Busy in Brooklyn
This recipe comes from Chanie at Busy in Brooklyn, a blog where family cooking and holiday traditions share the same table.
Her post on French fried chicken nuggets is framed around Passover, and she opens with an honest look at how different every household’s Pesach customs can be. Some families cook with nut oil. Some peel every fruit and vegetable.
Some keep their pantry very small. That variety is exactly why her potato flake coating is such a practical trick.
It turns a simple package of chicken into something that tastes like a treat, and it does not ask anyone to change the way they run their kitchen for the holiday.
French Fried Chicken Nuggets
If you have ever watched a plate of chicken nuggets vanish before it reaches the table, you already know why this recipe earns a permanent spot in the rotation.
These nuggets get their crunch from instant mashed potato flakes instead of breadcrumbs, and that one swap is what makes them taste like french fries or tater tots with chicken hiding inside.
The ingredient list is short, the method is stovetop frying, and there is no oven timing to babysit. Because the coating is built from a processed Passover product, the recipe works for families who use those products during the holiday and for families who only use them in the days leading up to it.
Why This Recipe Works
Potato flakes are the whole point. They are dry, they take on whatever seasoning you add, and they crisp up fast in hot oil. Where breadcrumbs can turn soft and sandy, a potato flake crust browns into something closer to the edge of a french fry. That is the flavor the original recipe is chasing, and it lands.
The rest of the recipe is deliberately plain. Chicken, eggs to make the coating stick, and three everyday seasonings. There is nothing to hunt down at a specialty store, which matters a lot when a holiday kitchen is already crowded and the counters are covered.
It is also fast in the way busy cooks actually need. You set up three plates, you work through the chicken with tongs, and you fry. No chilling, no resting, no second round in the oven.
Ingredients for French Fried Chicken Nuggets
This is the full list, exactly as the original recipe calls for it. Amounts are given for the ones that have them, and the seasonings go in to taste.
| Ingredient | Amount | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breasts | 1 pkg | The base, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces |
| Instant mashed potato flakes | 2 cups | The crispy coating that tastes like french fries |
| Eggs | 2 | Whisked, so the flakes have something to cling to |
| Onion powder | To taste | Savory depth in the coating |
| Salt | To taste | Seasons the crust |
| Pepper | To taste | A little bite |
| Oil | For frying | The frying medium for the stovetop pan |
A quick word on the chicken. The original recipe starts with a package of chicken breasts and treats them as cutlets, which means you can slice thicker breasts horizontally if you like, or simply cut them down into even pieces. Either way, bite sized is the goal.
Equipment You Will Want Nearby
Nothing unusual here, but having it all out before you start saves a lot of messy back and forth.
- Three separate plates or shallow dishes, one each for the chicken, the whisked eggs, and the potato flakes
- A pair of tongs for the dipping and the frying
- A whisk or a fork for the eggs
- A large skillet or frying pan deep enough to hold the oil
- Paper towels, spread out before the first batch comes out
- A slotted spoon or spider if you have one, for lifting the nuggets out of the oil
If your plates are the same size and color, you will still be fine. The order is what matters: chicken, eggs, flakes, and then the pan.
How to Make French Fried Chicken Nuggets
The method is a straight line from raw chicken to a plate of golden nuggets. Here it is step by step.
- Trim and cut the chicken. Trim the chicken cutlets and cut them into bite sized pieces.
- Set up a dredging station. Arrange separate plates of chicken, whisked eggs, and potato flakes.
- Season the flakes. Stir onion powder, salt, and pepper into the potato flakes.
- Coat the chicken. With tongs, dip the chicken into the eggs and then into the flakes.
- Start frying. Place the coated pieces in a pan of sizzling hot oil.
- Fry until golden. Fry on each side until golden.
- Drain. Place the nuggets on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Two small habits make this smoother. First, season the flakes before any chicken touches them, because you cannot taste the coating later and adjust. Second, let the excess egg drip back onto the plate before the chicken goes into the flakes. Wet egg makes the coating clump, and clumps fall off in the oil.
When you press the chicken into the flakes, press gently but firmly. You want an even layer that covers the whole piece, including the corners. Thin spots are where the crust breaks open and the oil sneaks in.
Fry in batches that leave room between the pieces. If the pan is crowded, the oil temperature drops, the coating steams instead of crisping, and you end up with nuggets that look pale and feel greasy. Give each batch the space it needs and the color will take care of itself.
Tips for an Extra Crispy Potato Flake Coating
- Use a wide, shallow dish for the flakes so you can press the chicken down into them rather than sprinkling flakes on top.
- Keep one hand for the dry steps and one for the wet steps if you are coating without tongs, so your fingers do not turn into a paste.
