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Crispy fried turkey nuggets on a plate with honey mustard dipping sauce and pickles

Copycat Chick-fil-A Turkey Nuggets

  • Course

    Small Bites

  • Duration

    30 minutes

  • Serves

    4-6
Chef’s notes

This recipe captures everything I love about joints like Chick-fil-A: comfort food that’s easy to make and full of flavor. I marinate the wild turkey nuggets in pickle juice before frying, then dip them in a copycat Chick-fil-A sauce. This dish will have every deer across the county saying, “EAT-MOR-GOBBLERS.”

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. of turkey breast, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 cup pickle juice
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tbsp. powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • 2 ½ tbsp. kosher salt
  • Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Chik-fil-A Sauce

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise

Also works with

Any game bird, halibut, catfish

Special equipment

Fryer or large cast iron skillet

Preparation

  1. Whisk the honey, yellow mustard, barbecue sauce, and mayonnaise together in a small bowl until combined. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  2. Season the turkey chunks with salt and pepper and place inside of a bowl or sealable bag with pickle juice. Marinate the turkey for at least an hour and up to 24.
  3. When you’re ready to cook, heat oil in a deep fryer or a large cast iron skillet to 350 degrees.
  4. Whisk the eggs and milk together and pour into the bowl with the turkey and pickle juice. Stir to combine.
  5. Mix breadcrumbs, flour, powdered sugar, paprika, and kosher salt together. Spread across a plate.
  6. Remove the turkey from the bowl and squeeze out the excess liquid. Dredge each nugget across the breadcrumb to coat.
  7. When the oil is hot, carefully drop in each piece and fry until golden brown, or about 3-5 minutes depending on nugget size. Work in batches as needed and transfer to a wire rack when cooked. Serve hot with the Chik-fil-A sauce.

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Copycat Chick-fil-A Turkey Nuggets

Recipe by: Danielle Prewett
Crispy fried turkey nuggets on a plate with honey mustard dipping sauce and pickles
  • Course

    Small Bites

  • Duration

    30 minutes

  • Serves

    4-6
Chef’s notes

This recipe captures everything I love about joints like Chick-fil-A: comfort food that’s easy to make and full of flavor. I marinate the wild turkey nuggets in pickle juice before frying, then dip them in a copycat Chick-fil-A sauce. This dish will have every deer across the county saying, “EAT-MOR-GOBBLERS.”

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. of turkey breast, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 cup pickle juice
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tbsp. powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • 2 ½ tbsp. kosher salt
  • Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Chik-fil-A Sauce

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise

Also works with

Any game bird, halibut, catfish

Special equipment

Fryer or large cast iron skillet

Preparation

  1. Whisk the honey, yellow mustard, barbecue sauce, and mayonnaise together in a small bowl until combined. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  2. Season the turkey chunks with salt and pepper and place inside of a bowl or sealable bag with pickle juice. Marinate the turkey for at least an hour and up to 24.
  3. When you’re ready to cook, heat oil in a deep fryer or a large cast iron skillet to 350 degrees.
  4. Whisk the eggs and milk together and pour into the bowl with the turkey and pickle juice. Stir to combine.
  5. Mix breadcrumbs, flour, powdered sugar, paprika, and kosher salt together. Spread across a plate.
  6. Remove the turkey from the bowl and squeeze out the excess liquid. Dredge each nugget across the breadcrumb to coat.
  7. When the oil is hot, carefully drop in each piece and fry until golden brown, or about 3-5 minutes depending on nugget size. Work in batches as needed and transfer to a wire rack when cooked. Serve hot with the Chik-fil-A sauce.