McDonalds Spicy Chicken Nuggets

There are a lot of great recipes I’ve made over the years. Some of my favorites are my Crunchy Sesame Chicken, Fried Chicken Elote Taco, and my PF Changs Crispy Green Beans. But occasionally, there is a recipe I’ll create that actually surprises me. This remake of McDonald’s Spicy Nuggets with Mighty Hot Sauce is that recipe. These nuggets are so good they’d put McDonald’s out of business – and I’m not exaggerating.

Battered up in a crispy tempura batter and seasoned to the high heavens, these nuggets are incredibly juicy and bursting with so much spicy flavor it will make you weep (in a good way!). Then you dunk them in this homemade Mighty Hot Sauce – wowza! It’s fruity, spicy, creamy and utterly addictive.

Why These Are The BEST Spicy Chicken Nuggets

• McDonald’s copycat. These aren’t just any spicy chicken nuggets, they’re copycat McDonald’s chicken nuggets. You know, the ones everyone rushes to buy when they release “for a limited time only” each year. With this recipe, you don’t have to wait for that short window, you can enjoy them year-round.
• Light, crispy breading. One of the hallmarks of McDonald’s chicken nuggets is that light, crispy breading. In my opinion, that’s what makes them better than any other fast food chicken nuggets. So that’s what I went for here, using cornstarch with flour to make them crispy and club soda in the batter to make it extra light and thin.
• The perfect amount of spice. These are spicy but not overly spicy, making them a hit with almost everyone. Those who like things on the mild side can dip them in ranch dressing, while those of us who love heat can dive into the Mighty Hot Sauce.
• Freeze well. These copycat McDonald’s spicy chicken nuggets are one of my favorite foods to fill my freezer with. I often make a large batch (double this recipe) on days when I’m already frying something else, so we always have them on hand. I feel absolute bliss when I am starved and don’t have the time or energy to cook, and remember these are in my freezer. They reheat in the air fryer in less than 10 minutes!

Key Ingredients

Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients that help create that light, crispy chicken nugget batter and add the spicy flavor to this McDonald’s copycat recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full list and exact measurements.

For the McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets:

• Ground chicken – The base of the nuggets. Regular ground chicken or ground chicken breast both work.
• Spices – The spicy flavor comes from seasonings like paprika, cayenne, seasoning salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground pepper.
• Flour & cornstarch – The secret combination to creating the light, crispy McDonald’s chicken nugget batter.
• Club soda – Puffs up the batter and creates little bubbles that contribute to the perfect crisp.

For the Mighty Hot Sauce:

• Apricot jam – The base of the Mighty Hot Sauce. It offers a sticky sweetness to balance the other spicy flavors.
• Chili paste – I used sambal oelek, which is also the base of sweet chili sauce. It works great to add just the right amount of heat and chili flavor.
• Hot sauce – Use your favorite. I like Texas Pete or Frank’s.

Prefer Regular McDonald’s Nuggets?

If you like your McDonald’s chicken nuggets without the heat, or you need to adapt this recipe for little taste buds, I’ve got you covered! With a few simple adjustments, you can turn these spicy chicken nuggets into regular McDonald’s copycat chicken nuggets.

Instead of the seasonings listed for the wet batter, use a tablespoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, a teaspoon of seasoning salt, and half a teaspoon of pepper. Then mix in two tablespoons of mustard after the club soda.

Easy peasy! (And pro tip: double the nugget recipe and make both batters so you have plenty of extras to freeze.)

Tips for Making Copycat McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets

Here are a few things to keep in mind to perfect this McDonald’s chicken nugget recipe and achieve that perfect crispy texture.

• Freeze the nuggets. Ground chicken is very soft and mushy. Freezing the nuggets after shaping the ground chicken ensures they stay in one piece and are easier to work with when dipping in the batter.
• Use COLD club soda. Keep the club soda chilled until it’s added to the batter. Make sure it’s not flat either, as you do want the bubbles to add air to the batter.
• Keep the temperature consistent. I recommend using a thermometer to ensure the temperature stays at 350F. Make sure the oil is fully preheated before adding the nuggets and give it a minute to come back to temperature between batters. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the breading can be soggy instead of crispy.
• Cool on a wire rack. Place the spicy chicken nuggets on a wire rack while you cook the next batch. This drains the grease and allows air to continue to circulate, keeping the outside crispy. Placing them on paper towels will cause the breading to get soggy.

Serving Suggestions

My biggest tip for these copycat McDonald’s spicy chicken nuggets is to enjoy them immediately! The breading becomes very soft if they sit at room temperature (much like the real thing, if you’ve ever been disappointed when you ordered delivery).

There’s no better pairing for chicken nuggets than salty French fries. I actually prefer Wendy’s French fries, so I’ll often make that copycat recipe with these. Crispy oven baked fries are another good option. If fries aren’t your thing, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, and mac and cheese work too.

Don’t be afraid to go wild with the dipping sauces either! I am obsessed with the Mighty Hot Sauce and would eat it by the spoonful if I could. But sweet chili sauce, sweet and sour sauce, ranch, blue cheese, and BBQ sauce are all yummy too.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers

One of my favorite things is when I have leftover spicy chicken nuggets to reheat on busy weekdays. These are actually one of my favorite foods to fill my freezer with and I often make a double batch to ensure leftovers. Here’s how to properly store them.

• Fridge: Spicy chicken nuggets can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days. However, since they reheat so well from frozen, I typically skip this and go straight for the freezer.
• Freezer: Once cooled, place the chicken nuggets in a ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Keep McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets Crispy When Reheating

But, let’s be honest – even more important than how to store them is how to REHEAT them while maintaining that same crispy texture. No one wants mushy chicken nuggets!

• Reheat (microwave): I don’t recommend reheating copycat McDonald’s chicken nuggets in the microwave. While it’s quick, the breading becomes soft and soggy.
• Reheat (oven): Place the chicken nuggets on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 7-10 minutes, flipping halfway through. (From frozen, it usually takes closer to 10 minutes.)
• Reheat (air fryer): While I don’t recommend using an air fryer for cooking them the first time with wet batter, I do love using the air fryer to reheat these babies. From the freezer, it only takes 8 minutes at 400 degrees for these to be hot and super crispy. Just be sure to flip them halfway!

Looking For More Copycat Recipes?

• Chicken Big Mac Taco
• Popeye’s Voodoo Chicken Tenders
• Wendy’s Twisted Frosty
• McDonald’s Travis Scott Burger
• Popeye’s Famous Chicken Sandwich

I hope you enjoyed this McDonald’s Spicy Chicken Nuggets recipe. 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.