- Wait for the oil to look sizzling and shimmering before the first piece goes in, then let the oil come back up between batches.
- Do not flip early. Let the underside turn golden first, otherwise the coating will peel away.
- Drain on paper towels in a single layer. Stacking hot nuggets traps steam and softens the crust you just worked for.
One more thing. Potato flakes can already carry salt depending on the brand, so start with a light hand and taste the seasoned flakes before you commit. You can always add more.
Serving Ideas
Because the coating tastes like a french fry, the dips that work with fries work here too. Ketchup is the obvious one. Mayonnaise, honey mustard, or a simple squeeze of lemon all earn their place next to the plate.
For a full meal, I like these nuggets with a crisp salad and something cold to drink, or alongside roasted vegetables when the table needs a little color.
They also hold up beautifully on a platter for a holiday meal, where people tend to eat them with their fingers straight off the serving dish.
In our house we fry them up the night before the holiday, so the whole house smells like a diner rather than a kitchen, and the next day there is one less thing to do.
If you are feeding kids, put the dip in small bowls and let everyone choose. It buys you a quiet ten minutes at the table, which is worth more than any plating trick.
Make Ahead, Leftovers, and Reheating
You can coat the chicken pieces ahead of time and keep them covered in the refrigerator while you heat the oil. The coating holds well, and the frying itself goes quickly once the pan is ready.
Leftovers should go into the refrigerator in a covered container. The next day, reheat them in a hot oven or back in a skillet with a little oil. A microwave will steam the crust and undo the whole point of the potato flakes, so skip it if you can.
If you are frying a large batch for a crowd, keep the finished nuggets warm in a low oven on a rack or on paper towels while you work through the rest of the chicken.
Passover Notes From the Original Kitchen
Chanie’s post is as much about Pesach customs as it is about chicken, and that context is worth keeping. She explains that minhagim, the customs a family follows, vary widely from home to home. Her family cooks with nut oil. They peel all their fruits and vegetables. They use liquid sugar and salt, and no other spices.
The only processed foods her family buys for Passover are orange juice, chocolate, potato chips, and lady fingers. Her mother uses those processed products in the days before the holiday, once the kitchen has been cleaned for Pesach.
That is where this recipe fits. It suits people who use processed kosher for Passover products during the holiday, and it suits people who only use them in the days leading up to it.
The instant mashed potato flakes are the key ingredient either way, and they are the reason the crust tastes like a french fry or a tater tot instead of a breaded cutlet.
FAQs
What makes French Fried Chicken Nuggets different from regular chicken nuggets?
French Fried Chicken Nuggets use instant mashed potato flakes as the coating instead of traditional flour or breadcrumbs. This creates a light, crunchy crust that fries up golden brown and tastes similar to French fries or tater tots. The potato flake coating stays crisp longer and is naturally gluten-free when using certified gluten-free flakes.
What is the best oil temperature for frying chicken nuggets?
Heat the oil to between 350°F and 375°F for optimal frying. Maintaining this temperature throughout cooking prevents the nuggets from becoming greasy. Using a deep-fry thermometer or an electric skillet with temperature control helps ensure even cooking and a crispy coating.
How do you bake French Fried Chicken Nuggets instead of frying?
To bake the nuggets, preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the coated nuggets on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly spray or drizzle them with oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for this recipe?
Yes, chicken thighs work well and provide more flavor and moisture, resulting in juicier nuggets. Trim the thighs and cut them into uniform bite-sized pieces before coating. Adjust the cooking time as needed to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
French Fried Chicken Nuggets
Busy in Brooklyn This recipe comes from Chanie at Busy in Brooklyn, a blog where family cooking and holiday traditions share the same table. Her post on French fried chicken nuggets is framed around Passover, and she opens with an honest look at how different every household’s Pesach customs can be.
- Total Time: 0 min
Ingredients
1 pkg chicken breasts
2 cups instant mashed potato flakes
2 eggs
onion powder
salt
pepper
oil, for frying
Instructions
Method
1-Trim chicken cutlets and cut into bite: Trim chicken cutlets and cut into bite sized pieces.
2-Set up a dredging station with separate: Set up a dredging station with separate plates of chicken, whisked eggs and potato flakes.
3-Season the potato flakes with onion powder,: Season the potato flakes with onion powder, salt and pepper.
4-With tongs, dip the chicken into the: With tongs, dip the chicken into the eggs and then the flakes.
5-Place in a pan of sizzling hot: Place in a pan of sizzling hot oil.
6-Fry on each side until golden: Fry on each side until golden.
7-Place on paper towels to absorb excess: Place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Last Step:
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- Cook Time: 0 min
- Method: stovetop
