Spicy Chicken Nuggets (Wendy’s Copycat)
Copycat Wendy’s spicy chicken nuggets are crispy, juicy chicken nuggets coated in a flavorful blend of spices with just the right amount of heat. They’re easy to make at home and perfect for satisfying a fast food craving without hitting the drive thru.
There are some fast food favorites that I know my family will never turn down, and Wendy’s spicy chicken nuggets are definitely one of them.
That crispy coating, tender chicken, and little kick of heat make them seriously hard to resist.
After all, who doesn’t love a good spicy nugget?
Making them at home means you can enjoy that same Wendy’s spicy chicken nugget goodness whenever the craving hits.
And you can make as many as you need to feed the whole family for far less than the cost of getting enough nuggets from the drive thru.
They have that same signature kick without being so spicy it totally overwhelms the chicken, making the perfect entree for dinner or even a great game day snack everyone will love.
Ingredients
To make these you’ll need:
- Ground chicken– I recommend using standard ground chicken and not ground chicken breast as the nuggets will be juicier. You could also use ground turkey.
- Spices– Salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.
- Milk– To add moisture and help tenderize the chicken. For a richer flavor, substitute buttermilk.
- Egg– For binding the chicken nuggets.
- Flour– All purpose.
- Breadcrumbs– Plain. Either Italian or panko. For more crunch, use crushed cornflakes instead.
- Vegetable oil– For frying.
How to Make
These copycat Wendy’s spicy chicken nuggets are pretty easy to make.
Just mix the ground chicken, salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, egg, and milk together in a bowl with clean hands until everything is evenly mixed together.
Shape mixture into small nugget-sized pieces.
Set the un-breaded nuggets aside.
Then, in a shallow bowl, mix the flour, breadcrumbs, chili powder and some of the black pepper together.
Coat each nugget evenly in the breading mixture, pressing the seasoning in lightly so it sticks.
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet to 350°F.
Fry nuggets in batches for 3–4 minutes per side or until the chicken nuggets are golden brown and cooked through.
Transfer the cooked nuggets to a paper towel lined plate so they can drain while you cook the rest of the nuggets.
Serve them hot and enjoy!
Baking and Air Frying Instructions
Bake the chicken nuggets at 425°F for 15–18 minutes or air fry them at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway for a lighter version.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving these with sides like fries or mac and cheese for any easy fast food style dinner.
They are also super yummy served over a simple salad.
Storing
Store any leftover chicken nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the oven or air fryer until they are warmed through for best crispiness.
You can also freeze the nuggets by transferring the cooked, cooled nuggets to freezer safe bags and freezing for up to 2 months.
Let the nuggets defrost in the fridge prior to reheating them in the air fryer or oven.
Tips and Tricks
- Mixing the seasoning directly into the chicken makes sure the chicken is flavorful throughout and not just on the coating.
- Try to keep the nuggets the same size so they cook evenly.
- Let the breaded nuggets rest for a few minutes prior to frying to help the coating stick.
- Make sure to not overcrowd the pan so the oil doesn’t drop in temperature.
- For extra spicy nuggets, mix some hot sauce directly into the chicken mixture.
- Coating the nuggets in a drizzle of hot honey or buffalo sauce will give you a yummy, saucy version.
Other Copycat Wendy’s Recipes
Copycat Wendy’s spicy chicken nuggets have the same bold flavor and addicting crunch as the restaurant version without hitting the drive thru.
Make them and enjoy!
Looking for other copycat Wendy’s recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried these COPYCAT WENDY’S SPICY CHICKEN NUGGETS or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Spicy Chicken Nuggets (Wendy’s Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs italian breadcrumbs or panko
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine ground chicken, salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, egg, and milk until evenly mixed.1 pound ground chicken, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup milk
- Shape mixture into small nugget-sized pieces and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, mix flour, breadcrumbs, chili powder and pepper.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup plain breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- Coat each nugget evenly in the breading mixture, pressing lightly so it adheres.
- Heat oil in a skillet to 350°F.Vegetable oil
- Fry nuggets in batches for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and serve hot.
Notes
- Mixing the seasoning directly into the chicken makes sure the chicken is flavorful throughout and not just on the coating.
- Try to keep the nuggets the same size so they cook evenly.
- Let the breaded nuggets rest for a few minutes prior to frying to help the coating stick.
- Make sure to not overcrowd the pan so the oil doesn't drop in temperature.
- For extra spicy nuggets, mix some hot sauce directly into the chicken mixture.
- Coating the nuggets in a drizzle of hot honey or buffalo sauce will give you a yummy, saucy version.
Nutrition
