Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Method

1. Chill a food-processor bowl and keep the chicken cold. Mix fresh breadcrumbs with the milk and leave for 5 minutes. This small soaked-breadcrumb mixture helps the chicken hold moisture; do not replace it with a large quantity of dry flour.
2. Pulse the chicken with the soaked crumbs, salt and powdered seasonings until finely minced and tacky but not warm. Stop and refrigerate for 10 minutes if the mixture begins to warm. Do not taste the raw mixture; cook a teaspoonful in a skillet to check seasoning.
3. Divide into 24 portions, approximately 28 g each. With lightly damp hands form flattened nuggets no thicker than 1 cm and place on a lined tray. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm. Uniform thickness matters more than making elaborate shapes.
4. Put the dusting cornstarch in a shallow bowl. Whisk batter flour, the separate 30 g cornstarch and baking powder together; gradually whisk in the cold water until just combined. The batter should coat a spoon thinly, not sit on it as a paste.
5. Heat the oil to 170–175°C in a stable deep pan. Dust 4–5 chilled nuggets lightly, shake off excess and dip into the batter. Let drips fall back into the bowl, then lower the nuggets carefully into the oil.
6. Fry for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until golden and at least 74°C in the thickest centre. Test more than one in the first batch. If darkening too fast, lower the heat; a pale crust can be refried briefly only after the chicken is cooked through.
7. Drain on a rack and serve hot with a sauce made separately. Keep uncooked chicken mixture refrigerated throughout the batch process and cook within 24 hours. Discard leftover batter that has contacted raw chicken, and clean the processor, sink area and work surface thoroughly.