A Table Full Of Joy

  • 4th of July Recipes
  • Entree Recipes
  • Side Dish Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 4th of July Recipes
  • Entree Recipes
  • Side Dish Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 4th of July Recipes
    • Entree Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • About Me
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Poultry Recipes

    Grilled Chicken Nuggets

    Published: Jan 22, 2025 by Lisa Killian · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my  disclosure policy.

    ↓ Jump to Recipe
    ↓ Jump to Video

    Grilled Chicken Nuggets, an easy and delicious meal or snack! This recipe is perfect for those who love Chick-fil-a’s grilled chicken nuggets but want to make them at home!

    Grilled Chicken Nuggets on plate with fries in background
    These chicken nuggets are so tasty!

    Normally, I am a crispy chicken strip kind of person. However, I’ve lately come to really enjoy Chick-fil-a’s grilled chicken nuggets, and I figured I should probably learn to make them myself so I don’t spend all my money on takeout!

    A few years ago I made a tasty grilled chicken sandwich recipe (with a homemade chick-fil-a sauce!) and so I figured it was time to brush off my research skills and figure out how to make a delicious grilled chicken nugget dupe.

    Grilled Chicken Nuggets on white plate
    These are so quick and easy to make!

    Why I love this recipe:

    • Chicken is a great healthy snack.
    • It gives you a lot of protein while keeping calories manageable.
    • It’s delicious and easy to make (probably the most important to me!).

    Ingredients You Will Need

    • Chicken Breast- Boneless Skinless
    • Seasoning- Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt, Powdered Sugar, Paprika, Dried Parsley
    • Brine- Apple Cider Vinegar, Milk
    Grilled Chicken Nuggets ingredients
    With just a few ingredients you can make these grilled chicken nuggets!

    Does Chick-Fil-a use pickle juice to brine their nuggets?

    The short answer is no. A while back a rumor started that they used pickle juice to brine their chicken which is false.

    Pickle juice is typically white vinegar with spices. Chick-fil-a actually uses apple cider vinegar to tenderize their tasty nuggets.

    Similar but not the same.

    Actual ingredients to chick-fil-a chicken nuggets: Chicken (boneless skinless chicken breast, water, apple cider vinegar, soybean oil, modified corn starch, salt, yeast extract, sugar, chicken breast meat, chicken broth, dehydrated onion, dehydrated garlic, sea salt, cane molasses, spices, chicken fat, natural flavor [including smoke], lemon peel, red bell pepper, paprika, lemon juice concentrate, parsley and vinegar solids, xanthan gum, and calcium disodium EDTA [to protect quality]).

    Grilled Chicken Nugget dipped in sauce
    I love dipping these in some honey mustard dipping sauce!

    Can you use pickle juice to brine chicken?

    Yep. The acid from the vinegar in the pickle juice will help to tenderize the meat. Just swap out the vinegar and salt in this recipe for pickle juice.

    Let’s talk really quick about the chicken I used. Good Ranchers sent me a box of their chicken and it is amazing.

    Raw chicken breast on plate
    This chicken comes individually packaged and frozen in perfect portions!

    I shared my love of their steak when I used it in this steak pasta recipe, and I am happy to report their chicken is delicious too!

    Good Ranchers sends you a box of meat via a subscription straight to your door. ALL the meat is sourced from American ranchers.

    Save this for later!

    We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Don't worry, I promise not to spam you!

    Not only do they support ranchers locally but they also donate 10 meals to a food shelter per box sold! Truly an amazing company with an amazing product!

    They gave me a code if you guys wanted to try the meat! Use code JOY at checkout for $30 off your subscription and free shipping! Super sweet!

    How to make grilled chicken nuggets?

    • Cube the chicken into nugget size.
    • Combine spices in a small bowl and set aside.
    • In a medium bowl combine apple sider vinegar and milk. Then stir in ½  tbs of the spice mixture.
    spices mixed
    cubed raw chicken
    adding spices to brine
    brine with spices mixed in
    I like to add some seasoning to the brine for extra flavor!
    • Add the chicken to the brine and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
    • Remove from marinade, pat dry, then toss with remaining spice mixture.
    • Heat your grill, pan, or oven then cook for 3-4 minutes each side.
    • Nuggets are done when they are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
    chicken in brine
    chicken with seasoning on it
    Grilled Chicken Nuggets in pan before being cooked

    Why mix apple cider and milk together for the marinade?

    The vinegar will curdle the milk and create a buttermilk of sorts. The fat from the milk and the acid from the vinegar create a tender piece of chicken.

