Crispy Homemade Chicken Nuggets with Tangy Apricot Dipping Sauce

1. Prepare the Chicken

Mix the chicken pieces with salt in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate this mixture for at least 45 minutes, up to 2 hours. This step helps tenderize the meat, making your nuggets juicier and more flavorful.

2. Process the Chicken

Transfer the chicken to a food processor. Add the chicken-flavored broth powder, white pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Process until you get a smooth and cohesive paste. This blend ensures each nugget is uniformly seasoned and tender.

3. Shape the Nuggets

Shape the chicken paste into small, nugget-sized pieces. Lightly grease a baking sheet with neutral oil or nonstick cooking spray, and place the nuggets on it. Aim for about 1/2-inch thickness to ensure they cook evenly.

4. Make the Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine the apricot jam, corn syrup, water, vinegar, cornstarch, chicken-flavored broth powder, soy sauce, mustard, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and white pepper. Use an immersion blender to blend everything until smooth. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it thickens and becomes clear, which should take about 2-3 minutes.

5. Prepare the Coating

Mix the flour, cornstarch, chicken-flavored broth powder, baking powder, and white pepper in a large bowl. Let this mixture sit for about 15 minutes. This resting period allows the coating to adhere better to the nuggets.

6. Make the Batter

Add water to the flour mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Dip each nugget into the batter, ensuring they are well-coated.

7. Fry the Nuggets

Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Fry the nuggets in batches for about 4-5 minutes, or until they puff up and begin to brown. Transfer the nuggets to a wire rack to drain. Increase the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C) and fry the nuggets again for about 4 minutes until they are deep golden brown and very crispy.

8. Serve

Let the nuggets rest for a couple of minutes to set the coating, then serve them with the tangy apricot dipping sauce. Enjoy your crispy homemade chicken nuggets!