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Better Than the Snack Bar Baked Chicken Nuggets…with all the sauces. And I do mean ALL the sauces. Never enough sauce. These chicken nuggets are breaded and seasoned, oven-baked, then dipped in an assortment of sauces. Everything from creamy honey mustard, to caesar, to BBQ, to ranch. The options are endless and so delicious. This is what I call snack bar food at home. These nuggets are baked, not fried, and so much tastier. Serve with oven-baked french fries and veggies for an easy kid-friendly summer dinner that’s so much fun and full of flavor.
Well, this is a fun recipe! I speak about this every single summer, but to me, summer is about taking yourself back to being a kid for a few months. Which includes enjoying all the fun summertime food. Growing up on the lake in Ohio meant our summers were hot and humid. If we weren’t swimming in the lake, we were at the pool. The pool was always slightly preferred because, hello…the snack bar. Anyone who spent their childhood summers at their local pool knows all too well about the snack bar.
They’re not fancy, but they’re the best. I was a chicken fingers and soft-serve ice kind of kid, but my brothers lived on the slushies.
Anyway, these chicken fingers are inspired by those snack bar chicken fingers that I’d get all summer long.
But I also had another source of inspo, my brother Creighton. Creigh loves himself some chicken nuggets. Mickey D nuggets, freezer nuggets, high school cafeteria nuggets (he says those were the best)…he loves them all.
But the most important factor to a good nugget?
The sauces. Crieghton says you need lots and lots of sauces. He’s a double-dip kind of guy, and he also loves to mix sauces. So this week I set out to recreate his favorites, but to make them even better and healthier too. We’re also not frying these nuggets, we’re baking them!
Here are the details
We’re not frying these nuggets, we’re baking them! So start by mixing up an egg with some pickle juice and then toss in the trimmed chicken tenders. The is our “glue”, it helps adhere the breading onto the chicken. The pickle juice is key. I’ve heard this is what Chick-Fil-A does for their nuggets. And I have to say, it really does add something special.
Next, combine finely crushed cornflake crumbs with Panko breadcrumbs. The cornflakes are key. As the chicken bakes in the oven, the breading “fries” and becomes extra crisp.
Now bake the chicken in the oven until it crisps all over. My secret is to gently drizzle the chicken with olive oil before it bakes. This helps the coating to really crisp up nicely in the oven. You can’t skip this step, it’s crucial.
While the nuggets bake, make your sauces
Ok, so there are a lot of sauces to this recipe. I of course do not expect you to make them all. Though if you are having a dinner party I would recommend whipping them all up. This gives everyone some delicious options for dipping.
For now, instead of making them all, pick one or two of your favorites. Each of the sauces is incredibly easy to mix up and requires nothing fancy. These don’t take much time at all.
Included in today’s recipe are creamy honey mustard, caesar dressing, sweet chili, and BBQ ranch. Of course, ketchup is always recommended as well. Oh, and a buffalo sauce or Cane’s Sauce would be great too, but I had to draw the line somewhere…trust me I wanted to make and include them all!
Each sauce is just as easy as the next. Simply combine all the ingredients and taste for salt. No cooking or blending in a food processor is required!
All the sauces are SO GOOD! My favorite is honestly good ole’ ketchup, but I do really love the honey mustard. It is SO GOOD, my favorite combo right now. And that homemade caesar dressing (also very obsessed with this).
So, the real question is…
Which sauce or sauces are you all about??
So curious to know? Please, please tell me in the comments. And if I missed any great ones, you have to inform me of them!
So in the end, Creighton was EXCITED! In fact, he said I made his week with these. He said the sauces are all “gas”…whatever that means.
Got to love him. He’s always got something funny to say.
I’d recommend serving these with home-baked french fries and plenty of veggies on the side. Great for a weeknight, fun for a summer dinner party, or even to take on a picnic. However you serve these up, they’re guaranteed to be a hit!