    Pro Tip: The size of your nuggets will affect the time it takes to cook. The bigger/thicker the pieces of chicken the longer it will take to fully cook.

    Can I cook these on the stove?

    Yes! Using a fry pan or grill pan (to get those sweet lines!), just heat the pan with a little oil and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until done!

    Grilled Chicken Nuggets piled on plate
    One of the best snacks!

    Can I bake these in the oven?

    Yes. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake chicken for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

    What to serve grilled chicken nuggets with?

    Homemade fries are always a tasty choice, but cheesy broccoli or a fresh apple pecan salad are also tasty sides. Don’t forget to make some homemade Chick-fil-A sauce from this grilled chicken sandwich recipe to dip the chicken in too!

    For more tasty chicken recipes, make sure to try my smoked chicken thighs, chicken lollipops, chicken street tacos, and these delicious smoked chicken leg quarters!

    Grilled Chicken Nuggets pinterest pin
    Don't forget to pin this recipe!

    Video

    HTMLFont size
    grilled nuggets featured

    Grilled Chicken Nuggets

    Grilled Chicken Nuggets, an easy and delicious meal or snack! This recipe is perfect for those who love Chick-fil-a’s grilled chicken nuggets but want to make them at home!
    4.21 from 24 votes
    Print Pin
    Author: Lisa Killian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
    Brine Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 43 minutes minutes
    Course: Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4

    Ingredients

    • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 tbs Powdered Sugar*
    • ¼ teaspoon Paprika
    • ½ teaspoon Dried Parsley
    • 1 lb chicken breast boneless and skinless
    • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
    • ¼ cup milk

    Instructions

    • Cube chicken and set aside.
      1 lb chicken breast
    • In a small bowl combine garlic powder, onion powder, salt, powdered sugar, paprika, and parsley.
      ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder, ½ teaspoon Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 tbs Powdered Sugar*, ¼ teaspoon Paprika, ½ teaspoon Dried Parsley
    • In a medium sized bowl combine apple cider vinegar, milk and 1 tbs of your spice mix. Add your cubed chicken to the bowl and let it marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
      ½ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup milk
    • Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Then coat with remaining spice mixture.
    • Heat grill* to high or add a little oil to a grill pan and heat on high. Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
    • Serve with some homemade (or store bought) Chick fila sauce and enjoy!
      Grilled Chicken Nuggets piled on plate

    Notes

    Tips and Tricks
    *If you don’t have powdered sugar use 1 tbs of granulated white sugar and ¼ teaspoon of cornstarch instead.
    *I used a grill pan for this recipe so I could cook it on stove top. Plus, sometimes it’s difficult to place the small chicken pieces on a grill and I find it easier to use a grill pan. 
    *Cooking time will vary depending on size and thickness of chicken.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 721mg | Potassium: 475mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

    More The Best Poultry Recipes

    • chicken tortilla soup in white bowl garnished with avocado, chips, green onions, featured image.
      Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
    • smoked spatchcock turkey featured image.
      Cranberry Molasses Smoked Spatchcock Turkey
    • chicken parm slider featured image
      Chicken Parm Sliders
    • spatchcock turkeyfeature dimage
      Spatchcock Turkey
    4.21 from 24 votes (24 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    headshot of lisa

    Hey, I'm Lisa!

    Here you will find easy and delicious recipes that will bring joy and lots of flavor to your home!

    About Me

    4th of July Recipes

    • red white and blue cupcakes featured image
      Red White and Blue Cupcakes

    • 4th of July Cookies featured image
      4th of July Cookies

    • red white and blue bundt cake side view
      Red White and Blue Cake

    • 4th of July Cake featured images
      4th of July Cake

    • red white and blue cheesecake salad featured image
      Red White and Blue Cheesecake Salad

    • toll house pie featured image
      Toll House Pie

    Most Popular Recipes

    • shake and bake chicken featured image
      Shake and Bake Chicken

    • toasted bread featured image
      How to Toast Bread in Oven?

    • fried scallops featured image
      Fried Scallops

    • grilled nuggets featured
      Grilled Chicken Nuggets

    • cinnamon toast crunch bars with mini marshmallows sprinkled around them and milk in a cup, featured image.
      Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars

    • steak pasta in bowl featured image
      Steak Pasta With Creamy Garlic Sauce

    Featured On

    AS seen on Parade, Hearthstone, Yummly, Sam's Club, Congra, Red Tricycle, Chefling App. Foodgawker, Karo

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates!

    Contact

    • About Me
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, ThermoWorks Affiliate, Good Ranchers Affiliate, De Buyer Affiliate, Camp Chef Affiliate, Walmart + Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 A Table Full of Joy™

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.