Ingredients
- 250 grams boneless chicken (breast and thigh mix), cut into chunks
- 2 bread slices, crusts removed
- 2 tablespoons milk (to soak the bread)
- 1 egg (for nugget mixture)
- 0.5 teaspoons salt
- 0.5 teaspoons black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoons garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoons onion powder
- 4 tablespoons corn flour (for shaping and dusting)
- 0.5 cups all-purpose flour (batter)
- 0.5 cups cold water (batter)
- 1 egg (for batter)
- 1 teaspoons mustard paste
- 0.5 teaspoons salt (batter)
- 0.3 teaspoons black pepper (batter)
- 1 cups breadcrumbs or panko (outer coating)
- 500 milliliters oil for deep frying
Steps
Soak the bread: Soak the bread slices in 2 tablespoons milk (to soak the bread) for a minute. This keeps the nuggets juicy and soft inside.
Make the nugget mixture: Pulse 250 grams boneless chicken (breast and thigh mix), cut into chunks, the soaked bread, 1 egg (for nugget mixture), 0.5 teaspoons salt, 0.5 teaspoons black pepper, 0.5 teaspoons garlic powder and 0.5 teaspoons onion powder in a food processor until it forms a thick, slightly sticky paste. Don't over-blend into a puree; short pulses keep some texture.
Chill the mixture: Refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes so it firms up and becomes easier to shape.
Shape the nuggets: Dust your hands and a plate with 4 tablespoons corn flour (for shaping and dusting). Scoop about a tablespoon of mixture and press into nugget shapes about 1.5 cm thick (about 14 to 16 nuggets). Even thickness means even cooking.
Make the batter: Whisk 0.5 cups all-purpose flour (batter), 0.5 cups cold water (batter), 1 egg (for batter), 1 teaspoons mustard paste, 0.5 teaspoons salt (batter) and 0.3 teaspoons black pepper (batter) until smooth. It should be like thin pancake batter; add a splash of water or a spoon of flour to adjust.
Coat the nuggets: Dip each nugget in the batter, let the excess drip off, then roll in 1 cups breadcrumbs or panko (outer coating), pressing gently so it sticks. The breadcrumb layer gives the signature crunch.
Freeze: Lay the nuggets on a tray without touching and freeze for at least 120 minutes , until firm. This stops the coating from falling off while frying.
Deep fry: Heat 500 milliliters oil for deep frying to 170-175°C (350°F). Fry the nuggets straight from the freezer in small batches for 3 to 3m 30s , until deep golden and cooked through (74°C inside).
Drain and serve: Drain on a wire rack or paper towel and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve hot with ketchup, garlic mayo, sweet and sour sauce or honey mustard.
