# Pro Chefs Blind Taste Test Frozen Chicken Nuggets | The Taste Panel | Epicurious Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRAld0Nl45E Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/BRAld0Nl45E Generated: 2026-02-24T18:03:35.599+00:00 --- ## 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. ![Screenshot at 00:05: The initial lineup of all nine frozen chicken nugget brands tested is displayed on the wooden table against a vibrant purple background.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/BRAld0Nl45E/00-00-05.jpg) **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'. ### Tyson Chicken Nuggets - Smelled delicious with toasted breadcrumbs; described as having a nice cohesive coating, juicy interior, and a texture like a Wendy's nugget; tasted nostalgic and familiar. ### Perdue Panko Chicken Nuggets - Had a good, dense texture but the breading was too thin and mushy, coming off easily; the meat did not feel finely ground, and the overall texture was not ideal. ### Perdue Simply Smart Organic Lightly Breaded Dino Nuggets - Had a nice, dense texture and was naturally processed without added hormones, but the texture was too gummy and starchy, and the breading was not as crispy as expected. ### Good & Gather Chicken Nuggets - Appeared nicely golden brown, but the texture was spongy, dry, and the flavor was described as weird and cardboard-like; the nugget had an uneven texture with a fat side and a thin side. ### Kid Cuisine Level Up Dino Chicken Nuggets - Ranked lowest due to being very floppy, mushy, and having a flavor reminiscent of raw flour and undercooked sugar cookie; the microwave preparation method was noted as a major flaw. ### Impossible Chicken Nuggets - Criticized for having a thick, aggressively textured, and not crispy breading; the interior meat substitute tasted processed and slightly sweet, lacking juiciness. ### Caulipower All Natural Chicken Nuggets - Had a strong cauliflower smell and a very thick, somewhat dry breading that was overly seasoned with cauliflower/onion flavors; the texture was dense and slightly mushy. ### Trader Joe's Organic Chicken Nuggets - Had a slight gray tint, a sweet aftertaste, and the breading was not crispy or cohesive; the interior was described as bouncy and slightly gummy, tasting more like artificial meat substitute than real chicken meat in the end (though noted as being IQF). This was the least favorite nugget among the judges for overall flavor and texture balance, despite being the cheapest at $4.99 for organic nuggets. ![Screenshot at 0:03: The initial display of the seven different frozen chicken nugget brands being tested.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/BRAld0Nl45E/00-00-03.jpg) ![Screenshot at 0:07: A close-up comparison of the texture of a standard nugget versus a more heavily breaded nugget.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/BRAld0Nl45E/00-00-07.jpg) ![Screenshot at 0:15: Tyson Chicken Nuggets shown next to their packaging, priced at $6.46.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/BRAld0Nl45E/00-00-15.jpg) ![Screenshot at 2:09: Perdue Panko Chicken Nuggets displayed, which cost $7.24 and featured a panko breading.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/BRAld0Nl45E/00-02-09.jpg) ![Screenshot at 3:24: The host reveals the Perdue Simply Smart Organic packaging, noting it contains no antibiotics ever.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/BRAld0Nl45E/00-03-24.jpg)