Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp chick-flavoured broth powder (optional)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 4 cups neutral oil for frying
• 1 tsp chick-flavoured broth powder (optional)

Method

Salt the chicken thigh pieces and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 2 hours. This isn't seasoning theatre — the salt dissolves into the muscle tissue, denatures the myosin proteins, and allows them to retain moisture during the violent heat of deep-frying. Without this brining window, your nuggets will be dense and dry at the centre.

Pulse the cold chicken with the spices in a food processor until you reach a uniform paste — the friction generates heat, but cold meat stays emulsified. This isn't a coarse texture; you're building a batter-like slurry that will bind into nuggets with structural integrity. Shape into rough 1.5-cm-thick patties and lay them on a greased tray.

Whisk the flour, cornstarch and baking powder together. This is your dredge base. The cornstarch replaces some gluten and creates a crispier crust because it gelatinises at a lower temperature than wheat flour. The baking powder introduces carbonic acid gas, which expands during frying and lightens the crust. Mix the water into the dry ingredients to form a thin slurry — the consistency should coat a nugget and run slightly, not cling. You now have a batter-coating that will trap steam and crust simultaneously.

Heat your oil to 160°C. This is the first fry, where you cook through without burning the exterior. Submerge half the nuggets in the batter, let excess drip, and slide them into the oil. They'll drop and float within 10 seconds; flip every 30 seconds. You're watching for the moment the batter firms and the nugget develops a pale, spongy crust — roughly 4 to 5 minutes. The interior should yield to a fork without resistance. Fish them out onto a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batch.

Raise the oil to 190°C. Return all nuggets to the hot oil for a second fry lasting about 3 to 4 minutes, flipping as they go. This is where the maillard-reaction deepens the colour to mahogany and builds the crackling shell. Watch for deep golden brown and a slight hollow sound when you tap them. Drain on the rack for 2 minutes before serving. The residual heat will set the crust as moisture evaporates.