Looking for other fun, kid-friendly dinners? Here are some favorites:
Easy Southern Style Baked Mac and Cheese
Peanut Butter Mocha Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches
Lastly, if you make these Better Than the Snack Bar Baked Chicken Nuggets, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Better Than the Snack Bar Baked Chicken Nuggets...with all the sauces
Ingredients
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 tablespoons pickle juice
- 2 pounds boneless chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 1/4 cup cornflake crumbs
- 3/4 cup Panko
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- kosher salt
- extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
Creamy Honey Mustard
- 1/4 cup avocado oil mayo
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons pickle juice or lemon juice
- cayenne pepper, to taste
Caesar Sauce
- 1/4 cup avocado oil mayo
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Sweet Chili
- 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- zest and juice from 1 lime
BBQ Ranch
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- cayenne, to taste
Buffalo Sauce
- 1/4 cup hot sauce , (I like Franks red hot)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and pickle juice. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Combine the cornflakes, Panko, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and a pinch of pepper to a bowl.3. Dredge the chicken through the crumbs, pressing to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.4. To make each sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Taste and season with salt.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Just checking; the ingredient list has Kosher Salt but the instructions dont say where to add the salt but it does say a ‘pinch of pepper’. Which is it?
Hey Jackie,
You can also add some salt with the pepper. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Best I’ve ever made!!!
Hey there,
Happy Friday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
I have tried other homemade nugget recipes to tempt one of my kiddos who is a very selective eater. He has rejected them all until this one. He says next time I need to make “100 pounds” of these. Thank you!
Hey Andrea,
Fantastic! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Wow these were amazing! Thanks!
Hey Carla,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
So so so good! We had these last night and they were a huge hit. My 2 year old kept wanting more and more. I made the honey mustard sauce (which my husband loved) and the sweet Thai Chile sauce (which was my favorite). Definitely will recommend and already shared the recipe with my sister to try.
Hey Maureen,
Fantastic! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Hello, My girls would love these. Was wondering about making extra and freezing them. What would you suggest? Would I be able to freeze these after breading them? Or should I bake, cool and then freeze?
What would you suggest on bake time for frozen?
Thanks!
Hey Jenn,
These would be totally fine to free before baking. To bake from frozen I would increase your baking time to at least 30 minutes. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Holy Moly these are SOOOOOOOO so yummy! We made these tonight and my kiddos and husband loved them! Such a hit. Thanks for sharing xoxo
Hey Danielle,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful day:) xTieghan
Didn’t have corn flakes so substituted corn Chex and it was so good!
Hey Elizabeth,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have the best week:) xTieghan
These are absolutely delicious! Crispy outside, tender inside – the whole family loved them! Thanks for sharing!
Hey Sandra,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have the best week:) xTieghan
How do you crush the cornflakes?? Food processor, by hand?
Hey Lisa,
You can do either one, I used a food processor. I hope you enjoy this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made this tonight and my husband said it was excellent. So easy to make! Next time I’ll try it also with tofu for me as I am a vegetarian. Great fun with the sauces. Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
Hey Deb,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for giving it a go! xxTieghan
Made these yesterday and literally took them to the pool with my boys. So good – we ate them all! I’m wondering how to cook them in an air fryer? I’m converted to frozen nuggets in the air fryer and Id love to try these in there.
Hey Sarah,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for giving it a go! Sorry, I haven’t tested these in the air fryer, but let me know if you give it a try. xxTieghan
Ranch recipe???
Just saw it posted. Excited to make the chicken nuggets with ALL the sauces!!
Hope you love the recipe:)
I asked the same thing 🙂
Hey Christina,
Here you go:
Greek Yogurt Ranch
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoon buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
kosher salt and black pepper
Please let me know if you have any questions! xTieghan
Hey Lacey,
Here you go:
Greek Yogurt Ranch
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoon buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
kosher salt and black pepper
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Ooo these look good! Making these for my family soon. Xx
Thanks so much, I hope you love the recipe Kelly-Jane!! xTieghan
Great Post!! Absolutely amazing.
Thanks so much!!
Do you have a good recipe for a chipotle sauce?
Hey Jessie,
Here is one you might like:
Chipotle Sesame Sauce
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
kosher salt
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan