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These smoky, tender and juicy chicken nuggets are easily grilled up on the stove in this copycat Chick-fil-A Grilled Nugget recipe. They pair perfectly with the homemade Chick-fil-A sauce!
If you love making fast food favorites at home, you’ll love Chick fil A Banana Pudding, Starbucks Egg Bites, or the Starbucks Grilled Cheese.
Key Ingredients in Copycat Grilled Nuggets
These copycat Chick-fil-A grilled nuggets have straight forward ingredients that are easy to pronounce (see their list below). Plus you probably have most of these in your kitchen right now:
Chicken tenderloins – I love to use tenderloins (if you can find them). Breasts can work as well but tenderloins are much more tender.
Olive Oil – used both in the marinade and in the grill pan.
Apple Cider Vinegar – this will not only add a tang, but it also helps break down the chicken to make it softer. Just be sure not to marinade overnight!
Lemon Juice – used in combination with the vinegar and adds a bright lemon flavor.
Seasonings – onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Sugar – just a good pinch of sugar to help round out the acidity.
Liquid smoke – this is also found in the chick-fil-a version to add a smoke flavor without firing up the grill.
VS. Chick fil A’s Ingredients
In contrast to our real ingredients, these are the less than desirable ingredients that are in the Chick-fil-A version:
Seasoning (sugar, salt, dextrose, garlic powder, onion powder, maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast extract, spice, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, flavor, paprika [color]), seasoning (salt, sugar, spices, and paprika), butter flavored vegetable oil (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, palm kernel oil, lecithin, artificial flavor, TBHQ, beta carotene), rice starch and potassium phosphate.
How To Make Copycat Chick-Fil-A Grilled Nuggets
In this easy recipe, you can make a large batch of chick-fil-a style grilled nuggets and have them stored in the fridge from healthy meals or snacking throughout the week!
Marinade the Chicken
Combine all the ingredients into a mason jar with a lid and shake rapidly to emulsify (or use a food processor).
Add the diced chicken into a zip-top bag and pour in the marinade, remove excess air from the bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
When ready to cook, drain out and discard the excess marinade from the bag.
Pan Grill Chicken
Use a ridged grill pan (I used a cast iron grill pan). Add a few tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and use a basting brush or paper towel to grease the raised ridges.
Heat the pan to medium heat. Allow the pan to pre-heat for at least five minutes. Add in the chicken and allow to cook untouched about 4 minutes or until they easily release when flipping.
Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp reaches 165 degrees).
Shop My Favorite Grill Pans
More Copycat Recipes
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Air Fryer Chick Fil A Nuggets Copycat Recipe
I hope you enjoyed this copycat recipe for these Copycat Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets! I look forward to your questions and feedback below.
Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your baking accomplishments.
Chick fil A Copycat Grilled Nuggets
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken tenderloins sliced in half and patted dry (2 inch pieces)
- 1/3 cup olive oil plus more for the pan
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Chick fil A Sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients into a mason jar with a lid and shake rapidly to emulsify (or use a food processor).
- Add the diced chicken into a zip-top bag and pour in the marinade, remove excess air from the bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- When ready to cook, drain out and discard the excess marinade from the bag.
- Use a ridged grill pan (I used a cast iron grill pan). Add a few tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and use a basting brush or paper towel to grease the raised ridges.
- Heat the pan to medium heat. Allow the pan to pre-heat for at least five minutes. Add in the chicken and allow to cook untouched about 4 minutes or until they easily release when flipping.
- Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp reaches 165 degrees).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
