Homemade Chicken Nuggets -- The From-Scratch Recipe Three Generations of Snobbery Perfected

Jennifer called on Tuesday and asked, in the careful voice of a woman trying not to sound desperate, if Marvin and I could take the kids for the weekend. Both kids. Including the baby. David has a medical conference in Boston and Jennifer needs a break that involves sleeping past six a.m. and eating a meal with two hands. I said yes before she finished the sentence. Marvin said, "You just committed us to a weekend with a two-year-old and a four-month-old." I said, "Yes." He said, "I'm going to need more coffee." He wasn't wrong.

Ethan arrived Friday afternoon with the intensity of a small person who considers his grandparents' house an adventure park. He went directly for the wooden spoon drawer. He knows his priorities. Sophie arrived in Jennifer's arms, wide-eyed and smelling like baby powder, which is the most optimistic smell in the world — the smell of new things, clean slates, all the soup she hasn't eaten yet.

I cooked for two days straight. For Ethan: chicken nuggets made from scratch because I do not buy frozen nuggets, I make them, with real chicken breast pounded thin and breaded and fried, and if this makes me a snob then I am a snob, and Sylvia was a snob, and our snobbery has produced excellent chicken nuggets for three generations. Ethan ate four. He said "more" with his mouth full. Sylvia would have been proud.

For Sophie: a bottle. She does not eat chicken nuggets. She is four months old. But she watched me cook with those dark, serious eyes that already look like they are evaluating something, and I choose to believe she was filing notes for future reference. Someday, Sophie. Someday you'll stand in this kitchen and I will teach you everything.

Saturday morning I made pancakes. Not from a mix — from scratch, with buttermilk and eggs and a dash of vanilla, because Sylvia did not believe in mixes and I carry her beliefs the way some people carry grudges: firmly and forever. Ethan ate pancakes shaped like circles because my artistic skills are limited. Marvin ate pancakes shaped like pancakes because he is sixty-seven and does not require shapes. Sophie slept through breakfast, which was a mercy, because the morning was already loud enough.

By Sunday evening, Marvin and I were exhausted in the beautiful, specific way of people who have spent two days being loved by small humans. Jennifer picked them up. She looked rested. She hugged me for a long time. I said, "Anytime." Marvin said, "Maybe next month." He was asleep by eight. I cleaned the kitchen and found a wooden spoon under the couch. Ethan's legacy. I put it back in the drawer and smiled.

After a weekend of pancakes and wooden spoons under the couch, I wanted to send Ethan and Sophie home with something that felt like a gift—something they’d ask for by name the next time. Chicken nuggets, homemade ones, seemed exactly right: humble enough for a Sunday afternoon, special enough to matter. I used the buttermilk still sitting on the counter from Saturday’s breakfast, because Sylvia also didn’t believe in waste, and neither do I. Here’s how I made them.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs (or panko for extra crunch)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 large eggs
• Neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola), about 1 1/2 cups

Instructions

1. Pound and cut. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into roughly 1 1/2-inch pieces—not perfectly uniform, which is exactly what makes them look homemade.
2. Brine in buttermilk. Combine buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and black pepper in a bowl. Add chicken pieces, toss to coat, and let sit at least 15 minutes at room temperature (or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator).
3. Set up your dredging station. In one shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. In a second bowl, combine flour with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a third bowl, mix breadcrumbs with dried thyme.
4. Dredge. Working in batches, lift chicken from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge in seasoned flour, dip in egg, then press firmly into breadcrumbs until well coated on all sides.
5. Heat the oil. Pour oil into a large, heavy skillet (cast iron is ideal) to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 350°F, or until a pinch of breadcrumbs sizzles immediately on contact.
6. Fry in batches. Add nuggets without crowding—work in two or three batches. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; do not drain on paper towels, which steams the crust.
7. Rest and serve. Let rest 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Serve with honey mustard, ketchup, or the quiet satisfaction of knowing exactly what went into them.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 610mg