Honey Chicken Nuggets

July 14, 2022
Marinating in honey is the secret for these tasty homemade Honey Chicken Nuggets. Coated in panko and then pan-fried, the honey makes the chicken nuggets so tender and flavorful! They're sure to be a hit with the whole family.

Honey Chicken Nuggets Image

Generally, I'm not a fryer. Nope. -- I much prefer to bake or roast my chicken, and leave the frying to KFC.

But when it comes to chicken nuggets, I do believe frying is best. 

Sure, you can certainly bake up a batch of nuggies, but let's be honest -- the texture is just not the same. So pan frying is my method of choice when it comes to whipping up a plateful of homemade chicken nuggets. And pan frying is exactly the method we use to whip up a batch of these very tasty Honey Chicken Nuggets, creating a really nice crunchy texture all around.

Our family has given many homemade chicken nugget recipes a try over the years. And I must say, we've simply fallen in love with Honey Chicken Nuggets. Of course, my husband being a beekeeper is what initially drew us to the recipe, as we're always on the lookout for new and delicious ways to enjoy honey. So chicken nuggets marinated in honey? -- We're all about it.

Honey gives a delicious underlying sweetness to the flavor of the nuggets. -- And it's so good.

So just exactly why does honey make these Honey Chicken Nuggets so good? Two reasons:

  • First, honey makes the chicken so super tender. I usually use the good-old southern trick of marinating my chicken in buttermilk, which makes it wonderfully moist and tender.  Well, guess what? -- Honey does the same thing!
  • Second, the honey gives a delicious underlying sweetness to the flavor of the nuggets. -- And it's so good. When first making this recipe, I didn't expect the honey flavor to come through so much in the finished nuggets. But you can truly tell the honey's there, and it's truly delicious.

Serve the nuggets up with a dipping sauce, or just plain as they are. -- I actually prefer Honey Chicken Nuggets just as they are, no dipping sauce involved. But either way, they sure make for one wonderfully delicious dinner, lunch, or snack.

Close-Up of Honey Chicken Nuggets On a Plate Image

What's to Love About This Recipe?

  • Fabulous flavor - Honey gives a delicious underlying sweetness to the nuggets, creating truly fabulous flavor.
  • Super tender chicken - Marinating in honey is the secret for making these tasty homemade chicken nuggets so super tender.
  • Crunchy on the outside - Coating in panko bread crumbs and pan frying creates a really nice crunchy texture all around. 
  • A family-favorite - So tender and flavorful, Honey Chicken Nuggets are sure to be a hit with the whole family.

Top View of Honey Chicken Nuggets On a Plate Image

Honey Chicken Nugget Ingredients:

To whip up a pan of these tasty chicken nuggets, you'll need:

  • Chicken - This recipe is made with boneless skinless chicken breasts. If you prefer dark meat chicken, boneless skinless chicken thighs can be substituted.

  • Honey - Brings the nuggets' signature honey flavor and tenderizes the chicken.

  • An egg - Dipping the chicken in beaten egg helps the flour/panko coating adhere well to the chicken. 

  • Flour - All-purpose flour creates the base of chicken nugget coating.

  • Panko bread crumbs - These coarse Japanese-style bread crumbs add texture and crunch to the nuggets' flour-based coating.

  • Salt - A pinch sprinkled over the chicken itself and in the flour/panko coating nicely seasons the nuggets and enhances their flavor.

  • Oil for frying - Vegetable, canola, and peanut oil all work great for pan-frying.

Honey Chicken Nugget Ingredients Image

How to Make Honey Chicken Nuggets:

To get a batch of Honey Chicken Nuggets going, start by marinating the chicken in honey.

Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs, if you prefer dark meat chicken) into nugget-sized pieces, sprinkle with a little salt, and place the chicken pieces in a shallow bowl. Drizzle with honey, give everything a little stir to get the chicken good and coated, and then refrigerate for at least an hour.

Marinating Chicken in Honey Image

Once the chicken has marinated, the next step is to bread the chicken with a mixture of flour and panko bread crumbs. Dipping the chicken first in beaten egg helps the coating mixture better adhere.

Dredging Chicken Nuggets in Flour Image

To pan fry the nuggets, heat some oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the nuggets in small batches until they're golden on both side and cooked through, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Cooked Honey Chicken Nugget Held in Tongs Image

Remove cooked nuggets from the pan and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Honey Chicken Nuggets Draining on Paper Towel-Lined Plate Image

Then you're ready to enjoy the Honey Chicken Nugget deliciousness! So good, they're sure to be a hit with the whole family.

If you're looking for a really tender and wonderfully flavorful homemade chicken nugget recipe, give these little "honeys" a try! I know, I know -- really bad pun -- but I truly just couldn't help myself.

Check out these other super tasty chicken recipes:

Honey Chicken Nuggets with Panko Coating Image
Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

homemade chicken nuggets recipe, honey chicken nuggets recipe, chicken nuggets with honey recipe
Main Dishes
American
Yield: About 20 nuggets
Honey Chicken Nuggets

