I Sampled 6 Frozen Chicken Nugget Brands and One Was Surprisingly Juicy

Have you ever wondered how the humble chicken nugget first took shape? Well, all the thanks for this American staple are owed to a man named Robert C. Baker. As a food science professor at Cornell University, Baker developed a method for forming ground chicken into a bite-sized piece and coating it in a batter that could endure both frying and freezing. Thus, chicken nuggets (originally dubbed "chicken crispies") were born in 1963.

But, while Baker is credited with the invention of nuggets, McDonald's is largely credited with their popularization, which took off with the launch of McNuggets in 1981. The rest is history, and now versions of the savory bites can be found in countless fast-food restaurants and freezer aisles.

With their time-honored recipes, expert fryer techniques, and array of delectable sauces, fast-food nuggets have long been thought superior to frozen. But that doesn't stop kids and adults alike from snatching up bags of beloved shapes and dippable appeal. As an adult with no children, I can admit that chicken nuggets have materialized on my grocery shopping list more than once. And they popped up yet again as I set out to find the best of the best–the crispiest, juiciest, and most dunk-worthy. I sampled six different brands total, including giants like Tyson and Perdue, and even a few plant-based offerings to finally arrive at the most craveable. Don't count your chickens before they hatch, the top picks may surprise you.

Morning Star Farms Chik'n Nuggets

PER 4 NUGGETS: 190 calories, 9 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 460 mg sodium, 18 g carbs (2 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 12 g protein

Among the true chicken nuggets, we hid a few plant-based options–some faux nuggets, if you will. One such selection comes from MorningStar Farms, the brand that makes vegetarian versions of all different kinds of meat products, from corndogs to burger patties. Its Chik'n Nuggets (notice the misspelling there) have a new and improved recipe, according to the bag. They are now primarily made up of wheat flour, soy protein concentrate, vegetable oil, soy protein isolate, and other flavorings like garlic powder and paprika. These alternative ingredients give the nuggets 12 grams of protein per serving and 31% less fat compared to standard chicken nuggets. The small bag cost me $4.89.

The Look: The breading is noticeably darker and crumblier than other options. Size-wise, though, they are average and compacted into flat egg shapes.

The Taste: I will give credit where credit is due. MorningStar gets very close to a real chicken nugget in terms of looks and texture. It's the taste that eventually gives it away. The nuggets have a pronounced earthy flair and a consistent dryness that poultry typically does not. The breading is a high point–perfectly crunchy with a garlicky flavor and light spice. But it's not enough to mask the soy and wheat tastes at the center.

Yummy Dino Buddies

PER 4 PIECES: 200 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 390 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 10 g protein

The topic of frozen chicken nuggets will always involve a few fun shapes that go against the "don't play with your food" guideline. We actually have a variety of creatures on our list, but the most famous of all has to be dinosaur nuggets. I've even seen plushies and pillows for sale mimicking this classic nugget shape–that's how popular they have become.

The brand Yummy Dino Buddies very evidently falls into this prehistoric category, and I grabbed a box of its original dinosaur-shaped nuggets for $7.49. On the package, they're actually called "chicken breast patty fritters with rib meat", and it's noted that they're made with minimally processed white meat from chicken raised with no antibiotics.

The Look: The box shows seven different types of dinosaurs, but I ended up with mostly T-Rexes, brachiosauruses, and pterodactyls on my plate. They're covered in a very light breading, in terms of both color and thickness.

The Taste: These dinos definitely need a dip in a condiment lake. They're about as bland as it gets with low levels of salt or any other accompanying seasonings. On the inside, the poultry is compact and a bit gummy. On the outside, the corn flour-based coating is flimsy and more dusty than crisp. Sure, once you drown one of the primal beasts in ketchup or BBQ sauce, they still give you that classic chicken nugget experience. But they're definitely lacking when it comes to standalone taste.

Applegate Naturals Chicken Nuggets

PER 6 NUGGETS: 160 calories, 7 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat), 330 mg sodium, 14 g carbs (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 11 g protein

They don't come in a playable animal form, but Applegate's frozen chicken nuggets are served up with a few benefits. First off, they are sourced from farms where the chickens are raised humanely and never subjected to antibiotics or growth hormones. Additionally, only white meat chicken is used, and every serving of six nuggets comes with 11 grams of protein. A bag containing about 30 pieces gave me a bit of sticker shock, though, priced at $14.79–the only downside from the outside looking in.

