2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Angela L. Pagán)
Chicken nuggies for dinner doesn't exactly scream upscale. In fact, it sounds more like . But, there's a way to elevate your homemade chicken nugget plate to make them juicier than ever — the sous vide method.
This cooking method is executed by vacuum sealing food in a bag and cooking it by submerging it in a low temperature water bath for an extended amount of time. While that may sound like one of the things about , it's a surprisingly common technique nowadays. This bougie method can be used on chicken nuggets made from scratch and frozen ones as well, you'll just need to extend the cook time even more for the frozen variety.
Two of the largest fast food coffee chains in the U.S. use the sous vide cooking method to make some of their popular breakfast menu items.
In the fast food choose sous vide to make their respective bites. The method helps to create a creamy and fluffy texture for the egg bites. So, if a little water bath can do all that for a couple of eggs on a fast food chain menu, just imagine what it can do for your chicken nugget dinner.
How sous vide makes for a better chicken nugget You might be thinking that vacuum sealing and water bathing a tray of dino nuggies is a tad bougie and not worth the extra effort. Well, you'd be right about the bougie part, but the rest will change how you enjoy nuggets from here on out. A minimum of an extra 30 minutes in a sous vide bath is what frozen nuggets need, and be sure your chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit no matter how thick the nuggets might be.
In the same way that sous vide makes for fluffier egg bites, it also makes for juicier nuggets. Simply place the nuggets in a resealable freezer bag, making sure to get all the air out and completely seal it off from the water bath. The vacuum seal traps the flavor and moisture in the chicken, making it much more tender than when baked in the oven.
Sous vide is also a more scientific way of cooking in that you can cook the nuggets to an exact temperature. Knowing the chicken is reaching a specific temperature helps guarantee a better quality cook versus the traditional way of pan frying or baking. Think about what it's like when you cook a whole chicken breast — the outside tends to look ready long before the inside is cooked through.
With the sous vide method, you can be sure the entirety of your nuggets are cooked to the right temperature. You'll still have to bread and fry (or bake) your homemade chicken nuggets after their water bath, but beautiful things do take time. Recommended.
