31 Fancy Chicken Nugget Recipes That Prove Finger Foods Aren’t Just for Kids (2024)

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31 Fancy Chicken Nugget Recipes That Prove Finger Foods Aren’t Just for Kids? ›

The Verdict: Most varieties of processed chicken nuggets should be eaten sparingly. Besides offering little nutritional value, there contain an overwhelmingly high amount of preservatives.

The Verdict: Most varieties of processed chicken nuggets should be eaten sparingly. Besides offering little nutritional value, there contain an overwhelmingly high amount of preservatives.

“Chicken nuggets do not have a strong flavor profile and can often be considered 'bland,'” said Ali Bandier, a registered dietitian and founder of Senta Health. “Bland foods such as chicken nuggets, pasta and bread often appeal to kids who are sensory sensitive, hesitant or picky eaters.”

"Nuggets are irregularly shaped, usually bite-sized meat and/or poultry products which are usually breaded and deep fat fried and intended to be used as finger foods," the USDA's Labeling Policy Book states.

"Chick-fil-A's Grilled Nuggets are one of the best fast-food options out there," shares Marisela Gomez Raffo, RDN, LDN. "High in protein and low in fat and carbohydrates, they are grilled instead of fried, which reduces the overall amount of fat compared to most other fast food chicken nuggets," she adds.

As a lean-meat protein, Chick-Fil-A's nutrition profile can offer great choices for a healthy meal-all depending on the cooking method. Breading and deep frying both add unnecessary fats and calories to the meal, taking away from some of its nutritional value.

We start with all white-meat chicken cut from the tenderloin, breast and rib and mix it with a marinade for flavor and juiciness and to help them keep their fun shape. Once everything is mixed, we create the four famous Chicken McNuggets® shapes—bell, boot, ball and bone.

McDonald's Chicken McNuggets® are made with all white meat chicken and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The chicken, which is cut from the tenderloin, breast and rib, gets mixed with a marinade for flavor and to help the Chicken McNuggets® keep their fun shapes.

After 12 months of age, chicken nuggets are fine in moderation though it would be best to only serve on occasion as they are usually highly processed with high amounts of sodium.

Chicken nuggets (frozen or fast food) are best reserved for babies 12 months and older. Why 12 months? Because many brands of chicken nuggets (and fish sticks) have levels of sodium that far exceeds baby's needs as well as additives we'd ideally like to hold off on in infancy.

Are McNuggets 100% chicken? ›

The chicken in our McNuggets® is 100% chicken breast – chopped into small pieces in order to make it easier to shape and eat. In our restaurants, each Chicken McNugget® is cooked by our teams until perfectly crisp and then served nice and hot. Just the way a Chicken McNugget® should be eaten.

Made with 100 percent white meat and hand-breaded with KFC's unique Original Recipe of 11 herbs and spices that made the fried chicken chain famous, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Nuggets can be enjoyed as a full meal, a snack on-the-go, complement to the bucket meal or even as an appetizer on the way home!

History. The chicken nugget was developed in the 1950s by Robert C. Baker, a food science professor at Cornell University, and published as unpatented academic work. Bite-sized pieces of chicken, coated in batter and then deep fried, were called "Chicken Crispies" by Baker and his associates.

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They have an overall better flavor with a more robust mixture of spices in the meat and breading, while still tasting like real white meat chicken. Plus, they are the crispiest amongst this group of nuggets, unlike the McNugget that can sometimes seem undercooked.

Wondering what are McDonald's Chicken Nuggets made of? Chicken McNuggets® are made with all white meat chicken and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. There are 170 calories in a 4-piece Chicken McNuggets®.

A small order (4-piece) of Chicken McNuggets is a healthier option than your traditional hamburger, as chicken is a naturally leaner meat than red meat due to fewer calories and fat. Although McDonald's doesn't offer a grilled version, this meal is all about proper portioning.

A small order (4-piece) of Chicken McNuggets is a healthier option than your traditional hamburger, as chicken is a naturally leaner meat than red meat due to fewer calories and fat. Although McDonald's doesn't offer a grilled version, this meal is all about proper portioning.

"With 480 calories—nearly one-third of many people's daily calorie requirement and half a day's worth of fat (33 grams)—this small 10-piece serving is hardly a weight loss hopeful's ideal meal, and that's before you add a drink," say the Nutrition Twins.

THE SENTENCE: Though they're supposedly made of good-for-you lean white meat chicken, McDonald's McNuggets are far from healthy and nutritious. So, if your options are all about deciding whether to nosh on a McNugget or not, your best bet is to fly the coop.

A closer look at Chick-fil-A's nutrition facts reveals that a serving of eight grilled nuggets contains just 140 calories and is a good source of protein at 23 grams, certainly making it one of the healthier options at a fast food restaurant (as long as you resist the temptation to add a side of fries).