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Grilled Chicken Nuggets Recipe by CampingForFoodies features a blue camping plate filled with golden brown chicken nuggets. The char marks and caramelized bbq sauce glisten in the sun. Golden brown French fries sit behind the meat alongside a blue bowl filled with coleslaw in a creamy dressing.

Grilled Chicken Nuggets Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Brining Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 2
Author: Kim Hanna
Camping For Foodies Dinner Camping Recipes: You don't have to go to the fast-food chain restaurant to get your fix of grilled chicken nuggets. Make this Chick-fil-A copycat recipe right at your campsite!
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast meat or chicken tenderloins fat removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • Cooking spray or olive or canola oil

Spice Mixture Ingredients (see Note 1)

  • 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder use dehydrated garlic not garlic salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Brine Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dill pickle juice or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream

Dipping Sauce

  • 1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce or honey mustard salad dressing (divided)

Instructions

  • Combine the dry spices in a small bowl and set aside. (see Note 1)
  • In a gallon sized Ziploc bag (or large bowl), combine pickle juice, milk and chicken. Seal bag (or cover bowl), place in refrigerator (or cooler) to brine for about 30 minutes.
  • Pour liquid out of bag, place paper towel in bag and toss to absorb any remaining liquid (or remove chicken from the brine in bowl, place on baking sheet or large plate lined with paper towels and pat it dry.)
  • Pour spice mixture into bag (or on baking sheet) with chicken and toss to coat.
  • Preheat a gas grill, charcoal grill or campfire coals to high heat, 450-550 F degrees. (see Note 2)
  • Spray the grill grates with cooking spray (or brush with canola or olive oil) to prevent sticking.
  • Place the chicken pieces in a single layer on the grill grates, turning to char all sides and cook through, about 8-10 minutes for smaller pieces, 10-12 minutes for larger chunks.
  • Brush the grilled nuggets with some of your favorite sauce and continue cooking until it's caramelized, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Serve hot with remaining sauce for dipping on the side.

Notes

  1. Ingredients can be measured and mixed at home. 
  2. If you don't have a thermometer on your grill, use the "hand test": hold the palm of your hand about 5 inches above the heat source, pull it away before it hurts, 2-3 seconds = high heat.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1g | Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 3062mg | Potassium: 1079mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 406IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg