Try these copycat chicken minis for a taste of Chick-fil-A any time of day! These minis use premade yeast bread, fried chicken nuggets, and a delicious sauce!
Similar to Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis
If you are a fan of Chick-fil-A’s Chicken-n-Minis, then this recipe is for you! These rolls are a perfect appetizer, breakfast food, or anytime meal that your family and guests will love. They are made with soft yeast rolls, fried chicken nuggets, and a hot-sweet bang-bang-type sauce.
Yeast Rolls for Copycat Chicken Minis
I use Sister Schubert’s Parker House Rolls for this recipe. There are 16 frozen rolls in a package that are easy to thaw and heat. After they finish cooking, use a serrated knife to cut open one side of the rolls to stuff the chicken nuggets. Be sure to leave one side of the roll hinged so it helps hold the chicken in place.
Chicken Nuggets
This recipe uses deboned chicken breasts or chicken tenders cut into small pieces to make chicken nuggets. Place raw chicken nuggets in buttermilk and dill pickle juice to tenderize them. Soak them for at least 30 minutes, but longer is okay if you keep them refrigerated. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and dip the nuggets in it. Use a fork or slotted spoon to drain the liquid from the nuggets before adding them to the flour mixture.
Cooking Copycat Chicken Minis
Nuggets are cooked in about an inch of cooking oil until golden brown and have an internal temperature of 165°F. Heat the cooking oil to 350°F before adding the chicken. Cook the chicken pieces for a couple of minutes. When done, drain them on a paper towel.
Sauce for Copycat Chicken Minis
Chick-fil-A finishes its chicken minis by brushing the tops of the yeast rolls with a mixture of melted butter and honey. You can finish these minis the same way, or add their Chick-fil-A Sauce dipping sauce that you can buy ready-made. However, another option is to use the sauce listed in this recipe, which is a delicious, sweet, and spicy sauce. Furthermore, the recipe lists another sauce in the notes section so you can enjoy these minis in your favorite way.
Chick-fil-A enhances its chicken minis by brushing the tops of the yeast rolls with a mixture of melted butter and honey. You can finish your minis in the same way, or opt for their ready-made Chick-fil-A Sauce for dipping. Alternatively, consider using the delicious, sweet-and-spicy sauce featured in this recipe. Additionally, you’ll find another sauce listed in the notes section, allowing you to enjoy these minis your way!
Storing Chicken Minis
These chicken minis keep well in the refrigerator if you want to make them ahead and heat them in the oven just before serving. Store them in the aluminum yeast roll pan, covered with foil. Leave the foil on and reheat them in a 350°F oven until warm. Alternatively, remove the chicken from the rolls and reheat it in an air fryer for about 8 minutes. Then heat the rolls covered with aluminium foil in a 325°F oven while the chicken is cooking. Add the sauce just before serving.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Click on each name or photo to link to the recipe.
Copycat Chicken Minis
Equipment
- 1 food thermometer
Ingredients
Sauce
- ⅛ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ tablespoon sweet chili sauce (Maggi brand used in this recipe)
- ½ teaspoon sriracha hot chili sauce (Huy Fong Foods used in this recipe)
- 1 teaspoon butter, melted
Chicken
- 1/2-3/4 pound chicken breast, deboned and cut into bite-sized pieces (See note below for shortcut advice)
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup dill pickle juice from a jar of pickles
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- vegetable cooking oil
- 16 Parker House style mini yeast rolls (A package of frozen Sister Schubert’s rolls was used in this recipe)
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
Sauce
- Add the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, hot chili sauce, and melted butter to a small mixing bowl. Stir well. Keep refrigerated until needed later.
Chicken and Rolls
- Add the chicken to a mixing bowl, then pour buttermilk and pickle juice over it. Stir, making sure the liquid covers all the chicken. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven and bake the yeast rolls according to the package directions. Keep covered and warm after baking.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and pepper In another mixing bowl. Stir to mix well. Add the chicken, one piece at a time, and coat with the flour mixture.
- Pour 1 inch of cooking oil into a saucepan. Heat the oil to 350°F. Drop in chicken and fry until golden brown, 1-2 minutes, or until the chicken is 165°F inside.
- Remove the chicken from the cooking oil and let the excess oil drain away on a paper towel.
- Cut open each yeast roll, leaving the backside attached so the bread will hold the chicken like a glove. Add a piece of chicken and drizzle with the sauce (if using). Then mix the melted butter and honey and brush it on top of each roll. Serve on a platter and garnish with sliced scallions, fresh parsley, or rosemary.
Notes
Chicken
For a shortcut, purchase raw chicken breast already cut into small bite-sized pieces. Alternatively, use chicken tenders and cut them into pieces.Rolls
The rolls used in this recipe are heat-and-eat. Other kinds can be used, but build in extra time to allow the rolls to rise, etc.Comeback Sauce Recipe
Here is another similar sauce recipe you can use instead of the one listed in the recipe.- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Texas Pete (or other hot sauce)
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder