Buttermilk-Brined Double-Dredge Chicken Nuggets

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Real chunks of chicken thigh soaked in a tangy buttermilk brine, then double-dredged in seasoned flour for that shattering, craggy crust. Fry them, bake them, or run them through the air fryer — plus two three-minute dipping sauces (honey-mustard and smoky comeback sauce) that beat anything in a packet.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
• 1.25 cups buttermilk
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp dill pickle brine
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 1 large egg

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 6 cups peanut or vegetable oil (for deep frying)
• 3 tbsp neutral oil in a spray bottle or oil spray (for oven/air fryer)

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2.5 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 pinch kosher salt

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dill pickle brine
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Trim any large fat pockets from the chicken thighs and cut them into 1 to 1 1/4-inch nugget-sized pieces, aiming for even thickness so they cook at the same rate. You should get about 28 to 32 pieces.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, pickle brine, garlic powder, hot sauce, and egg until the salt dissolves. Add the chicken, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours (30 minutes will work in a pinch).
3. Make the sauces: whisk all honey-mustard ingredients in one small bowl and all comeback sauce ingredients in another. Cover and refrigerate; they improve after 15 minutes.
4. In a wide shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 2 teaspoons salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, baking powder, and cayenne. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk brine and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until you have small shaggy clumps — these become the crispy craggy bits.
5. Double-dredge: lift a few pieces of chicken from the brine, letting excess drip off, and press them into the flour. Shake off the loose flour, dip each piece back into the buttermilk brine for 2 seconds, then press firmly into the flour a second time. Set on a wire rack. Repeat with all the chicken and let the coated nuggets rest 10 minutes so the crust hydrates and grips.
6. TO DEEP FRY: heat 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Fry the nuggets in 3 batches, 8 to 10 pieces at a time, for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and 165°F (74°C) inside. Drain on a wire rack (not paper towels) and sprinkle with a little salt. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches.
7. TO AIR FRY: heat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C). Spray or brush every floury surface of the nuggets generously with oil — any dry flour stays chalky. Arrange in a single layer with space between, cook 6 minutes, flip and spray again, then cook 5 to 7 minutes more until golden and 165°F (74°C) inside. Work in batches.
8. TO OVEN BAKE: heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rimmed sheet pan inside. Coat the nuggets generously with oil spray, place them on the preheated pan (it should sizzle), and bake 10 minutes. Flip, spray again, and bake 8 to 10 minutes more until crisp and 165°F (74°C) inside.
9. Pile the nuggets on a platter with the honey-mustard and comeback sauce alongside, and serve immediately while the crust is at its crispest.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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