The Look: Yes, these nuggets are, in fact, cooked. Their coloring just never upgraded in the oven, so the small circles remained a pale tan.

The Taste: Despite their smaller circumference, these poultry masses are rather plump. They're packed full of quality white meat but somehow still come off a bit parched and devoid of juiciness. The crackly breading doesn't help this issue. However, it does help Applegate stand out compared to the previous dinos thanks to its subtle hints of garlic and onion flavoring. Altogether, the nuggets are just alright and not worth the steep price tag, in my opinion.

Tyson Chicken Nuggets

PER 5 PIECES: 210 calories, 13 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 450 mg sodium, 12 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 11 g protein

The leader in frozen chicken production, Tyson, fills up the frozen food aisle with bags and bags of the bird in every form. Just breaded chicken alone comes in strips, tenders, patties, steak fingers, and, of course, the quintessential chicken nugget. Dinosaurs can be found roaming, but I picked up a package of classically shaped nuggets instead (boring, I know). They are made with 100% natural white meat from chickens raised with no added hormones or steroids. The large bag containing about 40 nuggets cost me $7.49.

The Look: Stereotypical chicken nuggets. They come in a golden brown hue and asymmetrical round to oval shapes.

The Taste: The fine breading is the teensiest bit crisp as you bite into it, but also mushy in spots. At the center, the chicken tastes fresh–firm yet juicy. Salt levels are optimal, and the nuggets are even a bit greasy (perhaps because the breading is set in vegetable oil)–a fact that I thought would be a deterrent but wasn't. This oiliness makes them more craveable, so you keep reaching for another. I did, unfortunately, detect the slightest hint of something artificial or awry in the breading. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it continuously reared its ugly head in the aftertaste.

Impossible Chicken Nuggets

PER 4 NUGGETS: 190 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 390 mg sodium, 17 g carbs (3 g fiber, <1 g sugar), 10 g protein

Impossible Foods is a pioneer in the plant-based meat category, most well-known for its signature Impossible Burger. The brand and its arsenal of beef, chicken, and sausage alternatives have been around since 2016, but if you've noticed a change in its products lately, you're not just imagining things. In 2024, Impossible rebranded, swapping out its original mint green packaging for a bold red design meant to look "meatier".

The $8.79 bag of chicken nuggets I found in the freezer aisle not only followed this new theme but also touted a Lion King collaboration. As such, they take on an entirely new kind of animal-inspired shape while still offering 10 grams of protein per serving and 60% less saturated fat than other shaped chicken nuggets.

The Look: Both Simba and Mufasa can be found throughout the bag in addition to what looks like a lion paw print. They all carry a uniform breading in an average, orange-tinted shade.

The Taste: Impossible shares a similar makeup as MorningStar–a base of wheat flour, soy protein concentrate, soybean oil, and sunflower oil–but it does it better. The consistency and juicy taste are spot on. So much so that I don't think I would have been able to distinguish them from real chicken in a blind taste test. The breading offers a lightly spiced flavor, but crispness is on the mild side–the nuggets' only true downfall that I can see.

Perdue Sea Creature Chicken Nuggets

PER 4 PIECES: 240 calories, 15 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 390 mg sodium, 16 g carbs (0 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 10 g protein

From the land of the lost to the Pride Lands and now to the big blue, chicken nuggets cover every kind of landscape you can imagine. Another heavy hitter in the world of chicken (particularly when it comes to fresh chicken), Perdue makes a splash with sea creature chicken nuggets. Like most other brands, it claims the characters are made with 100% natural ingredients and from chicken raised with no antibiotics ever. A bag I picked up yielded about 36 nuggets and rang up at $8.99.

The Look: A thicker, darker breading, similar to what you would find on popcorn shrimp (a little ironic, isn't it?) I was also happy to see a diverse selection on my plate, including a few dolphins, turtles, fish, and even an octopus.

The Taste: There's nothing fishy about these nuggets. In fact, they're my top pick overall, and much of it has to do with the breading. The chicken is up to par with Tyson and with the fabricated poultry from Impossible. It's white meat and succulent, without too much of that packed-together feel. But the outer crust is the real star of the show. It offers a satisfying crispy snap with each bite, keeps its shape, and is flavored enough that you don't even need a sauce to give it life. This texture and taste combo definitely puts Perdue at the top of my pecking order.