Honey Chicken Nuggets

Marinating in honey is the secret for these tasty homemade Honey Chicken Nuggets. Coated in panko and then pan-fried, the honey makes the chicken nuggets so tender and flavorful!
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 2 T. honey
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
  • Salt
  • Oil for frying (such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken:
  1. Cut the chicken into nugget-sized pieces. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
  2. Place chicken pieces in a shallow bowl and drizzle with honey; stir to coat.
  3. Place chicken in the refrigerator to marinate in the honey for at least one hour.
Bread the Chicken:
  1. Place beaten egg in a bowl. Combine flour, panko, and a pinch of salt in a pie plate or ziptop baggie (I like the baggie method, but either way works just fine).
  2. Remove a piece of chicken from the honey marinade and dip it in egg.
  3. If using a pie plate for your flour mixture - Roll the egg-dipped chicken nugget in the flour mixture, coating completely; set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. If using the ziptop baggie method - Drop the egg-dipped chicken nugget into the baggie. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Once all chicken pieces are in the baggie, seal the baggie. Gently shake the baggie, ensuring that all chicken pieces get completely coated.
Fry the Chicken Nuggets:
  1. Heat a little oil (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on the size of your pan) in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
  2. When oil is hot, place the nuggets in the pan and cook until golden on both side and cooked through, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side.
  3. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
Did you make this recipe?
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Honey Chicken Nuggets ~ Marinating in honey is the secret for these tasty homemade Honey Chicken Nuggets. Coated in panko and then pan-fried, the honey makes the chicken nuggets so tender and flavorful!  www.thekitchenismyplayground.com


This post is linked with Weekend Potluck.

41 comments

  1. I love the idea of marinating in honey. So unique!

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    1. The honey tenderizes wonderfully, and imparts a great tiny-bit-sweet flavor. I was amazed, because I usually use buttermilk for marinating my chicken.

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  2. I bet my boys would love these! Pinned 'em!

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  3. My family would adore these! Love the dipping sauce!

    #46

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  4. Those look great and sound so tasty! Nice choice!

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  5. I've never thought to marinate chicken in honey ~ I bet it was delicious!! I think we would love this!

    Have a great weekend!

    Jaime
    #23

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    Replies
    1. I'd always used buttermilk until I tried this recipe ... so glad I gave honey a try! It is indeed delicious.

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  6. I would never have thought to marinate in honey. Wow what a great idea.

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  7. First time here! You're a bee keeper? I bet these were just delicious with fresh, local honey. Never heard of marinating in honey either, so I'm def trying these someday. Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. I sure am a beekeeper ... well, ASSISTANT beekeeper ... my husband is the head beekeeper. We have 2 hives, and are expanding to 4 next spring. We love harvesting our own honey supply!

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  8. I never thought of marinating anything in honey! That is enough to make me want to try this recipe. We usually eat lighter on the weekends and this recipe would fit the bill. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. OMG my daughter would love these, and I think I'd find myself snacking on a few too!! I'm so glad I took part in this CCC!!!

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  10. Yummy! Thanks ever so much for stopping by my blog and your kind comments.
    Granny CCC #18. Enjoying making my rounds.

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  11. Your nuggets look so perfect! These wouldn't last very long in our house.

    #19

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  12. These chicken nuggets look delicious! I love to dip my chicken nuggets in honey, so I will have to try this recipe. Stopping by from CCC#45.

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  13. These look yummy and I love chicken nuggets. Honey must make them delicious.

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  14. This recipe looks just so sweetly yummy! I didn't know that you are a bee keeper! That is my dream! I think the only thing that holds me back is the idea of covering up in the hot and steamy summers here in Pa!
    Oh, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of keeping bees!!!!!
    Thank you so much for joining ON THE MENU MONDAY with this delicious recipe!

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    Replies
    1. My husband does the covering up!! I'm the official ASSISTANT beekeeper! :-) We love generating our own honey supply ... we've got 2 hives with plans to expand to 4 next spring. Take the plunge, Yvonne!

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  15. These sound so yummy! Stopping by from the CCC!

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  16. This looks delicious! Great SRC pick!

    I'm #10 :)

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  17. Fantastic chicken dish.

    I found you on Stone Gable's On the Menu Monday. I have linked in bacon and scrambled egg rolls. Have a nice week.

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  18. chicken and honey seems a deadly combination - love it.
    stopping by from ccc #48

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  19. Sounds so delicious! The mustard sauce sounds wonderful! Thanks for stopping by my blog - Patty #16.

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  20. Love the idea of using honey for the nuggets! I never would have thought of that...thanks for sharing!
    #6

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  21. Yum! These look great! Would love for you to link up at my Pin It Thursday party! http://www.sweetbellaroos.com/2012/07/12/pin-it-thursday2/

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  22. These look great! I'm pinning for my kids, they will love these. Thanks for sharing at the Weekend Potluck! Have a terrific weekend!
    ~Kim

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  23. Thanks for linking up, I featured you today!

    http://www.sweetbellaroos.com/2012/07/14/pin-worthy-feature2/

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  24. Great recipe, we just love Fried Chicken! Hope you are having a fantastic week and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  25. Sounds delicious, we will need to try them soon, thank you!
    I was wondering what you used for a dipping sauce? When we lived in Manchester, NH there was a great restaurant that had a wonderful dipping sauce for their “chicken fingers” but the recipe was a Family Secret!!! I think it had honey in it too, very light and no mustard! Thank You💕

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    Replies
    1. We use honey mustard. The sauce you described would be interesting. Thank you for reading and let us know how the chicken nuggets turn out.

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  26. Wow! The chicken nuggets look so crispy and flavorful. I've never thought to marinate chicken in honey, but you bet I'm going to give this a try! Popping by from Home Matters Linky Party #388

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    1. Please stop back by and let us know how they turn out. We hope everyone enjoys them.

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  27. I don't fry very often either, but I'd have to agree with you about the taste and this recipe looks delicious!

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    1. It is as good as it looks; please let us know how you like it.

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  28. Just seeing the pic I'm hungry. It's looking delicious. I'll try to make one for my boyfriend he love chicken.

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    1. Wonderful, please let us know it turns out. We hope both of you enjoy.

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