club soda. In the chicken mixture the egg helps bind, so a flax egg or about 3 tablespoons of aquafaba is the swap to try, but expect slightly softer nuggets.
Followed the recipe and instructions to a T and these were AWFUL. Absolute mess to make, the batter is too thick and coats beyond what it should, and the flavor is just off. Frying them twice for the suggested time, at the suggested temp, made them way too dark. Would never use this recipe again!
I’m sorry they didn’t work out, Stacy, and thanks for the detailed feedback. We’ve updated the recipe: the batter is now a thin, pancake-style tempura made with ice-cold water. The first fry is just 3 minutes at 350°F until pale golden, and the second is 1 to 2 minutes at 375°F, so they don’t come out too dark.
Made this and I loved the flavor! I just can’t get the frying right… my nuggets burned as soon as they touched the oil and the inside was still raw. Can these be adjusted for over baking? If so, what do you recommend for temperature and cooking time?
So glad you loved the flavor! Burning outside and raw inside usually means the oil is too hot, so use a thermometer and keep it at 350°F for the first fry. We haven’t tested a baked version, but for the oven, skip the wet batter and use the dry coating from our air fryer method. Bake on an oiled rack at 425°F for about 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until the centers reach 165°F.
Making these now!! Question it states in the recipe 1 1/2 cups of cornstarch (decided) ? Do I add the other half to the batter mixture?
Good question! We’ve updated the recipe so it’s clearer: use 1/2 cup of cornstarch for dusting the shaped nuggets and 1/2 cup in the tempura batter.
We did not care for these. The flavor isn’t bad but they definitely don’t taste like McDonald’s and the meat is kind of crumbly and dry. My breading never got crispy even with a double fry. Overall I would say not worth the effort or mess.
Thanks for the honest feedback, Layla. We’ve updated the method: pulse the chicken only until finely ground and sticky, freeze the nuggets until firm, and use a thin, ice-cold tempura batter. Then fry at 350°F for 3 minutes and again at 375°F for 1 to 2 minutes, for a juicier center and a much crisper coating.
Made these they were great! Was in a rush and didn’t freeze first and they came out excellent! Just have the oil hot and ready!
Love this, Amanda, thanks for the tip! Very hot oil is key, so keep it at 350°F for the first fry and check that the centers reach 165°F.
How many lbs does 3 chicken fillets equal?
Good question! We’ve updated the recipe to list 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breast. A typical breast is 6 to 8 oz, so that’s about 2 average breasts or 3 smaller fillets.
Can’t figure out why the cornstarch is divided.
Good catch, Breanne! We’ve updated the recipe so the cornstarch is listed clearly in two parts: 1/2 cup for dusting the shaped nuggets and 1/2 cup in the tempura batter.
Wow! These are amazing! I was skeptical, forming them was more difficult than I anticipated. But I trusted the process… and there’s no way you can tell me these aren’t McNuggets! I haven’t had McDonald’s in years, but these have been a pregnancy craving and I am more than satisfied! I think I’m going to keep some frozen and ready to go!
This made me smile, Erika! I’m so glad they hit the spot for your pregnancy cravings. Freezing a batch is a great idea: fry them once, freeze them on a tray, then reheat from frozen in a 400°F air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes.
This is not what I expected ! I air fried them and the crust is like a dumpling dough, not crispy👎😒. The filling is good but I don’t recommend airfrying.
Thanks for the honest feedback, and sorry they didn’t come out crisp! A wet tempura batter just doesn’t set in an air fryer, so we’ve updated the recipe with a separate air fryer method. Skip the wet batter, dust the frozen nuggets in seasoned flour, spray them with oil and air fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway, until 165°F inside.
May I know approximately what weight for the chicken fillet? Thank you.
Great question! We’ve updated the recipe to list the chicken by weight: 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breast. A typical breast is 6 to 8 oz, so that’s about 2 average breasts (or 3 smaller fillets).