Let me start out by saying that I don’t eat fast food like, ever. Ok, there was that one incident involving McDonalds and a particularly happy happy hour a few weeks ago, but as a general rule of thumb no, never.
Greasy burgers and deep fat fried onion rings and fries are totally unhealthy, and I end up feeling like crap for about 2 days afterward indulging. It’s just not even close to worth it.
However.
There are exceptions, naturally! Three of them, in fact – In-N-Out Burger, Five Guys, and Chick-fil-A. Each are so delicious that it’s worth a little regret and a grumbly stomach for a few satisfying bites.
Among the three, Chick-fil-A stands out for specializing in succulent, crispy breaded chicken that is always tender, all-white meat, and so dang juicy – plus the seasonings they use are just right. Imagine how tickled I was after coming across a copycat recipe I could make at home and customize to use a fraction of the oil the real restaurant uses, but still have it taste exactly like the real thing?
Chick-fil-A Bites with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce are insane!
Start the Chick-fil-A Bites by cutting a couple large chicken breasts into bite sized pieces, seasoning the pieces with salt & pepper, and placing them in a marinade of milk, 1 egg, and pickle juice.
Yes, pickle juice! I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I once heard that the key to Chick-fil-A’s signature flavor that it’s injected with pickle juice. Ok?!
Let the chicken hang out and marinate in the mixture for 2-4 hours in the fridge.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, combine flour, powdered sugar, salt & pepper in another ziplock back, and transfer the chicken pieces over using tongs. Shake the bag to coat the chicken pieces completely with the mix.
Next, heat 1/4 cup peanut oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large skillet. If you don’t have peanut oil, vegetable or canola oil will totally do.
Test the oil to see if it’s hot enough by dropping a bit of the flour mixture into the pot. If it sizzles, the oil is ready. It it pops and spatters, the oil is too hot. If it does nothing at all, it’s too cold.
Working in two batches in order to avoid crowding the pan, place the coated chicken pieces into the oil using tongs. Cook until one side is golden brown, then flip and cook until the other side is golden brown. It depends on how big you cut your chicken, but my 1″ chicken pieces took about 3 minutes on each side.
Remove the chicken to a paper-towel lined plate, and continue with the other half.
Serve ’em hot and fresh with a simple homemade honey mustard sauce that I kind of wanted to spoon drink – it was da bomb!
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Chick-fil-A Bites with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Description
Chick-fil-A Bites with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce taste even better than the real thing, and are much healthier!
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces then seasoned with salt & pepper
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup dill pickle juice
- 1 egg
- 1-1/4 cups gluten-free or all-purpose flour (dish will not be GF if using all-purpose flour)
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup peanut oil, divided (or canola or vegetable oil)
- Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons honey
Directions
- Whisk together egg, milk and pickle juice, and pour into a large ziplock bag or bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.
- Combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag. Shake to combine. Remove chicken from the marinade and add into the bag. Shake to coat the chicken completely.
- Heat half the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat (6 or 7 out of 10.) Test the oil by dropping in a bit of the flour mixture. If it sizzles, the oil is ready, if it pops, lower the temperature a bit.
- Gently place chicken pieces into the oil with tongs. Do this in 2 batches, as you don’t want to overcrowd the pan. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on one side. Turn the chicken over and allow to cook for 3-4 more minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Heat the remaining oil and continue with the other half of the chicken pieces.
- Stir together the honey mustard dipping sauce ingredients, and serve with the hot chicken bites.
Notes
Adapted from My Name is Snickerdoodle
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I want to make Chick-fil-A Bites for dinner everysinglenight – they were such a hit! The honey mustard dipping sauce gave the bites a pretty good run for their money though. Sweet, just slightly tangy, and so creamy.
Dipped, dunked, and devoured!
Jenny 11.12.2013
Wondered if you had ever made these little beauties, and then heated them up later? I’m headed to a Thanksgiving party and would love to make them up ahead of time. Perhaps a reheat in the oven?
Iowa Girl Eats 11.18.2013
I haven’t! I tend to think they might get a little soggy. Did you give it a try?
K 04.03.2014
I have! They reheat better in the oven then in the microwave.
Hannah 10.21.2013
Hey! So, I absolutely love Chick-fil-a, and I am all up for making things at home. However, due to some recent health issues with my mom (possibly caused by wheat), in support, my whole family is going gluten-free — which is quite hard. I was just wondering if you had any ideas on how to make this gluten free? Maybe oat flour? Whew — I’m such “newbie” to this.
Myisha 10.15.2013
They are sooo good and very close to the real thing. My husband and his best friend loved them. Thanks!!
Nancy 09.18.2013
Thank-you so much for sharing recipe my kids love these but can’ t take them often now I can make them at home!
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M.A. 07.16.2013
Made these last night for my super finicky family. They are chick fil a fans, but like I said ….super finicky. Well, they DEVOURED them and now would like to know when I will make more. I think the pickle juice and the little amount of powder sugar really sets them apart, and makes them DELISH! I see myself making this recipe A LOT in the near future. Thanks!
Kelsey K 07.08.2013
This is a great recipe!! So not sure if you know this/ someone else commented, but adding some BBQ sauce to the honey mustard dipping sauce will get you a pretty comparable taste to actuall CFA sauce. It’s worth experimenting, but usually I add a drop or two of BBQ sauce into four tablespoons of the honey mustard. Give it a try!
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Christelle 07.04.2013
Délicious!!!!
Third time that i make it and it will not be the last…:-)
Lisa 05.23.2013
OK, this explains a lot! I LOVED Chick-fil-a as a kid, and ever since I have always had a mysterious love of chicken and pickles. Now I know why! Thanks for sharing this. I can’t wait to try it!!
Crystal 05.09.2013
I found your recipe on Pinterest. Thanks for sharing! These nuggets were soo good!! Tastes just like Chick-fil-a! I’ll be sure to try to sauce too as soon as I can get to the grocery store :)
Stephanie 04.25.2013
I made these last night. SOOOO good!!!! My whole family loved them!! I put them in my salad.
Terri 04.21.2013
I prepare 95% of our food at home, so have no guilt with the occasional McD’s happy meal, Wendy’s single or all things CFA; however, it seems I always crave CFA on Sundays – when they are closed for church! Can’t wait to try these tonight…I can tell just by reading that they will be divine..thx!!!
Kennedy 04.09.2013
Trying these tonight! They look great! Cant wait to eat! xD
Katie 03.31.2013
As someone who hates pickles with a passion, will I like these? Do they taste pickely?
Iowa Girl Eats 04.05.2013
I don’t think they taste pickly at all, but if you hate pickles with a passion, you might be able to pick out the flavor, so I’d just leave it out. They’ll still be delicious!
Anna Handy 03.23.2013
Do you use sweet or dill pickle juice?
They look really good!
Iowa Girl Eats 03.26.2013
Dill!
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