Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Fried Chicken Nuggets

These hot honey lemon pepper fried chicken nuggets are made with boneless chicken thighs cut into one inch cubes. They’re dredged with lemon pepper, cornstarch, egg and flour, fried in 350°F oil and tossed in hot honey, chili oil and lemon. I add lemon in two forms, juice in the sauce and sliced thin and softened in the honey on top. The slices look burnt but they are soft and sweet. My Popcorn Chicken Recipe is similar, with a buttermilk and pickle juice marinade and a double fry. These have no marinade and they’re sauced.

Thighs because I want them to be juicy after being fried. Dark meat will stay moist in the fryer and breast tends to dry out. These nuggets are small, so there’s no room for that. Adding cornstarch and eggs to the chicken helps the flour adhere to the chicken, so when you toss them in sauce the coating won’t slide off.

Made for game day or a tailgate. I will probably eat these more for lunch over some steamed rice than anything else.

Quick Look: Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Fried Chicken Nuggets

If you like these with bones, my Honey Lemon Pepper Wings are the wing version. Same seasoning, same honey, just on the bone.

Why This Recipe

• Chicken thighs. As stated above, thighs will remain juicy in the fryer. I want my nuggets to be that way, so I cut mine out of thighs.
• Sticking dredge. Cornstarch and egg help the flour stick to the chicken. The eggs allow the flour to cling to the chicken and the cornstarch makes the breading crispy and light instead of bready.
• Using lemon. There are two forms of lemon in this dish. Juiced in the sauce and sliced thin on top. The thin slices will soften in the hot honey and you’ll have tiny bits of lemon on top of your nugget. Yes, with the peel.
• Hot honey lemon pepper sauce. This sauce takes three ingredients. Hot honey, chili oil and lemon. You can make it in about five minutes on the stove while the last batch fries.
• Nuggets on a wire rack. When frying the nuggets I drain them on a wire rack. This allows air to get around the nugget and keeps it from getting soggy.

As you can tell I love making wings with hot honey. These nuggets are what I reach for when I don’t want bones. Same flavor, easier to eat over rice or off a toothpick.

Key Ingredients

For the Chicken

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs. 2 lbs, cut into 1 inch cubes. Trim any excess fat but don’t worry about the little bits. That’s what will keep them juicy. Same cut I use for my Chicken Thigh Skewers.
• Lemon pepper seasoning. 2 tbsp. I want the seasoning on the meat itself and in the breading, so it goes on the chicken before anything else.
• Salt. 1/2 tsp. Don’t use black pepper. The lemon pepper has pepper in it.
• Cornstarch. 2 tbsp, added to the chicken with the eggs.
• Eggs. 2 large. These will help your dredge stick.
• Flour. 2 cups in a separate bowl or tray to dredge your chicken. All purpose flour will work here. Nothing fancy, just plain flour.
• Oil to fry in. Whatever neutral oil you like. Make sure you have at least 2 to 3 inches of oil in your skillet or pot so the nuggets float instead of sitting on the bottom.

For the Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Sauce

• Hot honey. 1/2 cup. You can use regular honey if that’s what you have on hand. Since you’re adding chili oil you’ll still have heat. I use the same hot honey on my Rotisserie Hot Honey Lime Chicken Wings.
• Chili oil. 3 tbsp. I used a jar of store bought chili oil that was medium heat. It had some spice to it but wasn’t super spicy. If you want to take it up a notch, use a hot chili oil.
• Lemon juice. Juice of 1 lemon.
• Lemon slices. Take 1 lemon and slice it into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Then cut those rounds into 4 pieces each. We will be softening these in the hot honey.

You’ll notice that there is no lemon pepper in the sauce. Because we put it on the chicken and we’re adding lemon to the sauce, it will give you that flavor without doubling up.

Substitutions or Additions

• Use chicken breast. If you’d rather use breast, go for it. Just make sure to cut it the same size as the thighs. Pull the pieces from the fryer as soon as they hit 165°F. They will dry out if you let them sit.
• Honey plus hot sauce. If you don’t have hot honey, use 1/2 cup of honey and 1 tbsp of your favorite hot sauce. Similar to my Hot Sauce Glazed Chicken Wings.
• Spice it up. Add more chili oil to the sauce or use a hotter chili oil. You could even add some cayenne pepper to your flour.
• Air fryer. Spray your dredged nuggets with oil and air fry at 400°F for about 8 to 10 minutes. Flip them halfway through. They are done at 165°F. The crust will be lighter than deep fried but the sauce covers for it.
• Add garlic. If you want to take this recipe further, mince a clove of garlic and add it to the sauce. Just be careful to keep it on medium heat so it doesn’t burn.
• Turn it into a bowl. Cook some rice and add some steamed broccoli. Top it off with the nuggets and sauce. You now have a meal.
• Serve with chow mein. This is what I suggest and it works. The sweet and hot sauce plays off the noodles the same way orange chicken sauce does. You could use this sauce on orange chicken too.

How to Make Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Fried Chicken Nuggets (Step by Step)

The USDA recommends cooking chicken to 165°F. Since these nuggets are small they will cook through quickly. I would check a couple of nuggets from each batch with an instant read thermometer. If you want to try a larger piece of chicken with this dredge, try my Nashville Hot Wings.

Tips From Miguel

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge: Your sauced nuggets will last 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The breading will become soft. Try to only sauce as many as you know you’ll eat and keep the extra sauce separate.
• Freezer: Store your fried nuggets without sauce in the freezer for 2 months. Freeze them on a sheet pan first so they don’t stick together, then bag them. Reheat from frozen.
• Reheat: Oven or air fryer at 400°F until heated through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Heat your sauce on the stove and toss. Skip the microwave. The crust is gone at that point.
• Make ahead: You can prep your chicken up to the dredging stage the night before. Fry and sauce when you’re ready to eat.

If you are putting together a game day spread, these go next to my Chicken Potato Cheese Bombs. Both are one bite, both hold up on a tray.

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Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Fried Chicken Nuggets FAQs

Why use chicken thighs instead of breast for nuggets?

Dark meat will stay juicy in the fryer. Breast will dry out if you fry it for this long. If you decide to use breast, cut it the same size and pull the pieces out of the fryer as soon as they hit 165°F.

How do I keep the coating from falling off the chicken?

By using cornstarch and eggs. They will help your dredge stick to the chicken. Let your chicken rest on a rack while your oil heats up, and fry in small batches so the oil stays at 350°F.

Can I use regular honey instead of hot honey?

Yes. Since you’re adding chili oil you will still have heat. If you want to make it spicier, add some hot sauce or use a hotter chili oil.

What do you serve hot honey lemon pepper chicken nuggets with?

These are great on their own. You can serve them with rice, veggies or even chow mein. For game day, just dip them in your favorite sauce. Ranch or blue cheese cuts the heat.

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