Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (680 g), trimmed and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch (2.5–3.8 cm) nugget-sized pieces
  • 1 cup buttermilk (240 ml) OR 1 cup whole milk (240 ml) + 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar or lemon juice (let sit 5 minutes)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (6 g), divided
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (1 g), divided
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 g)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika (2 g)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder (1.5 g)
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, plain (100 g)
  • 2 large eggs, beaten (approx. 100 g)
  • Cooking spray (neutral oil spray) or 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml) to lightly coat nuggets before baking
  • 3 tbsp Frank's RedHot or other cayenne-style hot sauce (45 ml)
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter (42 g), melted (or clarified butter/ghee or vegan butter for substitutions)
  • 1 tsp honey or brown sugar (optional, 5 g)
  • Pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
  • Blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing, 1/2 cup (120 ml) (for serving, optional)
  • Celery sticks and carrot sticks (for serving, optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prep and (optional) brine/marinate: Combine buttermilk with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a bowl. Add cut chicken pieces, stir to coat, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to overnight. If short on time, marinate 15-30 minutes.
  2. Preheat and set up: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment and place a wire rack on top. Lightly oil the rack. Set up dredging station: Bowl 1 — flour + smoked paprika + garlic powder + 1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp pepper. Bowl 2 — beaten eggs. Bowl 3 — panko breadcrumbs.
  3. Dredge the nuggets: Remove chicken from buttermilk, let excess drip off. Dredge in seasoned flour (coat and shake off excess), dip into beaten eggs, then press into panko to coat thoroughly. Place coated nuggets on wire rack spaced about 1/2 inch (1 cm) apart.
  4. Oil and bake: Lightly spray nuggets with cooking spray or brush with a little olive oil to encourage browning. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 12-15 minutes, flip once at about 8-10 minutes; bake until golden and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
  5. Make the Buffalo sauce: While chicken bakes, whisk melted butter with hot sauce and optional honey in a small bowl until combined. Taste and adjust balance (more butter to mellow, more hot sauce to increase heat).
  6. Toss and finish: When nuggets are golden and nearly cooked through (about 160-162°F / 71-72°C), remove from oven and toss gently in Buffalo sauce to coat evenly. Return to rack and bake 1-2 more minutes to set the sauce and finish reaching 165°F (74°C). Alternatively, brush sauce on and broil 1-2 minutes for a sticky finish (watch closely).
  7. Serve: Transfer to a platter and serve hot with blue cheese or ranch dressing and celery and carrot sticks.