Pro Chefs Blind Taste Test Frozen Chicken Nuggets | The Taste Panel | Epicurious

Quick Overview

The Pilgrim's Ultimate Nuggets were ranked as the favorite chicken nugget overall by the professional chefs, despite the Kid Cuisine Level Up Dino Nuggets being the cheapest at $3.47 and the Earth's Best Baked Chicken Nuggets being the most expensive at $15.29.

Key Points: Pilgrim's Ultimate Nuggets were the chefs' favorite, praised for having a good balance of crunchy exterior, juicy interior, and balanced seasoning. Kid Cuisine Level Up Dino Nuggets ($3.47) were the cheapest but ranked lowest due to a mushy texture and overly processed flavor. Earth's Best Baked Chicken Nuggets ($15.29) were the most expensive but noted for having a very dry interior and a flavor profile reminiscent of raw flour. The Kidfresh nuggets ($12.19) were admired for their ingredients (cauliflower/whole wheat breading) and good texture/balance but had an off-putting taste. Impossible Chicken Nuggets ($12.59) were noted for having a thick, processed-tasting batter, lacking juiciness and tenderness. Applegate Naturals Chicken Nuggets ($16.29) were deemed very dry, with a texture that felt firm and lacked juiciness, despite being organically and humanely raised. Good & Gather Chicken Nuggets ($9.79) were cheap and had a crispy crust, but the meat texture was spongy and too soft.

Context: Three professional chefs—Cara Nicoletti, Jake Dickson, and Eric Huang—blind taste-test and review nine different brands of frozen chicken nuggets, evaluating them against criteria: crunchy/crispy exterior, juicy/tender interior, and balanced flavors. The brands tested ranged in price from $3.47 (Kid Cuisine) to $16.29 (Applegate Naturals), and included both traditional and plant-based options.

Detailed Analysis

The professional chefs blind taste-tested nine different frozen chicken nugget brands, ranking them based on crunchiness, juiciness/tenderness, and balanced flavors. Pilgrim's Ultimate Nuggets ($9.99) emerged as the favorite, praised by Cara Nicoletti for its excellent texture and flavor balance, and by Jake Dickson for its solid structure and good flavor profile. The nuggets that ranked lowest were the Kid Cuisine Level Up Dino Nuggets ($3.47), which were criticized for a mushy texture and an off-putting flavor, despite being the cheapest option. Applegate Naturals Organic Chicken Nuggets ($16.29), the most expensive, were called very dry by the chefs. Earth's Best Baked Chicken Nuggets ($15.29) were criticized for being dry and having a flavor reminiscent of raw flour, while the breading failed to stay attached. Kidfresh Chicken Nuggets ($12.19) were praised for incorporating cauliflower and whole wheat breading but were ultimately disliked for an off-putting taste. Good & Gather Chicken Nuggets ($9.79) were deemed too soft and spongy inside with a thick, sometimes soggy breading. Impossible Chicken Nuggets ($12.59), the only plant-based option, were criticized for having a thick, highly processed-tasting crust and lacking juiciness. The chefs noted that the Kid Cuisine nuggets were prepared using a microwave tray, which likely contributed to their poor texture. Overall, the chefs prioritized good texture and balanced flavor over price or specific ingredient claims like 'organic' or 'no antibiotics'.