Baked Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets
My baked Nashville hot chicken nuggets are crispy from the oven instead of being fried! They're hand-breaded pieces of chicken breast tossed in my Hattie B's-inspired spice blend. After living in the Nashville area for almost 4 years, I've made my own inspired by our favorite hot chicken in the city!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast (or 2 small)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs I use homemade sourdough breadcrumbs
- 1 cup milk I use whole milk
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
For the Seasoning
- 4 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika (not smoked, just regular)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (salt-free)
- 1 tsp dark brown sugar (light works too, I use brown cane sugar)
Instructions
Dredge and Bake the Chicken
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice chicken breast into small bite sized pieces about 1-2 inches in size. You should get a good amount of them. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mix to combine and set aside.
- In a second bowl, whisk together milk, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Set aside.
- In a third bowl, add breadcrumbs, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper into another small bowl. Mix to combine. Set aside.
- Place bowls of chicken, flour, milk, breadcrumbs, and sheet pan in a line, in that order, so everything is set up.
- Dredge each piece of chicken by dipping it in the flour mixture, shaking excess off. Then dip it into the wet mixture ensuring all sides are coated. Let excess drip off. Finally, dip it in the breadcrumbs ensuring it is completely coated. Place breaded piece of chicken on the sheet pan.
- Repeat until all pieces are breaded. Make sure they aren’t touching on the pan.
- Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until fully baked and crunchy. No need to flip while baking!
Make Seasoning and Toss with Chicken
- While chicken is baking, combine avocado oil, sea salt, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Stir to evenly combine and set aside.
- After chicken is baked, remove from oven and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle seasoning mixture over chicken and toss/stir until evenly coated, it can take a few seconds since it's not a sauce. Serve immediately, enjoy!
Video
Notes
You can double this recipe as many times as you'd like.
My homemade breadcrumb recipe: https://plumbranchhome.com/sourdough-breadcrumbs/
Adjust the spice level: This recipe makes a hot spice level; for a mild spice, just add half the oily spice mixture. For medium, add 3/4 of the mixture.
Did you make this recipe? – If you loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a comment on the blog post. It helps more than you know. You can share a photo on social media, tag @plumbranchhome
A Note From Molly – This recipe was developed and tested by me, Molly, NEVER AI (artificial intelligence). It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Hattie B's Hot Chicken. My recipes on Plum Branch Home are created with purpose and cherished in our own home. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!