Review: Trader Joe's Spicy Nuggets Are Hot But Unsatisfying

As a long-time Trader Joe's superfan, I've come to the conclusion that the store is a treasure trove for foodies with specific culinary desires. Do you have a hankering for a frozen meal that's also vegan and gluten-free? Look no further than the store's frozen Thai green curry. Are you craving mochi ice cream, but don't live near an Asian supermarket? Trader Joe's frozen mochi is there for you. The chain does a remarkable job of identifying the needs of its consumers and crafting products that will satisfy, and its latest invention is no exception. I was beyond delighted to learn that spicy chicken nuggets recently hit the store's shelves. 

If you're anything like me, chicken nuggets were a childhood staple that shamelessly followed you into adulthood. What used to be a mealtime necessity has turned into an easy comfort food that you treat yourself to whenever the mood arises. And if you can find them at an inexpensive price, even better. Trader Joe's spicy chicken nuggets seem to fit the bill — and the refrigerated nuggets can be heated up a variety of different ways. But are they actually as good as they sound? I headed to my local store to pick up a pack and find out.

Prices are as of the date of publication and may vary based on location. 

Fortunately for all the curious consumers out there, Trader Joe's leaves little to the imagination when it comes to the components of its spicy chicken nuggets. Its nuggets are made from chicken breasts with rib meat, so if you prefer dark meat chicken nuggets, don't expect these to necessarily satisfy your cravings. Additionally, these nuggets are fully-cooked and then refrigerated, so they require less cooking time than many other frozen chicken nugget brands. 

Wondering exactly what goes into making the nuggets spicy? The answer is an unsurprising ingredient: hot sauce. Specifically, the hot sauce used in this recipe contains only cayenne pepper, distilled white vinegar, salt, and garlic powder. I found its ingredients label to be incredibly straightforward and easy-to-read; there wasn't anything that left me scratching my head and wondering why Trader Joe's would include it. 

At my local store, these spicy chicken nuggets set me back a whopping $3.99 for 12-ounce pack, which contains about 16 individual nuggets total. This makes them a better deal than a small order of chicken nuggets from most fast food chains — and, to be honest, it made me a little skeptical about how these would hold up compared to other nugget brands I've tried in the past. If you're curious about whether your local store has the spicy chicken nuggets, go ahead and give them a call (or just head in and browse around — I wouldn't blame you). If they're in stock, you should find them in the prepared foods section. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if they sell out quickly.

In terms of what the nuggets offer nutrition-wise, there doesn't seem to be anything horribly shocking on its nutrition label. All Trader Joe's products are non-GMO, and the nuggets are no exception. A quarter of the package (about four nuggets) packs in 170 calories, 9 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, and 360 milligrams of sodium. While the sodium content may be something to watch out for, depending on your individual health journey, these nuggets are nutritionally comparable to McDonald's spicy nuggets. Do with that what you will. 

These nuggets can be heated up in the microwave, thrown in your conventional oven, or cooked in the air fryer. As a fan of anything I can air-fry, I chose to go that route. I followed the recommended package instructions: air fry at 375 F for four minutes, flip, and then fry for another four minutes. In just eight minutes, I had hot and crispy chicken nuggets, and the ease of preparation is a bonus in my book. But on to the true test — how do they taste?

I'll be honest — I can't say Trader Joe's take on the spicy nugget wowed me, and it had its merits and drawbacks. The pros? These nuggets are definitely spicy! They're not at all too overwhelming, but the heat will hit you, making them a good pairing for a cooling dipping sauce (my sauce of choice with these is ranch dressing). I also thought the breading was adequately seasoned with salt and pepper; you can tell there are pepper flecks just by looking at it.

However, the nuggets struggled a bit in terms of texture. The outside of the nugget didn't crisp up as much as I'd hoped (though it wasn't soggy by any means), and while this may have been fixed by a couple more minutes in the air fryer, I'd be concerned that they would dry out the inside. Speaking of the inside, the chicken meat was unfortunately pretty spongy and didn't have much texture on its own. 

So, should you buy yourself some of Trader Joe's spicy chicken nuggets? Given the fact that they only cost $3.99 (at my store, anyway), I'd say there's no harm in giving them a try. But, you shouldn't expect to find your new favorite chicken nugget, especially if you already have a brand you hold in high esteem. If you're mostly looking for something with spice, these may be more worth it for you, textural issues aside. 

Although not everyone will enjoy these nuggets, they're still a good deal for what you're given. Each nugget costs roughly a quarter and if you're using them to feed picky kiddos, they're a great value (plus, kids may not care about the texture as much). I definitely didn't hate these nuggets, and I'd probably snack on a couple if I saw them on a table at a party. I probably won't seek them out again, though, unless I need some spicy nuggets and am hard-pressed to find anything comparable elsewhere.