16 Ways To Add Flavor To Frozen Chicken Nuggets

Frozen chicken nuggets are a popular comfort food because they're easy to store and make when you need food in a jiffy. The poultry is beloved by adults and kids alike, making it a simple meal when you don't want to (or have the time to) make baked chicken nuggets from scratch. We have a few ways to add flavor to frozen chicken nuggets that can appeal to a wide range of palates if you feel bored with the meat or want to give it a little pizzazz.

You can transform plain nuggets into a rejuvenated, flavorful version by incorporating different sauces, toppings, or cooking methods. We'll cover the different ways to add flavor, provide instructions on getting the best results, and share if there's anything you should pair it with. Plain chicken nuggets are the default for these suggestions, but some may work with other nugget flavors. You'll find plenty of inspiration that will keep you reaching for the nuggets throughout the week, making each meal taste unique.

You'll need a few ingredients to transform frozen chicken nuggets into a takeout dish. Whip together a stir-fry sauce, which will elevate the flavor with sweetness and a hint of umami, thanks to ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and a few aromatics. The homemade aspect brings dimension to the mild taste of chicken nuggets without a lot of extra effort. However, you could use a store-bought stir-fry sauce if you have that at the ready for an equally tasty effect.

Make sure the meat is crispy, whether you fry or bake it because the sauce can impact the overall texture after it is coated (especially if it sits for more than a few minutes). Bring a visual element by adding any aromatics used as a garnish, such as chopped scallions or garlic. Make the nuggets even heartier by pairing them with other ingredients used in a vegetable stir-fry; mushrooms, carrots, and bell peppers can add color and further flavor to the dish. Once plated, top with toasted sesame seeds for a nutty taste.

We love a sweet and spicy combo, and a hot honey sauce or glaze can make nuggets all the more appetizing. Use store-bought hot honey for the easiest application, but making it at home allows you more control over the spice level. Store versions tend to have honey, dried chili peppers, and vinegar, so it's easy to replicate this at home. You could simply use honey paired with red chili pepper flakes, cayenne, or chipotle pepper powder. 

Or opt for jalapeños or other fresh chilis based on heat preference. Simmer the honey along with the chosen peppers on low heat. Add a hint of apple cider vinegar to give it a mild tang, and then you're ready to toss it with the nuggets. It creates music on the tongue with notes of heat, sweetness, and that bit of zing. You could integrate soy sauce to give it more of a salty twist. These options create a tacky, glossy coating that can improve the look and taste of the meat. Just have some napkins ready because your fingers will get sticky.

Chicken nuggets are already a comfort food, but we suggest doubling up on the feel-good vibes with some cheese. A simple nacho cheese sauce can take the flavor in a new, creamy direction. Pour the sauce over the plated nuggets or dip the meat directly in the sauce if you prefer to control how much cheese you use on each one. If you really want to go all out, try using a flavor injector to put the cheesy sauce inside the nuggets. This cheese-stuffed chicken nugget will impress anyone who tries it. It's salty, oozy, and something you wouldn't expect.

But you could take it a step further and create a whole meal out of it by adding tortilla chips and other nacho toppings like jalapeños, cilantro, or black beans. This brings an array of amazing flavors and textures to basic nuggets. Leave them whole or slice them into smaller, more bite-sized pieces that you can scoop up with the chips.

Bulk up weekday salad with frozen chicken nuggets. Bring a fresh, crisp element with greens, veggies, and salad dressing to the little meat patties. Cook the nuggets as directed and then toss them with the other salad elements. It works with anything from Caesar to Cobb to antipasto. The salad's dressing will give it a much-welcome flavor boost, like rich creaminess from Caesar or the zing of a balsamic. You could also pair flavored nuggets with types of salads, like spicy nuggets with a spicy Southwestern chicken salad. 

We recommend slicing the cooked nuggets so the pieces can get dressed along with everything else. That way, each bite has a bit of flavor and texture rather than just one whole nugget. You'll get hints of lettuce, carrots, croutons, or whatever your bagged salad is comprised of. The nuggets are also a good way to give the salad a protein increase. Pre-packaged salad works in harmony with frozen chicken nuggets for a quick and easy meal that's packed with nuanced flavors.

Lemon pepper is a staple seasoning for veggies and proteins alike, so it only makes sense to use it with chicken nuggets. It brings brightness to the dish when you want something that tastes uplifting rather than heavy, like a cream-based sauce. Use store-bought seasoning or make it yourself with fresh lemon zest, coarsely cracked pepper, and salt. To get the lemon pepper to really stick on, you can use oil or butter to create a slightly sticky surface. Bake the nuggets first and then toss with the oil or butter and lemon pepper. 

For a looser (and lighter) addition, dust the seasoning on top of the nuggets right before serving. It still has that zesty, peppery taste, but you can monitor how much you want to add to the nuggets. Plus, it has the added visual component of the pepper specks, with the homemade version having more noticeable, flavorful, and fragrant lemon zest pieces. Serve with roasted veggies and a side of rice, and this makes a scrumptious weeknight meal that the whole family will love.

This tip of adding the nuggets to a casserole not only improves the nuggets' flavor but can also benefit the texture by softening it. The chicken nuggets will absorb the taste of the other ingredients to give them renewed flavors. It becomes a savory, comforting, and filling meal when paired with various ingredients and textures.

You'll bake the nuggets first until they're fully cooked and lightly crispy. Then, incorporate them with the other elements of the casserole, such as a cream of chicken soup, tater tots, onion, or egg noodles. Or use the nuggets to replace chicken breast in classic chicken casserole. The elements can range, but you'll usually need to use a liquid component, like evaporated milk or skim milk, to ensure the casserole sticks together. 

Casseroles are a top choice when you have a few ingredients you want to use up and don't want to spend all night cooking dinner. You get to bake the nuggets, mix the ingredients, place them in the dish, and let it cook until perfection.

Chicken parmesan is a delicious meal that blends coziness and flavor together in a superb family meal. Use tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese as a jumping-off point, but put a spin on the staple dish by using chicken nuggets instead of breaded chicken breast. It offers smaller bites as an appetizer or snack for parties or game days when you're entertaining a crowd. Simply toss the chicken bits in the oven to cook. Once they're hot, crack open a jar of marinara sauce and ladle it onto each nugget. 

Top with Parmesan (you could also add provolone or mozzarella) and an Italian seasoning blend of oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram, and then broil for one or two minutes. Don't take your eyes off it because they can burn quickly since the pieces are small. Your nuggets will have a hint of acidity from the tomatoes, a creamy mouthfeel from the cheese, and nuanced notes from the herbs. Eat the nugget parmesan alone or pair them with pasta or garlic bread.

Bring a depth of delicious flavor to chicken nuggets with tikka masala. It's usually a chicken dish, but you'll find other iterations like shrimp tikka masala because the flavors can transform any protein it touches. It's a remarkable blend of sauteed aromatics, tomato sauce, garam masala, other spices, and creamy coconut milk. It's not lacking in flavor by any means, so it can easily give the nuggets added flavor. If you prefer a rapid version, you could use jarred tikka masala sauce instead.

Since we're tossing and serving in the sauce, you'll want it to hold up without immediately turning into a soggy mess. If the nuggets are on the softer side, the breading may fall apart. So, you'll want to cook the nuggets until crisp to the touch. This aromatic sauce can impart its flavor and creamy mouthfeel to the nuggets for an enjoyable meal you can pair with rice or naan. 

Consider orange chicken sauce as one of the best and most familiar ways to add flavor to frozen chicken nuggets. It's an absolutely mouthwatering mix of sweet, savory, and a hint of uplifting citrus. Replicate the takeout dish at home by coating the cooked nuggets in a three-ingredient orange chicken sauce made with barbecue sauce, soy sauce, and orange marmalade. Adjust the ingredients to taste, making the sauce sweeter or giving it an umami punch.

Cook the chicken in the oven or air fryer, and then toss the nuggets in the orange concoction, and you're ready to enjoy. Dig into it for an uncomplicated snack, but you may want to turn it into a meal by placing it over a bed of white or fried rice or adding a vegetable side like carrots or green beans. For added flavor, texture, and color, top with sesame seeds and scallions.

Fry chicken nuggets in hot oil or grease to provide a rich savoriness that you wouldn't get solely from baking or air frying. Any high-smoke point oil will do the trick. But bacon grease or rendered chicken fat are top choices because they hold a lot of flavor and can impart a smokiness and nuance to the chicken nuggets. Frying the chicken adds an almost homemade quality because it'll have a nice crunch and juiciness that you wouldn't expect and an almost undiscernible added flavor. 

Unlike a fast food restaurant, you don't have to use a deep fryer. Shallow fry them in a pan, about halfway submerged in your oil of choice. This is a creative way to mix up the weeknight staple of chicken nuggets so it doesn't taste the same, even though it doesn't seem like much has changed. After a few minutes of frying, they'll get a golden color. Add a sprinkle of salt, and you're ready to enjoy with your favorite dip.

Pesto can bring its signature bright green hue, nutty richness from the pinenuts and olive oil, and the herbal quality of basil to chicken nuggets. Start with a fresh pesto recipe that only takes a few minutes to make. But if you don't have all the ingredients and opt for jarred pesto instead, you might want to consider adding more flavor to store-bought pesto to introduce other tasting notes into the mix, such as red chili pepper flakes to give it a kick of heat. Pesto and chicken are a common pairing, so the nuggets are an ideal swap if you don't want to deal with cooking and cleaning raw chicken. 

Once the nuggets are fully cooked, dress them in the pesto and use them in many ways. We recommend forming another dish like chicken pesto pasta or sliders for something satiating and delicious. Or, you can have it with vegetables like broccoli, spinach, or sun-dried tomatoes. Alternatively, instead of dressing the nuggets in pesto, use the pesto as a dip or sauce for a quick snack without creating an entire meal.

Toss in chopped nuggets to add more flavor to corn chowder, though the chowder does the same for the chicken, so it's a delectable consonance. The thick soup adds a creamy richness to the meat, but the corn itself incorporates a surprising amount of flavor — somewhat sweet and milky. The cooked nuggets add a firm texture to the dish while the cream, potatoes, and corn get into all the nooks and crannies of the chicken pieces.

The nuggets will make the soup more filling and give it additional protein, making it perfect for a cozy dinner on a chilly evening. It's sure to be a hit, so make a larger batch, and you can have it again as leftovers for lunch or dinner the following day. Adding chicken nuggets into the mix can only make the whole experience better for all ages.

If you're like us, you probably have a bag of nuggets stocked in the freezer for when the mood strikes. Well, the lightbulb of inspiration just went off. Wrap those chicken morsels in bacon for a fantastic bite-sized appetizer that merges into a memorable savory delight. It's as simple as it can get; you only need to wrap the uncooked nuggets with a strip of uncooked bacon and bake them together for about 20 minutes, but it may need more time if you want a crispier finished product. 

This makes the nuggets even more savory with the salty and smoky qualities of the bacon, but you could also add a spicy feature with cayenne or chili powder. The crunchy and salty features work with a range of dips, whether you want ranch or barbecue sauce.

Chicken nuggets and peanut butter may seem like an unexpected combination, but for this tip, we're pulling inspiration from chicken satay. The peanut sauce can take standard nuggets to new heights with its nutty, umami taste. It also has a spicy element from chili flakes. Create a batch of satay-style peanut sauce that has the nutty richness of peanut butter and a hint of soy sauce and lime juice. It's incredibly easy to put together, as it only takes five minutes from start to finish. 

This sauce is quite thick, so it works nicely as a dipping sauce for crisply cooked nuggets. If you prefer, you could thin it out a tad with water or coconut milk before coating the nuggets in the decadent sauce. Add the cooked nuggets onto a wooden skewer and then pour the sauce on for a quick spin on the scrumptious Indonesian dish. It makes a flavorful appetizer when ketchup isn't cutting it. 

We often turn to gravy when seeking a homemade, comforting essence. Now, chicken nuggets and gravy might not be how grandma used to make, it but it has a savory goodness that feels familiar yet refreshed. Smother the poultry in gravy to give it a warm and delectable transformation. Rather than a thick, sausage-laden gravy or one made with meat juices that might not complement the chicken, try a creamy country gravy instead. This sauce uses a light roux as the base, resulting in a white and thin sauce that resembles béchamel. 

It goes well with chicken-fried steak and biscuits, but in this instance, you'll use chicken nuggets. The sauce only takes a few minutes to whip up, so you can put it together as the nuggets bake in the oven or air fryer. Use the gravy as a dip or drizzle it over the poultry before serving. Your chicken gets a salty, creamy upgrade with hints of black pepper and onion.

Chicken and waffles are a hearty way to start your morning, but you may want to swap the fried chicken for chicken nuggets. It's a quicker way to get brunch on the table when you don't have time to brine, dredge, and fry up fresh chicken. Give chicken nuggets a sweet and savory twist with a hint of maple syrup, a classic part of chicken and waffles. It complements the waffles while adding a satisfactory sugary taste to the crispy poultry. A little goes a long way when using pure maple syrup, as it's remarkably sweet.

Add a pad of butter to bring a creamy richness that enhances the taste of the nuggets. But don't keep it as a morning food — you can dig into this dish any time of the day. We think it makes a delightful dinner, especially paired with a side of collard greens or green beans. The waffles, syrup, and nuggets provide an incredible balance of salty and sweet.